Lady Shenton Hotel (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place is historically and aesthetically linked with the Old Menzies Hotel on the diagonally opposite corner, with its decorative parapet and wrapped verandah that extends over the footpath. Together they form a group of former hotel buildings that once anchored a major intersection that contributed to the townscape. The place is representative of the Australian pub tradition with its wrap around verandahs that extend over the footpath located on what was once a prominent street corner in Menzies.

Physical Description

Built on the south-west corner of the intersection to replace the original hotel built in 1895 that was destroyed by fire in 1901. The existing building is built in brick laid in colonial bond, and stone walls to the rear addition. The building is truncated at the corner and addresses both streets. The principal facade addresses Shenton Street. A rendered parapet extends the length of the facades. Ornate Italianate triangular pediments on the parapet above each of the facade entrances and above the building truncation - they emphasise the three entrances into the building. A bullnosed verandah roof clad in cgi wraps the building, extends over the pavement, and is supported on paired posts (replacement posts are galvanised iron columns). Windows are double-hung sashes, and doors are panelled with square-headed fanlights. A stone addition continues the Brown Street elevation. The addition continues the rendered parapet, that is devoid of pediments. Windows are double-hung sashes of a different proportion and size to the original, with prominent sills and quoins. The interior comprised sitting rooms, six bedrooms, private sitting and writing rooms and bar facilities. The site now accommodates a caravan park and office. Two of the pediments are missing.

History

Menzies Town Lot 41, at the south-west corner of Shenton and Brown Streets and directly opposite the original Post Office site, was granted to Arthur Leevers, a Coolgardie publican, in June 1896, having been purchased by him at the October 1895 Menzies land auction. Leevers had apparently held this lot earlier as a business area under the Mining Act, as the value of improvements (£380) was added to the upset price of £20 to protect his investment. [GG 27/09/1895, p. 1538; DOLA - CT T11/387 & CT 88/99] Probably the hotel he had erected on the site, known as the Lady Shenton after the first mining lease to be taken up in the area, was built around mid-1895 It was managed firstly by Messrs Salisbuiy and Trautmann then, from about September 1895, by P. Koopman. A report in January 1896 indicated that the still unfinished building consisted of a large front bar, dining room, kitchen, sitting room and two private bedrooms, the guest bedrooms having yet to be finished. [MM 11/01/1896, p.6] Leevers ran the place himself for a short period early in 1896, then leased it to Harry Blake, an experienced publican from Perth. [MM 14/03/1896, p.3; DOLA - CT 88/99] In March 1896, work commenced on 'additional improvements' to the hotel. These additions, presumably the necessary guest bedrooms, were of brick and stone and a foundation stone was laid by the Chairman of the Council, Henry Gregory. Several silver and copper coins, together with a copy of the Menzies Miner newspaper , were placed in a cavity beneath the stone. After the ceremony and speeches there were cheers from Gregory, Blake and the contractors. [MM 14/03/1896, p.3] By November that year, Blake had moved on to a partnership in a hotel at Niagara, and the new licensee of the Lady Shenton was Fred W. Welford, who advertised the largest and best appointed billiard room in the State. [MM 06/11/1896, p. 12; NCH 06/01/1897, p.l; 29/01/1897, p.2] Ownership of the hotel changed hands a number of times as did that of the lessee. That was, until the night of 13 December 1901, when the Lady Shenton was reduced to smouldering embers by a fire that was first noticed beneath the floor boards. [NCH 14/12/1901, p.2; 17/12/1901, pp.2, 3] The building was said to have been insured by the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy for £2,000 with stock and furniture for £1,100. The conditions of the license, that the premises be rebuilt, caused a number of problems. These finally led the Official Receiver, acting on behalf of Leevers bankrupt estate, to invite tenders for the ground lease and existing license and existing license for a period of 15 years, the successful tenderer to erect thereon a hotel premises of not less than £1,500. [NCH 18/06/1902, p.2] This scheme attracted another Boulder publican, Patrick James Green, who took over lease and license in July 1902, and soon had the erection of new brick premises under way. [NCH 25/07/1902, p.2; 22/08/1902, p.2] Green's new Lady Shenton Hotel was opened towards the end of 1902. It had three sitting rooms and five bedrooms, but was licensed subject to the erection of as additional bedroom within 12 months. [NCH 03/10/1902, p.7; 17/11/1902, p.4; 02/12/1902, p.2] A description of the building in mid-1903, stated that it was a very comfortable and well laid out hotel, built of brick throughout, and containing private sitting and writing rooms, etc. [NCH 26/06/1903, p.2] A year later, Green was advertising it as the leading commercial and sporting house in Menzies, providing accommodation for all visiting thespians. [NCH 23/07/1904, p.2] He ran the place personally until 1907, when the license was transferred to Charles Callagher. [Wises Post Office Directories] subsequently as a boarding house. It was purchased by John Joseph Weaver in 1934 and remained the property of the Weaver family until transferred to the Menzies Road Board in 1960. POLA - CT 599/198] Callagher, who held the license until 1922, purchased the place outright from Mrs Leevers in 1914. [DOLA - CTs 88/99 & 599/198] Although the license was not renewed after 1922, the building may have been used

Condition

Poor-Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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