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P & O Hotel

Author

City of Fremantle

Place Number

00911
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Location

25 High St Fremantle

Location Details

Local Government

Fremantle

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1986, Constructed from 1901

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents More information
Heritage List YES 08 Mar 2007

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management More information
Category Description
Municipal Inventory Adopted 18 Sep 2000 Level 1B

Level 1B

The City of Fremantle has identified this place as being of exceptional cultural heritage significance in its own right within the context of Fremantle and its conservation is required. It is recommended that this place be considered for entry in the Heritage Council of Western Australia's Register of Heritage Places.

Register of the National Estate Permanent 21 Mar 1978

Heritage Council
Statewide Hotel Survey Completed 01 Nov 1997

Heritage Council
Classified by the National Trust Classified 28 Oct 1974

Heritage Council

Statement of Significance

The place is historically significant as hotel representing the development of Fremantle’s Old Port City from the gold boom period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The place is a fine example of a Federation Filigree style building, with elaborate stucco decoration that makes a significant contribution to the streetscape. The place is a significant landmark in the Old Port City of Fremantle. Significant for associations with property owners Connor and Quinlan and architects Cavanagh and Cavanagh.

Physical Description

A highly decorative and prominent two storey corner former hotel; expressing the boom of the gold period. The main entrance is on the truncated corner and the bull nose verandas have extensive iron lacework) and columns (probably not original). The decorative parapet has balustrade, columns and five large pediments featuring stilted arches with columns and decorative stucco. The corner of the parapet has the remains of a dome featuring the name The 'P&O Hotel' in decorative stucco; the columns and roof are no longer intact. The multi paned windows have stucco architraves.

History

High Street was named by Surveyor General Roe - as was customary in English towns, the main street of the town was named High Street. Eastward from William Street the roadway was completed by convict labour after the Town Hall was built in 1887. High Street around the Town Hall closed to traffic in 1966. The High Street Mall was trialled in November 1973 and made a permanent pedestrian mall in 1975.
The Victoria Hotel (c1870) was a smaller hotel which stood on the site of the current P & O Hotel. It was kept by Mrs Scott, widow of a sea captain, and Pat Hagan. It was a favoured place for deep sea skippers, the bar known as the 'Cockpit' fitted out in nautical style. (See Hitchcock's 'Early Days of Fremantle,' and Fremantle Times, 11.4.1919.)
New owners from c1898 were Connor & Timothy Quinlan. The Victoria Hotel was either replaced or renovated, and the name changed to the P & O Hotel from c1901 according to Rates records. (National Trust classification says it was built by Cavanagh & Cavanagh.) The building originally had a clock tower. In 1938 Allen & Nicholas Architects carried out alterations to the interior. The Bahen family owned the P & O from c1932-1972. In 1972 outbuildings on the site were demolished.
New owners in 1985 carried out renovations, including in 1986, removal of three existing shopfronts on the ground floor (not original) and formation of a new entrance. In 1994, Revitalized Shopfitters carried out a refit of the interior. A photographic record was prepared prior to alterations.
In c2002 it became part of Notre Dame University.

Condition

Good.

Associations

Name Type Year From Year To
Cavanagh & Cavanagh Architect - -

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
6596 The Australian pub. Book 1966

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use COMMERCIAL Hotel, Tavern or Inn
Original Use COMMERCIAL Hotel, Tavern or Inn

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Filigree
Federation Free Classical

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Pointed Brick
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron
Wall BRICK Painted Brick
Wall BRICK Rendered Brick

Historic Themes

General Specific
OCCUPATIONS Hospitality industry & tourism
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Sport, recreation & entertainment
PEOPLE Famous & infamous people
OCCUPATIONS Commercial & service industries

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

21 Mar 2019

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.