Murray Street 23 The Southern Hotel
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | The South End Hotel |
| Address: | 23 Murray Street |
| Town or Locality: | Gawler |
The Southern Hotel, located at 23 Murray Street ( the Southern end) , Gawler, is a landmark with a history spanning over 170 years. While it is a modern family venue today, its roots trace back to the mid-19th century when Gawler was a booming industrial and transit hub.
1. Origins as the Commercial Hotel (1850s)
- Built: The original building was constructed in the 1850s (records specifically cite 1855 as the start of its existence).
- Name: For the vast majority of its history, it was known as the Commercial Hotel.
- Significance: It was one of the many "public houses" established to serve the heavy traffic of bullock drivers and travelers moving between Port Adelaide and the copper mines in Burra and Kapunda.
2. The "South End" Era (1958–2000)
- Renaming: On August 28, 1958, the hotel was renamed the South End Hotel. This name reflected its location at the southern end of Gawler’s main commercial strip, Murray Street.
- Architecture: The building retained much of its 19th-century charm, specifically its original facade, even as the interior was modernized throughout the 20th century.
- Publicans: Historical records list dozens of licensees over the century, including notable local names like Wilson, Bennett, and Muller in the 1800s, and the Mahoney and Osterstock families in the mid-1900s.
3. Transformation to The Southern Hotel (2001–Present)
- Giannitto Family Purchase: In the year 2000, the hotel was purchased by the Giannitto family, who have been prominent hotel operators in Gawler since 1971 (starting with the Gawler Arms).
- Major Renovation: The building underwent a massive transformation between 2000 and 2001. The goal was to pivot from a traditional "pub" to a family-oriented bistro.
- Reopening: It officially reopened as the Southern Hotel in October 2001.
- Modern Features: In 2009, the hotel made a significant shift by converting its traditional front bar and dining area into a large, fully enclosed indoor kids' play area and bistro, a concept that has since become its defining feature.
Historical Fast Facts
- Location: 23 Murray Street, Gawler, SA 5118.
- First Licensee: Records show a W. Wilson as the first listed publican in 1855.
- Heritage: The site is listed on the National Trust Recorded List (Item no. 1031).
- Gawler Context: In the late 1860s, Gawler had 14 hotels for a population of only 1,000 people—the "Commercial" (now Southern) was a key survivor of this competitive era.
The following information has been gathered with permission from “Hotels and Publicans in South Australia” by J.L. (Bob) Hoad Adelaide 1986 ISBN 0 86745 002 9 and ISBN 0 9595446 2 3
COMMERCIAL HOTEL Gawler [Plains]
23 Murray Street, Gawler.
See South End
SOUTH END HOTEL
23 Murray Street, Gawler
Existed 1855 – 1984 - ?
Known as Commercial Hotel – 1855 – 27.8.1958
Known as South End Hotel 28.8.1958 – 1984 - ?
National Trust Recorded List [Item no. 1031]1855 Wilson W.
1856 Thirkell H.W.
1856 Barnett M.
1857 – 1859 Bennett J.
1859 – 1860 Wills T.
1860 – 1861 Bennett J.
1862 – 1865 Kopke E.
1865 – 1878 Muller William
1879 Bruse W.
? – 8.6.1879 Thomson David [Thomas?]
9.6.1879 - ? Mumme E.
? – 13.6.1880 Stock R.A. & McMillan S.
14.6.1880 - ? Miller J.
1880 Hammond H.
1881 – 1882 Avery E.J.H.
1883 Wallmann C.
1884 – 1886 Fogden Thomas Edwin
1886 Mullard G.H.
1887 – 1888 Pittard E.J.
1889 – 1890 Dowdy M.P.
1891 – 1895 Pat(t)erson Jos.
1896 Smith J.
1897 – 1903 Saunders R. Mrs
1904 Saunders Misses
1905 Goodfellow J.J.
1906 – 1913 Gibson Alf
1914 – 1918 Gibson A. Mrs
1919 – 1920 Reedman S.
1921 Timmens M
1922 James Maude C.
1923 – 1929 Fergusson R.
1930 – 20.10.1934 Mahon W.J.
21.10.1934 – 5.3.1939 Panton Henry
6.3.1939 – 19.1.1941 Gallary William Henry
20.1.1941 – 2.2.1947 Wiles William John
3.2.1947 – 21.5.1950 Street Vera Catherine
22.5.1950 – 23.11.1952 Nay John Robert Gwydir & Susan Nora
24.11.1952 – 16.1.1955 Forster Horace Leslie Smith & Jean Susannah
17.1.1955 – 20.2.1955 Reidy Marjorie Grace
21.2.1955 – 31.8.1957 Forster Horace Leslie Smith & Jean Susannah
1.9.1957 – 3.1.1959 Mahoney Gerald Joseph & Hegarty Ronald Thomas
4.1.1959 – 25.9.1967 Mahoney Myra Olive
26.9.1967 – 6.2.1968 Osterstock George Clifford
7.2.1968 – 20.7.1969 Osterstock Esther Annie Leah
21.7.1969 – 20.9.1971 Koppe Kurt Werner Gerard & Hilde Irme Emma & Lesiw Irma
21.9.1971 – 12.7.1972 Wakefield Ronald George & Helen Gloria
13.7.1972 – 7.9.1972 Wakefield Ronald George
8.9.1972 – 29.6.1975 Wakefield Ronald George & Helen Gloria
30.6.1975 – 3.7.1975 Howard Dorothy Fay
4.7.1975 – 30.6.1976 Wakefield Ronald George
1.7.1976 – 22.12.1976 Ferrall Robern Maxwell
23.12.1976 – 14.6.1978 Holness Peter Thomas
15.6.1978 – 30.3.1981 Claughton Kenneth Robert
31.3.1981 – 12.4.1984 Frew Robert James
13.4.1984 – 30.6.1984 Richards Reginald Ian & Joan Irene
1.7.1984 - ? Richards Reginald Ian & Joan Irene &
Elletson Bert John & Beverley Dawn
Please click here to view photos of 23 Murray Street.
Please click here to view historical information from the 1998 Danvers Heritage Survey regarding this location. <1>
In 2013/14 The Southern Hotel was a valued sponsor of the Gawler History Team, helping to keep this website running. Thank you.
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