OBJECT TITLE / NAME

Grand Hotel Mornington, removing the verandah December 1968

DATE1968

MEDIAImage

COLLECTIONMornington and District Historical Society

REG NO.1414.6

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.

DESCRIPTION

1. This photograph shows the Grand Hotel with the top verandah in tact. There are two men on the roof preparing to demolish the verandah. The tower is shown, but does not have the spire it has today. It is more like a turret. There are several cars parked in the foreground of that era. There is a taxi just near the hotel on that side. The sky is cloudy.
2. This photo is very similar to No. 1, but is from further away, but same angle, across the street opposite the Hotel.
3. This image shows the Hotel after the removal of the balcony. There are two workmen on scaffolding repairing the building where the verandah has been. The sky is blue.
4. This is a photo of work being carried out on the ground floor verandah. There are 4 men shown, two are on ladders.
5. This image shows two men on ladders working on the upper floor of the hotel facade. They appear to be repairing it.
6. This shows the hotel after the top verandah had been removed, and the facade repaired. It is taken from the opposite of the road, and in the foreground are 3 metal barrels with Christmas trees in them.There are fairy lights stretched across the street.

SUBJECTS

Coffee palaces, Historic buildings, Hotels

KEYWORDS

Coffee palaces, Crowley, Cornelius, Grand Hotel, Historic buildings, Hotels, Main Street, Mornington, Pitt, William