Passing the time

The Clock Hotel, Crown Street, Surrey Hills. Winter. Friday, 7pm.

A bald faced something or other

My ex-father-in-law (long since departed), used to tell the story of his favourite axe, you know the one, with the seven different handles, and three different heads. This pub, today, reminds me of Johnny's old axe.

It stands, rather flagrantly, out along Parramatta Road, somewhere between Leichhardt and Annandale. It is called the Bald Faced Stag, and it claims to be 'Hearn's' with a date of '1830'. Where to start to unravel this? Official licences for hotels in New South Wales were only required from 1830 onwards with the passage of the 'New Licensing Act'. Until then, pubs were unofficially licenced, if that is possible.

On 22nd June 1830, Licence # 1 was issued to George Morris for the 'Crown & Anchor Tavern' in George Street. Later that month, Licence # 160 was issued to Michael Napthali for the Bald Faced Stag, also in George Street. Napthali also claimed Licence # 164 for his Bunch of Grapes on Pitt Street on 5th July. Napthali had a series of pubs, some of which overlapped, causing his eventual bankruptcy. In June 1846, the licence for the BFS was transferred to John Aspinall, and then, in June 1847, to Abraham Hearn, as Licence # 480, situated on Parramatta Road. However, that building pre-dated the one I show you today. It was just a rough-caste square humpty that stood near the entrance to the local race-course.

So, if you are following the axe heads and the axe handles, voila! I give you Hearn's Bald Faced Stag of 1830.

Dr Schwartz Pils

There's been a pub on the corner of Goulburn & Wentworth Streets in the dag-end of the city since 1888, and it's been called the Macquarie Hotel since 1908. I bet the old codgers in the front bar from back in those days would guffaw into their froth to know that it is now called the Macquare Boutique Hotel. Oh dear, Lady Muck, do excuse me for breathing.

Green Park Hotel

A most atmospheric internal beer-garden sets this basic 1893 suburban pub apart from others. Along with the $5 glass of wine all weekend!


Whereas this pub is on the intersection of Victoria Street and Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst, Green Park itself is another 200m along Victoria Street and opposite St Vincents' Hospital. It is the park with this outstanding folly.

Time comes dripping slow

The blunt of the facade proudly proclaims that the Imperial Hotel was erected in 1910, in the dog-days of the reign of Edward VII, with an empire that turned a Mercator map into a sea of pink.

The sign is no longer there that promises that the renovations will be completed in time for the centenary. They just *might* be open for Christmas ...

Here is Jim's 2007 photo prior to renovations commencing.

Paddo Pubs - The Unicorn

I have 17 pubs in my Paddington folder. This is just one of them. Hopefully, I will get to more of them in the fullness of time.


The Unicorn Hotel is on Oxford Street just opposite the western end of Victoria Barracks. It has a great art-deco facade and really rocks all weekend. The front bar is called 'The Fringe Bar', and on Saturday from early until about 4pm hosts an eclectic market of young designers. They have ego and are not cheap, but they have some out-there stuff.


As you can see from the banners, Monday is stand-up comedy night, but with a kink. Actually, the entire establishment is a bit kinky, but extremely popular. Negotiating my way through the crowd that has spilled onto the pavement on a Friday or Saturday night (on my way to the Verona Cinema) is a tad hazardous. Many thanks to the burly bouncers!

St Kilda, Titz 'n' Schnitz

The renovated Newmarket Hotel has found respectability. In its former life though, as attested by its nickname, it was famous for topless waitresses and chicken schnitzel. The publican at the time, was a woman fleeing cold-war Europe, boasting of her 'home-cooked Hungarian meals'. She sold out in the last decade, her estate making a motza.

Shades of 'Mother's'?

The grey-fog swirled in my brain as I turned the corner, cut across the lane and headed for the doorway. Something was telling me I had been here before; that behind that door was a jazz club, with the sultry Edie Hart on microphone. I rubbed my fingers across my brow, and walking toward me out of the mist was the elegant form of ... Peter Gunn. The heavy Mancini guitar baseline burst from between my ears ... DAdadadadadadada DAdadadadadadada Daaaaa dah ... Was it really 1958-1961? My! Wasn't that Craig Stevens cool?

Side entry to the brasserie of the Paddington Inn.

Durty Nelly's

A quick Google informs that there are 'Durty Nelly' pubs the world over. Apparently, this one, down the end of my street started life in 1850 as 'The Rose & Crown'.


I must get down there as I am reliably informed that there is a splendid Trompe-l ’oeil on the pressed metal ceiling of the first floor restaurant, The Print Room.

Firehouse

Located in Walker Street, North Sydney, 'The Firehouse Hotel' is an ingenious reuse of an old building. This is happening the world over as more heritage orders are slapped onto buildings in central areas.


The internals here were gutted - including the internal 'pole', which is a shame. But it is a lovely place for a drink with an upstairs deck out the back. My lamb rissotto was delicious as was my $9 glass of Shiraz from the Clare Valley.

Spit and polish

Given to bawdy Irish jigs in the wee hours, the Mercantile Hotel stands within spitting distance of the southern pylon of the Harbour Bridge.


Built in 1915, this is an old style working pub, with live Irish bands EVERY night. The decor is old, the carpets threadbare. However, the tariffs are reasonable, the food basic but plentiful and the staff helpful and friendly.


A member of the Weekend Reflections community.

Weekend Reflections: Bangers and mash

Contemplate reflections from around the world at Weekend Reflections

Underneath the arch

Although I would decline to testify in court, I think these are the four oldest pubs in Sydney town. They all stand close to the waters'-edge: hence, the naval names.

These first two have been restored with panache. The Lord Nelson (1842) attracts the chrome-fittings and blonde-wood set whereas The Hero of Waterloo (1843) attracts the literary lions with leftish-leanings. They are only about 3oom apart, both down in Millers Point which is the suburb beside the southern pylon of the harbour bridge. Of course, with Sydney being settled in 1788 there were pubs established prior to this. However, they do not still exist. One of these earlier pubs was The Sailors' Arms (1831) which is the house with the veranda immediately down from The HoW in Windmill Street, but it was soon turned into a dwelling house. Pubs in Sydney prior to 1800 were mostly under canvas.


These last two are like my father's mythical axe wielded during my childhood: with six new handles and three new heads! The Orient and the FoW have had more face-lifts than Olivia Neutron-Bomb. The Orient (1844) and The Fortune of War (1828) are both in George Street, The Rocks which loops down under The Bridge. They both look a bit dodgy and my guess is they attract the brew'n'spew crowd.

Beer Garden, The Rose, Chippendale

A beer garden is an area out the back of a pub originally introduced to cater for women and children in the era when women were not allowed into the saloon bar. It is open to the elements with greenery and umbrellas to soften the structures.

The Rose is opposite The Seymour Centre and on the corner of Cleveland & Shepherd in Chippendale. Much to my delight over the weekend, I found a relatively close Royal Hotel - at Five Ways in Paddington.

Pubs: the communal living room

A pub is a very pleasant place in which to while away a few hours. It is reminiscent of a living room with someone in charge of food and drinks and always the possibility of meeting new people. The food is good and reasonably priced. There is always sport on somewhere around the world. What is said in the pub, stays in the pub.

Top (L to R): The Rose of Australia in Erskineville; The Nags Head, Glebe.
Middle: The Clock, Surry Hills
Bottom (L to R): The Bellevue, Paddington; The Four in Hand, Paddington.

Evil - neither see, hear not speak

The 3 Wise Monkeys is a pub on the corner of George and Liverpool Streets in the city. As the badging still proudly proclaims, it commenced as the Southern Branch of the Australasian Bank in 1886 became a branch of the ANZ Bank in 1970 and was converted to licensed premises in time for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. The building is listed in the City of Sydney Heritage Inventory and the Register of the National Estate.