National Hotel — Streets of Freo

98 High Street (pre 1938 - 124/126 High Street) National Hotel

A substantial and highly decorative three storey prominent corner hotel, expressing the affluence of the gold boom. There are stone foundations and face brick with rendered banding over arched windows. Three windows on the second floor have curved metal balustrade balconies. There is a faceted pressed metal dome with circular windows on the roof over the truncated corner. A decorative parapet and eight pediments with small windows are above the name 'National Hotel' in stucco on Market and High Street façades.

The Duffield family may have had an auction house on this site c 1853 (see Ad-reference) and Charles Duffield was involved in a proposal to import Yorkshire flagstones to pave High St (north side first) in Sept 1858. (reference)

In 1880 the site was occupied by a branch of the National Bank. In 1886 the branch relocated to 30 High St.

The site and building was then owned by J. J. Higham. In 1886 the National Hotel opened. with William Conroy as the first landlord. Less than a year later Conroy was tried and hanged for the murder of John Snook (70) after he shot Snook through the mouth after he was refused entry to a children’s fancy dress event in the Town Hall. He was hanged despite a petition to Governor Broome praying for commutation of his sentence and signed by over 1,500 citizens and residents of Fremantle, including the whole of the jury who had tried him. He was also walked to the gallows by Father Duff, a Fremantle priest with his own shady dealings. (reference)

In 1892 it was taken over by James Hagan. (reference)

1893 A charge against Edward Ingram, licensee of the National Hotel, for illegally supplying liquor to a child under 14 years, was adjourned for one day. (reference)
1893 Tenders for the purchase of the National Hotel were opened this morning, but were not considered satisfactory, owing to the small proportion of cash offered. (reference)

The building underwent a major reconstruction in 1895 and again in 1902 by Michael and Daniel Mulcahy.

1902 Rebuilding of the National Hotel. Messrs. Mulcahy Bros., the well-known hotel proprietors, have just made arrangements for the rebuilding of the old National Hotel, on the corner of High and Market streets, Fremantle. They entrusted Mr. Louis Pearce, architect, with the preparation of plans for an up to-date and commodious hotel, worthy of the position referred to… Messrs. Mulcahy Bros., who are the owners of the National Hotel property, conduct at the present time no less than seven large hotels in Western Australia, three of their houses being situated in Fremantle, three in Boulder, and one in Perth. For a full description of the new hotel read: (reference)

In 1911 Daniel retired, the assets were divided and Michael kept the hotels. In 1917 Michael Mulcahy died suddenly, aged 55 and so from 1914-1936 the licence was held by Margaret Mulcahy, Michael’s wife- who -if she remarried- under the conditions of his will- she was to get £500 and no more.

1944 At the conclusion of an inquest in the Fremantle Courthouse today into the deaths of Stanley Reginald Hooper (26) and Ned Rako Kelly (21), New Zealand Maori soldiers who sustained fatal knife wounds in a brawl at Fremantle on April 11, the District Coroner, Mr. H. J. Craig, S.M., issued the following finding: 'I find that Hooper came by his death on April 11, 1944, from a knife wound inflicted by an American soldier whose identity has not been established, during a brawl which occurred in the National Hotel, Fremantle’.

“We were having some drinks in an hotel when some New Zealand soldiers said some disparaging remarks to me. I resented them and spoke to the New Zealand soldiers. Immediately I spoke the New Zealanders attacked me.” American soldier Harold Hicks

Evidence was also given by Edith Jean Sellman, wife of the licensee of the National Hotel… (reference)

By 1948 ownership had changed to Mr. T. Dean.

In 1953 Allen & Nicholas carried out works and in 1975 the top floor was destroyed by fire. In In 1995 architect Michael Patroni, carried out reconstruction of the original first floor balconies and the facade was renovated 2001-2002.

Prior to the completion of development works, on the 13th March 2007, the hotel was vandalized and set on fire which seriously gutted the interior and the roof.

“Despite the damage caused in 2007, Mr Bullers has managed to salvage the hotel’s 3m fireplace, ornate ground floor ceiling, leadlight windows and jarrah staircase posts.” (reference)

In 2009 the building was sold to Carnegies and underwent serious restoration- opening with a new roof top restaurant iin 2018.

OCCUPANTS

Lot 416 owners: 1829 - 1859 Duffield, Charles H, 1876 - 1878 Higham, M & Duffield, John, 1879 Duffield, John

1899 - 1949 NATIONAL HOTEL

1899 - 1900 Jackson, James lisencee and owner

1902 Mulcahy Brothers.

1901 - 1905 Tobin William, manager

1906 - 1908 Byrne, Michael, manager

1909 Breen, Joseph, manager

1910 - 1912 Fred Farrelly, manager

1913 William J. Byrne, manager

1914 - 1936 Margaret M Mulcahy