OBJECT TITLE / NAME

A View from Grand Hotel, Mornington

DATE1910s

MEDIAImage

COLLECTIONMornington and District Historical Society

REG NO.1242.19

HISTORY

The Grand Hotel was built in 1889. It began as the Grand Coffee Palace, one of may such establishments encouraged by the Temperance Movement. The Hotel was renowned for the huge verandah across the front, supported by ten inch square red gum posts, which had apparently been added around 1910 to 1914. At this time the licencee was Cooper. The architect was William Pitt who had designed the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne. The original building had 3 bays beneath a central tower and steeple with an arched carriageway to Swift’s stables beyond. Cornelius Crowley was the first owner, he also owned the Cricketer’s Arms Hotel next door. The Grand was expanded in 1919. This photo of the train was taken on the 26th February 1979. The contract for the building of the track from Mornington Junction (Baxter) to Mornington was let in August 1888 to David Munro and Co. for the price of $25000. The line was ready for traffic a year later. A special train left Melbourne at 1.12pm on September 10, 1889 carrying a number of important passengers, among whom were Dr. L. L. Smith, M.L.A., and Professor Pearson, Minister for Education. The station and the streets in the main section of the town were decked with bunting in gay welcome to the train, its complement of passengers, and the new era of rail transport. That afternoon a banquet was held at the Athenaeum presided over by Cr. Alfred Downward. The journey from Mornington to the city was speeded up by the electrification of the railway line to Frankston which was completed in August 1922.

DESCRIPTION

This shows a a view of the railway with some rolling stock, and a platform with numerous barrels. It shows paddocks, some with small holdings, and chickens. It looks out over Port Philip Bay. There are a few buildings to the left of the photo, these appear to be on the Esplanade overlooking the sea. Sutton Grange can be seen, and the Convent building in Tanti Avenue.

SUBJECTS

Accommodation, Hotels, Paddocks, Railway trolleys

KEYWORDS

Accommodation, Grand Hotel, Hotels, Mornington, Paddocks, Railway trolleys, Sutton Grange, Tanti Avenue