The Freemasons Hotel – Coolgardie

The Freemasons Hotel with two shops, A Trotter Pioneer Bakery and Hunters Boot Palace. 1895

Freemasons Hotel, Coolgardie 1895

The Freemasons Hotel was originally a single storey structure of corrugated iron which was frequently referred to as ‘The Sweat Box’. It was situated on Bayley Street, near the corner of Renou Street.

The Sun 26 Nov 1917

When the first licensee, J Harris, sold it to Charles Vincent and Josiah Lipman took over the hotel in March of 1894 they made a number of alterations, including the erection of a saloon bar and a second storey, and set out to make it comparable with ‘The Colony’s best in artistic finish, beauty and comfort, with a dining room that was the most commodious and comfortable in Coolgardie’ in their own words. At the rear of the hotel was a hand ball cart, the only one in town.

Kalgoorlie Miner 27 Jul 1900

Kalgoorlie Miner 27 Jul 1900

Two years later, they sold the hotel for £20,000 to the Tobias Bros who added two handsome shops on the western side of the building which were in operation until the turn of the 1900’s. In 1911 the hotel and shops were sold and it operated until 1917 when it was dismantled and taken away.

The Freemasons Hotel Coolgardie 1900

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My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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