Nelson House Lodge (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Nelson’s of Bridgetown is of moderate to high local significance for its aesthetic, historic and social values.
Aesthetic Value
The place has been altered on a number of occasions but the traditional form and detailing can still be interpreted. It remains as a prominent landmark building on Hampton Street.
Historic Value
Nelson’s of Bridgetown has a very high historic significance, not only as an early place of social gathering, but also for its many varied and significant uses throughout its history.
Research Value
NA
Social Value
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, holiday makers, traders and professionals, whether from Perth or outlying areas, required accommodation, horse stabling, a good water supply, meals and often a trading display or consulting room. All these were desirably offered at the hotel. These features made Warners Hotel a very important public space of high social value in the period c.1899-1904. It has retained high social value throughout its history for other or similar functions.

Physical Description

Two storey brick and iron hotel with westerly front (and originally south) facing verandahs.
The ground floor now includes a restaurant, kitchen, bar, office and owner/managers’ quarters, plus a conference room adjoining the bar to the rear. There are four standard rooms upstairs and two apartments for the live in kitchen staff. Throughout the original building, many original features and fixtures remain, including windows, doors, skirting boards etc. The interior decorating has been maintained in such a way to retain the early feel of the hotel. The ground floor decking and verandah was extended outwards in 2008.
The motel/resort now includes eleven ‘Standard’ rooms to the rear of the main building, a large central building to the north containing fourteen ‘Deluxe’ rooms and three buildings further north containing a total of ten ‘Executive Spa’ rooms. There is also a tennis court and pool onsite.

History

Frederick Stanforth Warner was granted a provisional hotel license for this site in 1898 and in 1899 his new hotel was offered for sale:
“Warner's Hotel, Bridgetown. This new and commodious Two-storied brick hotel is one of the finest in the South-Western District of the Colony. Situated in one of the best parts of Bridgetown (the coming inland town of the colony), overlooking the Blackwood River, containing sixteen Rooms, exclusive of splendidly-fitted Bar, Billiard and Bath Rooms, is one of the best investments offered to the Public.”
However, it may not have been fully completed at that time as its opening was subsequently advertised for July 1900:
“Warner’s Hotel, Bridgetown. This new and first-class Hotel will be opened on JULY 1. Every accommodation for travellers, boarders, visitors, from the goldfields, and others. Moderate tariff. Conveyance will meet trains daily. Lawn Tennis Court, billiards, and other facilities for the enjoyment and recreation of visitors. Within easy reach of the tinfields by train. Frederick Stanforth Warner, Proprietor.”
It was obviously a well appointed establishment as in November 1901 this was where Mr & Mrs WJ Diprose hosted the Governor, Sir Arthur Lawley, for the duration of his official visit for the Nelson Agricultural Show. It was at this time that the place was renamed as the “Freemasons Hotel”. Its original years as a Licenced Hotel however only ran until 1904, after which Robert Crawford transferred the Licence to the newly built (current) Freemasons Hotel.
From 1904 the building was left unoccupied for a time, much to the delight to the local children who used it as a haunted house, according to local tales. In the following years it was variously used as a private house, a boarding house, a coffee shop/deli, a Doctor’s surgery, a Dental Surgery, and an Italian Internment hostel (accommodating POWs who were later placed as workers on local farms).
From 1948, under the ownership and management of Mrs Jesse Brierley, the place was once again used for tourist accommodation and as a function venue:
‘BRIDGETOWN: Nelson House, first class holiday resort, all modern conveniences, tariff £5/5/ per week.’
Somewhere around the 1960’s the verandah balustrades were removed and replaced with asbestos sheeting, possibly in 1973 when Jesse Brierley had the motel units built at the rear of the main building. Around this time the office was built out into the corner of the verandah and the kitchen was extended out under the southern verandah, essentially leaving only the front verandahs.
The property changed hands in 1988 and the new owner (Graham Donovan) began to restore the exterior of the building to somewhat more of its original likeness, replacing the boarding with wooden balustrades and adding the upper verandah frieze and brackets (in the style of traditional cast iron lace decoration, which was not an original feature). The Executive and Deluxe buildings were constructed late 1980’s - early 1990’s.
Changes were also made to the middle lounge/bar space on the ground floor, and a rear lounge/conference space adjoining the bar area was added. The internal layout upstairs appears to have been altered a number of times over the years although the original layout is unknown. Visitors to Nelsons have said they had their wedding reception in an upstairs reception room, which no longer exists.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium Integrity: The place is currently used as a motel and restaurant, which is consistent with its original purpose.
Medium Authenticity: Despite numerous changes to the building, the place retains many original features. Much can be seen or visually interpreted of the original building.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.