Freemason's Hotel (fmr), Toodyay

Parent Place or Precinct

04128 Stirling Terrace Streetscape Group

Values

· The place is a good example of a two storey building in the Federation Filigree style.
· The size and style of the place make it a landmark with the Stirling Terrace streetscape and it makes a strong contribution to the character of this streetscape.
· The place has associations with the development of the town of Toodyay sine the mid nineteenth century and its redevelopment in the 1890s was a reflection of the prosperity of the period as a result of the goldrushes.
· Since 1860, the place has been used as a hotel and has served as a social venue and community meeting place.
· The detailed architecture of the hotel building as it exists within the street block while not unique is more commonly seen in the ‘corner pub’.

Physical Description

The place is a two storey brick structure with a hipped, new short sheet, galvanised corrugated roof. It features a decorative parapaet and a double verandah with decorative timber balustrade, valance and posts. At ground floor level there is a recessed verandah, which also has a balustrade. The north and south elevations shows three periods of construction in the face brickwork including a single storey shop (1860).

History

In 1860 W. P. Tregonning constructed a single storey public house and stables on Lots 6, 7, 8 and 14 in Toodyay town. Called the Newcastle Hotel, it was licensed in 1861 and then sold the next year to Thomas Mead of Northam. Because of confusion with Monger’s Newcastle Hotel, Mead changed the name to the Freemason’s Tavern. In the 1860s the tavern was taken over by Samuel and James Gregg, who operated a store of the Newcastle Co-operative in one of the long rooms of the hotel. During the 1880s, the Toodyay (Newcastle) are went into a decline. Businessman Dan Connor, who had many land and commercial interests including the ownership of the Freemason’s Hotel, sold the building to licensee Thomas Donegan, who in turn sold it to his brother James. In 1891, H. Davey purchased the place and made a number of additions to the building including a new kitchen and a second storey. The stables were demolished in c. 1955 to make for an outdoor picture theatre, which was itself demolished in 1970. The place received funds as part of recent round of federal funding to Historic Hotels. Work included reproofing, redoing roof plumbing and restoration of the rear verandah.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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