History of the Club Hotel
EDWARD Ingram built the Mallee Inn on the south corner of Madden and Phillips Streets in 1882. It was also known as the Pig and Whistle. It was described as a ramshackle collection of buildings. Late in 1882 he advertised it as the Criterion Hotel. By 1883 he transferred ownership to his brother George and at that stage it consisted of 10 rooms. George added stockyards which doubled as a pound, as he was appointed the pound keeper in 1882. It wasn’t until 1884 that title was given for the land, when George bought the block at public auction from the crown.
W.H. Gowers built a hotel in Dimboola, but the locals believed there were too many hotels in that town and refused to support his business. Looking for a new opportunity Gowers bought the Criterion in 1884 and added a soft drink factory to the business. He moved his hotel from Dimboola to Kaniva with 8 bullock teams and had the building in place by Dec, when he advertised for somebody to paint and paper a 17 room hotel. The new building was placed on the block in Commercial Street, where it has remained since. Gowers renamed the hotel The Club in Jan 1885 and opened for business in March. He advertised the business for sale in June 1888 and transferred to Septimus Durant in the same month. Gowers retained the aerated water factory and also advertised it for sale in Nov 1888. The Ingrams left Kaniva and moved to Serviceton where they operated a boarding house. Gowers also left Kaniva, moving in Nov 1889.
A sale was made to Ruebin Guy in Sep 1890 but the transfer was delayed as the owner had lost the titles. He applied for a 3am licence in Dec 1892 to meet the needs of train travellers between Melbourne and Adelaide when the express stopped at Kaniva for two and half hours each night. The Commercial Hotel also applied, but the Club was granted the licence as it was deemed to be the closest to the Railway Station. Sheep yards had been added on the block to the rear of the hotel. In June 1895 Guy transferred the licence back to Durant. Durant had remained in the area as he had purchased property at South Kaniva. June 1900 Durant sold to Dave Harrison and Johnny Williams. The partnership lasted around one year when Williams left to take up stock agent work and run his property at Sandsmere. (He was killed in Dec 1906 when he fell off a bike at fast speed). Durant returned to England, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Feb 1904 Mills took over from Dave Harrison. Harrison later became licensee of the Diapur Hotel. Jan 1907 A.C.(Adele) Mason became the Licensee. She held the licence for one year and transferred to Joseph Bruder. Bruder had the licence for a number of years and transferred to Walter Potton who had been the local Policeman before enlisting to serve in WW1. On return he re-joined the police force for a short time, and then resigned to take up the hotel. When the Commercial was rebuilt Potton advertised to do something similar with the intent of removing part of the hotel and building a new 2 story brick building in June 1925 .He did not proceed and called for a new tender to renovate and rebuild the front of the hotel in Sep 1926. The work was completed in 1927 and Mrs Potton had a clearing sale of the second hand building materials in Feb 1927.
In May 1940 L.E. Hennesy took over from Potton. He transferred to C.T. Smith. By May 1952 Patterson from Rainbow announced he had taken over the licence. This did not eventuate and in June 1952 Alex Potton became the licensee. In August 1955, J.A.Craig took over from Alex Potton, and operated until May 1962 when J.J. Johnson became the licensee. There have been a number of transfers since Johnson died suddenly at a local football match. These will be recorded in the Licencing Authority archives. A fire started in the accommodation section of the hotel which destroyed virtually the rear of the hotel to the bar. This was rebuilt as a dining area and an outdoor setting.
History courtesy of local historian Bruce Meyer.
W.H. Gowers built a hotel in Dimboola, but the locals believed there were too many hotels in that town and refused to support his business. Looking for a new opportunity Gowers bought the Criterion in 1884 and added a soft drink factory to the business. He moved his hotel from Dimboola to Kaniva with 8 bullock teams and had the building in place by Dec, when he advertised for somebody to paint and paper a 17 room hotel. The new building was placed on the block in Commercial Street, where it has remained since. Gowers renamed the hotel The Club in Jan 1885 and opened for business in March. He advertised the business for sale in June 1888 and transferred to Septimus Durant in the same month. Gowers retained the aerated water factory and also advertised it for sale in Nov 1888. The Ingrams left Kaniva and moved to Serviceton where they operated a boarding house. Gowers also left Kaniva, moving in Nov 1889.
A sale was made to Ruebin Guy in Sep 1890 but the transfer was delayed as the owner had lost the titles. He applied for a 3am licence in Dec 1892 to meet the needs of train travellers between Melbourne and Adelaide when the express stopped at Kaniva for two and half hours each night. The Commercial Hotel also applied, but the Club was granted the licence as it was deemed to be the closest to the Railway Station. Sheep yards had been added on the block to the rear of the hotel. In June 1895 Guy transferred the licence back to Durant. Durant had remained in the area as he had purchased property at South Kaniva. June 1900 Durant sold to Dave Harrison and Johnny Williams. The partnership lasted around one year when Williams left to take up stock agent work and run his property at Sandsmere. (He was killed in Dec 1906 when he fell off a bike at fast speed). Durant returned to England, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Feb 1904 Mills took over from Dave Harrison. Harrison later became licensee of the Diapur Hotel. Jan 1907 A.C.(Adele) Mason became the Licensee. She held the licence for one year and transferred to Joseph Bruder. Bruder had the licence for a number of years and transferred to Walter Potton who had been the local Policeman before enlisting to serve in WW1. On return he re-joined the police force for a short time, and then resigned to take up the hotel. When the Commercial was rebuilt Potton advertised to do something similar with the intent of removing part of the hotel and building a new 2 story brick building in June 1925 .He did not proceed and called for a new tender to renovate and rebuild the front of the hotel in Sep 1926. The work was completed in 1927 and Mrs Potton had a clearing sale of the second hand building materials in Feb 1927.
In May 1940 L.E. Hennesy took over from Potton. He transferred to C.T. Smith. By May 1952 Patterson from Rainbow announced he had taken over the licence. This did not eventuate and in June 1952 Alex Potton became the licensee. In August 1955, J.A.Craig took over from Alex Potton, and operated until May 1962 when J.J. Johnson became the licensee. There have been a number of transfers since Johnson died suddenly at a local football match. These will be recorded in the Licencing Authority archives. A fire started in the accommodation section of the hotel which destroyed virtually the rear of the hotel to the bar. This was rebuilt as a dining area and an outdoor setting.
History courtesy of local historian Bruce Meyer.
Club Hotel. Open 7 days.
Where everyone's a local. Meals Mon - Sat 5.30pm - 8.30pm Email clubhotelkaniva@gmail.com 54 Commercial St, Kaniva, Victoria, 3419. © 2022 Club Hotel Kaniva |
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