Arcadia Hotel, Sydney

The Arcadia Hotel was a 150-room hotel in Sydney, Australia, developed by James Joynton Smith, on the site occupied today by Westfield Sydney.

Arcadia Hotel
Former namesImperial Arcade Hotel
General information
StatusDemolished
TypeHotel
LocationPitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales
CountryAustralia
Coordinates33°52′12″S 151°12′32″E
Demolished1961 (1961)
ClientJames Joynton Smith
Other information
Number of rooms145 – 162

History

Formerly named the Imperial Arcade Hotel, Smith had worked in the building as managing director of the Grand Central Coffee Palace.[1] He acquired the lease for the old hotel in 1896 for £12 per week, eventually purchasing and renaming it the Arcadia.[2]

The publican's licence, previously held by William Charles Parkes, was transferred to Smith on 31 July 1899.[3]

In September 1899, the hotel narrowly escaped a fire in the adjoining Tivoli Theatre. Six rooms on the third floor, on the northern side were damaged.[4]

On 2 November 1922, the publican's licence of the hotel was transferred from Vincent Walsh to Otto Camphin,[5] and later, on 26 February 1936, from Otto Camphin to Edward Thomas Pearson Meldrum, an accountant,[6] who held the licence until at least August 1948.[7] Meldrum died on 12 June 1957.[8] The licence was also held for a short time by Frank Astby in 1941.[9]

Reports show there were 163 rooms at one point, with availability to the public ranging from 145 to 162.[10]

The building housing the Imperial Arcade and Arcadia Hotel was demolished in 1961.

See also

References
  1. Walsh, Kay and Hooton, Joy W., Australian Autobiographical Narratives: Vol 2: 1850–1900 (1998), pg 249, National Library of Australia ISBN 0-642-10794-7
  2. Smith, Sir James John Joynton (1858 - 1943) Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  3. "LICENSING COURT". The Australian Star. No. 3577. New South Wales. 1 August 1899. p. 6 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "BIG FIRE IN THE CITY". The Sunday Times. No. 713. Sydney. 17 September 1899. p. 8 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "PUBLICANS' LICENSES". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 26, 469. 4 November 1922. p. 9 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "PUBLICAN'S LICENCE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30, 624. 27 February 1936. p. 8 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "STORY OF BAR RAKE-OFF FOR SIR J. SMITH". The Sun. No. 12, 020. Sydney. 5 August 1948. p. 11 (LATE FINAL EXTRA) – via National Library of Australia.
  8. State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood, New South Wales; Indexes to deceased estate files; Archive Series: NRS 13341; Series: B Series (1949–1958); Reel Number: 3357
  9. "LICENCE TRANSFERS". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 32, 422. 26 November 1941. p. 9 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ""STRANGE BEDFELLOWS"". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 691. 13 May 1952. p. 4 – via National Library of Australia.
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