A longforgotten history of the Volunteer Hotel
Dubbo’s court house, old post office and old bank buildings are prominent reminders of our city’s history, but tucked away a few blocks from the CBD in Gipps Street is another much-less-known reminder of our early days. The building at 125-127 Gipps Street, opposite Elston Park, was once the Volunteer Hotel and later changed its name to the Newtown Hotel. STEVE HODDER has been researching its history.
IT is unclear when the Volunteer Hotel was built, but its construction probably occurred in 1885-86. The earliest known licence for the premises was granted to William Shadbolt on May 14, 1886. The only other liquor licence issued to a hotel in Gipps St prior to 1886, was to William Gale at the Great Western Hotel (current Garden Hotel) on September 13, 1881.
William (Bill) Shadbolt may have built the Volunteer, as he and long-time business partner George Sayers were registered builders and bricklayers in Dubbo from as early as 1880.
The reason behind the naming of the Volunteer is unclear. There were about half a dozen pubs in NSW that traded under the name. Reports on the history of the other pubs indicate the name was simply a gesture of recognition to all community volunteers.
On February 13, 1890, William Shadbolt was granted a billiard licence for the premises.
In the Dubbo Police Court on October 25, 1892, William Shadbolt faced a charge of keeping a licenced house open for the sale of liquor during prohibited hours. He was fined £1, with five shillings and tenpence costs, or seven days’ gaol.
On October 17, 1893, it was alleged a man named John Turnbull maliciously wounded and attempted to rob Thomas Mcbeath, a patron of the Volunteer Hotel. In the court case, held at Dubbo on January 29, 1894, it was stated Turnbull and Mcbeath had been drinking together at the Volunteer, after which they both went across the road to Elston Park for a nap. It was during this time that Mcbeath claimed Turnbull assaulted him and tried to steal three half-crowns from his pocket. Turnbull was eventually acquitted due to a lack of evidence.
On July 25, 1894, the Dubbo Liberal reported that William Shadbolt, licensee of the Volunteer Hotel, applied to Dubbo Municipal Council to construct a tennis court in the grounds of Elston Park.
On September 11, 1894, the Dubbo Dispatch reported William Shadbolt had been charged under laws pertaining to the Liquor Act. The Inspector of Distilleries, represented by Mr C. H. Fitzharding, brought the charges against Shadbolt for not destroying government stamps on his used beer casks. Mr Shadbolt did not deny the charges but did not explain his actions. The Police Magistrate, however, felt there had been no intention by the defendant to defraud the (tax) revenue, and as such, made the fine as low as possible. The fine for each beer cask on which the stamp had not been destroyed was 10 shillings, plus 10 shillings and sixpence costs.
On August 13, 1894, a Bakers Swamp farmer named James Owens came to Dubbo on the mail train for a bit of a spree. After cashing a £10 cheque he went to the Volunteer Hotel where a couple of cadgers, Michael Ryan and William Foulston, took advantage of his generosity. After having a few drinks and a meal, the elderly James Owens fell asleep and was taken to a bedroom by Ryan and Foulston. Shortly after the two men put the old man to bed, they took £11, 10 shillings from his pockets and left the premises. At a court case two months later Ryan and Foulston were found guilty by a jury and sentenced to 18 months hard labour.
On July 10, 1895, the death of William Shadbolt’s wife Ann was reported. The notice stated: “We regret to announce the death of Mrs (Ann) Shadbolt, of the Volunteer Hotel, Gipps Street. Mrs Shadbolt, who was an old resident of Dubbo had been suffering from heart disease for six months past, and two or three months ago visited Sydney in the hope of securing further medical advice, but the doctors whom she consulted were unable to render any relief. The large gathering of friends who attended her funeral was testament to the esteem in which she was held.”
Just one year later on Wednesday July 22, 1896, the Dubbo Liberal reported the death of Mr William Shadbolt. The notice stated: “Mr W. Shadbolt, an old resident of Dubbo died on Monday after a long illness. Mr Shadbolt kept the Volunteer Hotel in Gipps Street.”
It is unclear who took over the running of the Volunteer after the deaths of Ann and Bill Shadbolt. They had eight children aged from 29 to 10 years, who may have kept the business operating for some time.
On May 4, 1898, it was reported that a licence for the Volunteer Hotel had been granted to a Mr Frank Day. In October 1898, just a few months after taking over the pub, a disturbing incident brought Mr Day’s practices as a licensee into question.
A 65-year-old cabman named Henry Jacobs, who was a resident of the Volunteer Hotel, committed suicide in his room. Mr Jacobs, it was later discovered, was in debt to Mr Day and resolved the situation by slashing his throat with a cut-throat razor.
At an inquest into the death of Mr Jacobs, newspaper coverage on October 26 reported, “Frank Day was charged with breach of the Liquor Act of 1898, in that he, being the holder of a publican’s license (the Volunteer Hotel, Dubbo) did receive certain articles, viz., a horse, cab, and harness from one H. Jacobs in payment for entertainment supplied at such licenced house.”
It was revealed at the inquest that Mr Jacobs was in financial hardship with his only means of support being his horse and hansom cab, which he had hocked to Frank Day in return for accommodation and ‘entertainment’ (alcohol), an arrangement that according to the court was in breach of the Liquor Act. On conclusion of the court case, Mr Day was fined £10.
It is unclear how long Frank Day remained at the Volunteer as no other records regarding his licensing tenure could be found.
On June 15, 1900, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the granting of a licence to Alpha Thurley to operate the Volunteer Hotel from May 14, 1900, to May 13, 1901. No other records could be found to confirm Alpha Thurley’s tenure beyond that period, or any other information relating to that person. Newspaper reports of the day confirm the Thurley name among a number of rural landowners in the Dubbo district at the time but shed little light on the identity or personality of the Volunteer licensee during the year of Federation.
The next report of a licensee of the Volunteer appeared in a local newspaper on December 3, 1902, when police brought proceedings against Edward Richardson, “for knowingly allowing persons of notoriously bad character to assemble on licensed premises.” Sergeant Mckenzie stated that on the night of November 25, he found several convicted thieves and other disreputable persons in the public dining room. Sergeant Mckenzie had previously cautioned the defendant on another occasion when the house had been the subject of a complaint.
Constables Dunn and Wheeler gave corroborative evidence; however, the Police Magistrate said the police had only shown one person of bad repute was present on the night, according to Mrs Richardson, who was at the time in charge of the house. The case was dismissed.
The NSW Government Gazette published on January 28, 1903, recorded that, “Edwin Richardson, licensee of the Volunteer Hotel, summoned before the Dubbo Bench by Sergeant Mckenzie, Dubbo Police, for keeping his licensed premises open for the sale of liquor during prohibited hours, has been fined £6, five shillings
and sixpence.”
On June 23, 1903, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the licence for the Volunteer was granted to Edwin Richardson from May 14, 1903, to May 13, 1904.
At some stage in 1903, it appears the operations of the Volunteer Hotel were taken over by long-time Dubbo publican George Howard and his wife Elizabeth. They had been running the Traveller’s Rest Hotel in Macquarie Street for many years.
It appears Elizabeth may have led the move from Macquarie Street to the quieter surrounds of Gipps Street after a frightening disturbance at the Traveller’s Rest on New Years’ Eve 1900-01 when a drunken mob of hooligans overran the pub in search of more liquor. Fortunately, the police were able to quell the riotous revellers before any harm came to the publicans; however, it was an unsettling experience for Elizabeth as she had to go to court to testify against the ringleaders of the riot.
On November 4, 1903, the Dubbo Dispatch reported that George Howard was charged with using insulting language to his wife Elizabeth. He pleaded guilty and was fined 10 shillings in default of three days imprisonment. A second charge of assault was withdrawn.
A little over a month later Mrs Howard’s troubled life came to an abrupt end, details of which were reported in the Dubbo Dispatch on December 23, 1903. “We have to report the death of Mrs Elizabeth Howard, wife of Mr George Howard, who for a number of years was licensee of the Traveller’s Rest Hotel, Macquarie Street, and lately of the Volunteer Hotel. Deceased, who was 48 years of age, succumbed to heart failure at 3.30pm on Sunday last (December 20, 1903). She had been a resident of Dubbo for over 20 years and leaves four sons and five daughters, most of whom are grown up.”
A timeline of events over the next few years can be compiled from newspaper reports and Government Gazettes at the time.
On January 9, 1904, it was reported that the licence of the Volunteer Hotel was transferred from George Howard to Henry E. Stribley.
On June 17, 1904, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the licence for the Volunteer had been granted to Richard H. Stribley from May 14, 1904, to May 13, 1905.
On March 22, 1905, a newspaper report said the licence for the Volunteer Hotel was granted to Mrs (Florence) Stribley, as executrix of her late husband Richard Stribley, who died aged 38, in 1904.
On June 23, 1905, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the licence for the Volunteer had been extended to Florence Lydia Stribley from May 14, 1905, to May 13, 1906.
On May 16, 1906, a newspaper reported Florence Stribley had her licence for the Volunteer Hotel renewed at a cost of £20.
On June 13, 1906, a newspaper report revealed Florence Stribley was proceeded against by Dubbo Municipal Council for the recovery of 16 shillings in sanitary dues and £1 13 shillings in gas charges; verdicts given with costs.
On June 13, 1906, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the licence for the Volunteer Hotel, Dubbo had been extended to Florence Lydia Stribley from May 14, 1906, to May 13, 1907.
On May 22, 1907, the NSW Government Gazette recorded the licence for the Newtown Hotel, Dubbo had been granted to Frederick Tuck from May 14, 1907, to May 13, 1908. This is the first record of the premises being rebranded.
An obituary for Frederick Tuck Snr published in the Dubbo Dispatch on November 3, 1906, suggests the Tucks may have taken over operations of the Volunteer prior to the licence being granted to Frederick Tuck Jnr. The Dispatch report stated Frederick Tuck Snr, whose wife predeceased him, left two children, Mrs T. Cronin of Sydney and, “Mr F. Tuck of the Volunteer Hotel.”
The Wellington Times reported on July 20, 1908, that the Newtown Hotel was one of 10 establishments in the Dubbo licencing district that was having its licence revoked. The licensees of the 10 establishments were given three years from the date of notification, after which their licences would be terminated, and they would no longer be able to trade as licenced premises.
The rationale of the Licencing Court was based on the number of licences per head of population in the Macquarie Electorate. The total number of licences across the Dubbo-wellington district was 51. The ruling by the Licencing Court reduced the number to 41.
The order of the Licencing Court meant the Newtown Hotel had to cease trading as a licenced victualler from July 1911.
Along with the drastic news of having its licence cancelled, the above report from the Wellington Times noted the Volunteer’s name change to the Newtown Hotel. The premises, at 125-127 Gipps Street Dubbo, are located in the area that was commonly referred as Newtown.
On November 7, 1908, the Dubbo Liberal reported that Fred Tuck and several other publicans were fined 20 shillings for watering down their whiskey.
On June 16, 1909, the NSW Government Gazette recorded that Frederick Tuck had his licence renewed for the period from May 14, 1909, to May 13, 1910.
On April 12, 1911, a newspaper report said that Frederick Tuck of the Newtown Hotel Dubbo had his licence renewed at a cost of £50 for the assessment and £10 for the licence.
On July 26, 1911, the death was reported of Frederick Tuck Jnr, 34, licensee of the Newtown Hotel. The report stated he died “less than a week” after coming down with a “virulent attack of pneumonia”. Coincidently, Fred Tuck’s death occurred on the same day as the termination of his livelihood, scheduled by the Licencing Court to take effect on July 22, 1911.
After burying her husband, Annie Tuck continued operating the former hotel as a boarding house.
On December 15, 1911, four months after the Volunteer lost its liquor licence, a petition from neighbouring residents was submitted to the NSW Attorney General in a bid to have the hotel reopened. The petition was referred to Dubbo police for verification of the signatures and in turn was to be lodged with the Dubbo Licencing Court for a hearing.
A newspaper report on June 14, 1912, revealed that Annie Elizabeth Tuck had lodged an application to the local Licencing Court for the reinstatement of the liquor licence for the Newtown Hotel. Strong argument was put forward by Annie Tuck regarding the need for a licenced hotel in that location, including its location on the main road to Wellington, increased population in the vicinity and demand from family members of patients at the nearby Clydebank Hospital.
The police contested the need for a hotel in that part of town or anywhere else in Dubbo. After lengthy deliberations over two days the case was adjourned till the following week.
On October 12, 1912, the death was reported of former Volunteer Hotel licensee George Howard, who died in Sydney.
The outcome of the court case held the week after June 14, 1912, is unclear, however, the Sydney Morning Herald reported nine months later on March 4, 1913, that Annie Tuck had made history in NSW by being the first person in the State to ever have a hotel licence reinstated.
Annie Tuck’s celebrations were short-lived, however, as the Dubbo Dispatch reported on July 25, 1913, she was back in court facing an appeal by the local police to have her licence cancelled for good. The police were successful in their appeal, forcing Annie Tuck to permanently close the doors of her bar and never sell alcohol at the Newtown again.
Annie Tuck continued to live in the former hotel and operate it as a boarding house. On February 29, 1916, the Dubbo Liberal reported Annie used the old pub for the reception for her marriage to Dubbo builder Frank Manser, which took place on February 26, 1916.
On Tuesday August 2, 1921, the Dubbo Dispatch reported another death at the premises. This time it was an elderly guest from the far west, who died during his stay in Dubbo. The report stated, “Mr James Egan, aged 78 years, a resident of the Bourke district, died at Mrs Manser’s boarding house, Gipps Street, Dubbo on Saturday.”
James Egan was the sixth person to have died on the premises, the other five being Elizabeth Shadbolt (heart disease) 1895, William Shadbolt (after long illness) 1896, Henry Jacobs (suicide) 1898, Elizabeth Howard (heart failure) 1903, Richard Stribley (cause unknown) 1904, and Frederick Tuck Jnr (pneumonia) 1911.
It is unclear how long the Mansers continued to reside at the old pub after their marriage, but a newspaper report on October 6, 1922, indicates they were still in possession of the property in Gipps Street up until then. The report, under the heading ‘Dubbo Council – Notice of Transfers’, stated Lot 6, Gipps Street was transferred from F.A. (Frank) Manser to H.S. (Hugh Stanley) Moriarty, a local baker. The Mansers may have left the old pub at this point and relocated to another residence in Dubbo.
An obituary published on November 26, 1954, stated Anne Manser remained in Dubbo until 1944 when she moved to the Sydney suburb of Rockdale; she was 78 at the time of her death. No other reports could be found in relation to her husband Frank.
Little is known of the occupancy of the former Volunteer-newtown Hotel premises after they were vacated by the Mansers. It may have been Hugh Moriarty, who converted the old hotel and adjoining living quarters into three separate residences, numbered 125, 125a and 127.
The family of long-time Dubbo resident Carol Speed lived in 125 Gipps Street for a period from the 1940s to the 1980s. Mrs Speed’s family had a long association with Dubbo hotels, as far back as 1900 when her uncle Frederick Burkinshaw acquired the licence of the Globe Hotel in Macquarie Street. Fred Burkinshaw had a long career in the hotel trade, later having pubs at Dunedoo, Merrygoen and Cobbora.
Long-time Dubbo resident Narelle Boys (nee Peckham) and her family lived in the middle unit 125a from 1946 to 1950. Narelle was born in 1940.
“We lived in the middle terrace from September 1946, after Uncle Bob Burns, Mum’s brother, moved out to work on Warragamba Dam,” she said.
However, immediately prior to Narelle’s family moving in, she recalled another couple living there.
“Aunty Rita and Uncle Alf (Chatfield) were in there after Uncle Bob moved out,” she said.
Further adding to her recollections, Narelle Boys recalled the names of other residents living in the adjoining units.
“Mrs Hickey and her son Dick lived in the right terrace facing Elston Park and Mr and Mrs Owers lived to the left of us. We moved out after Dad passed away in 1950,” she said.
Little else is known about the occupation of the former Volunteer-newtown Hotel until the early 2000s when the premises and a large parcel of adjoining land was purchased by entrepreneurs Peter Davis and Jennifer Walker.
This industrious couple had grand visions to fully restore the old pub to house their delicatessen/cafe Newtown Providores, which they originally established in Wingewarra Street in 2002. Davis and Walker intended to retain the building’s integrity and try to restore it using as little new material as possible. Their vision, however, was never fulfilled and the property was sold a decade later.
In 2013, the old pub, comprising a total land package of 3738 square metres, was sold at auction by Dubbo commercial real estate agent Andrew Mcdonald. The land is zoned B4 Mixed Use, allowing the owner to develop the site for commercial or residential purposes.
In 2017, a Dubbo company Brownrite Building Group undertook restoration and renovation works on the old pub and adjoining residence.
At the time the renovation commenced, the old building was seriously dilapidated. A significant amount of new material went into the project to secure and preserve the building structurally and aesthetically. On completion about a year later, it was thought by observers, that the building would be leased for commercial purposes and take on a new life in the modern age, but it remains behind construction fencing, sitting idle, piquing the minds of the curious as to what new enterprise might unfold. ©