Toggle search box search Open main navigation menu Menu Close menu

Library

The Reservoir Hotel

“Nestled at the foot of the Adelaide Hills, the Reservoir Hotel, known now as the Rezz, is a local landmark that has been serving the people of the north east for more than 150 years.

The original Reservoir Hotel was built as a watering hole for the mostly European workers who were employed to construct the Thorndon Park Reservoir. Not used to the unrelenting heat and harsh South Australian conditions, it was agreed that the hotel was a ‘necessity’ for exhausted workers. Although back then it was a real working man’s pub, it still boasted a glorious backdrop and magnificent views to the picturesque Thorndon Park.1

The Reservoir Hotel, Thorndon Park existed from 1858 and had names such as New Reservoir Hotel and Reservoir Hotel. At the time of the photograph below the proprietor was J Farmer who held this position from 1874-1885. State Library records suggest it is possibly Mr Farmer, described as a licensed victualler, standing in the doorway of the hotel. 2

Reservoir Hotel B-9711

Photo: Reservoir Hotel 1887

Licensees of Reservoir Hotel

In 1858 Eli Cate, a well known Athelstonian of the time, was granted a license for the Reservoir Hotel3. Prior to Eli Cate becoming the licensee of the Reservoir Hotel, another hotel named the Thorndon Park Inn was located nearby.4 Licensees were William Cox and Elizabeth Cox from 1857-1860. Following William’s death in 1860 Elizabeth took over the license which she only held for eight months until November, 1860.5

Henry Richard Laver, publican of Reservoir Hotel from 1886, was tried for the wilful killing and slaying of Gustav Lorenza, January 15, 1888 whilst expelling the victim from the hotel. Laver was found not guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.6.

William E Gilbertson bought the lease, furniture and stock from Mrs Ellen Goldsmid in 1908. He then remained at the hotel before selling it in 1909. In 1910 he was charged with being an insolvent and cited the reasons for selling as “hotel not paying”.7

It seems that owing to the restrictive licensing laws of the day, several of the publicans as listed below were charged with the illegal out of hours sale of liquor.

Joseph Dick, licensee 1909 was charged with selling liquor out of hours and fined £2 with 15d. costs.8

Mrs Winifred Dick, licensee of the Reservoir Hotel from 1912, was charged with using indecent language in the bar on October 15, 1914. Although the defendant entered a plea of not guilty, she was found guilty and a fine of £5 with £1 costs was imposed.9

Michael Habib, licensee of the Reservoir Hotel in 1928, was fined £5 with 15d. costs in the Adelaide Police Court for having supplied liquor during prohibited hours on February 3, 1928.10

Sidney S Dowling, licensee 1931, was charged with having supplied liquor at 9.30 pm on October 24. Dowling was discovered on the verandah of the hotel with four men, each with a bottle of beer. He claimed they had brought the beer from the city, but eventually entered a plea of guilty as the verandah was part of the hotel. A conviction was recorded without penalty.11

John Hamilton Pile, licensee, 1932, was fined £10 with £1-5d. costs. The charge against him being that he unlawfully sold liquor about 9.45 pm on December 17, 1933. A certificate was issued declaring the offence trivial. 12

Willliam Alfred Sansom, licensee 1935, was charged with unlawfully selling liquor on August 5, 1936 at 8.30 pm and was fined £10 with £1-5d. costs. A certificate of triviality was refused. 13

Reservoir Hotel B-31835

Photo: Reservoir Hotel 1936

In 1937 there was an application by Mrs Lillian Meriweather to have license transferred from William Sansom to her. The application was denied as it was alleged that Mrs Meriweather had been eight times convicted for offences while she was licensee of another hotel and that in December  1936 she had been convicted in the Traffic Court for having driven a motor vehicle while so much under the influence of liquor as to be incapable of exercising effective control.14

Peter Reidy was the publican of the Reservoir Hotel in 1937 and was formerly a police officer. Reidy was a controversial licensee at this time having his license cancelled as he had been convicted three times for breaches of the Licensing Act. Long before the cancellation of Reidy’s licence, negotiations had been entered into for the purchase of the remainder of the term of the lease by his housekeeper, Miss Marjorie Grace Shore. A contract had been drawn up and a portion of the purchase money paid to a firm of hotel brokers. Arrangements were being made by the applicant for the raising of a loan from a firm of wine and spirit merchants. Since taking over the hotel, Reidy and Mounted-Constable Halloran, the local police officer, had quarrelled and bad feeling still existed between them. Halloran stated that he would see Miss Shore did not get the licence. The chief grounds for objection appeared to be that Reidy would be employed by the applicant as barman manager, but Miss Shore had an excellent reason for that, as Reidy was widely known in the district and his employment would be advantageous to her. The magistrate said that the position would not be greatly altered if the application were granted as Reidy would still be the ‘guiding brain’ in the management of the hotel. Indeed, he said, eight days after she had temporarily taken over the duties as licensee, Reidy still claimed to be the boss.15

Stanley Davis, licensee, 1951 was killed in a road accident. Three men were in a utility which crashed into 25 feet of water in the River Torrens near Gumeracha Weir in November 1951. The utility had struck a guide post on the side of the road after rounding a bend.  Stanley Davis and a Mr Isgar were killed whilst Mr Lehmann was injured. 16

Fred Hamood is listed as licensee in 1965, although prior to his acquisition of the license there were several other licensees following the death of Stanley Davis in 1951. Fred’s tenure as licensee lasted until 1969, however his children are to this day continuing the family tradition as licensees of this popular hotel.17

It was announced in October 2015 that the popular Rezz Hotel would be bulldozed to make way for a $14 million, five-storey function and accommodation venue. This will be the first major upgrade in 30 years and plans include 81 hotel rooms, a 300 person function room, a bistro, tapas bar and alfresco dining.18

The newly completed Rezz Hotel was opened in October 2021.

Researched and compiled by Vaughan Williams & Sue Polkinghorn, from the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History Officer, Helen Thiselton, on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

  1. Rezz Hotel Adelaide. (2017). Our Story | Rezz Hotel Adelaide. [online] Available at: https://www.rezz.com.au/our-story/ [Accessed March 2, 2017]
  2. State Library of South Australia. (2017). Reservoir Hotel. [online] Available at: http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+9711 [Accessed March 2, 2017].
  3. Trove. (2017). PAYNEHAM. - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10. - The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) - 20 Dec 1858. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article786764 [Accessed March 2, 2017].
  4. Local History folder Thorndon Park , Sections 298, 349 and 350, viewed March 2, 2017.
  5. Trove. (2017). DISTRICT COUNCILS. - PAYNEHAM. MONDAY, MARCH [?] - The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) - 17 Mar 1860. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1203313 [Accessed 3 May 2017].
  6. Trove. (2017). South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1881 - 1889) - 21 Jan 1888 - p8. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page8386104 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  7. Trove. (2017). AN INSOLVENT PUBLICAN. - HIS WIFE'S MONEY AND TRADESMEN'S BILLS. - Daily Herald (Adelaide, SA : 1910 - 1924) - 3 Aug 1910. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103892961 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  8. Trove. (2017). SUNDAY TRADING. - 'Mistook the Gentlemen.' - Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912) - 21 Jun 1911. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204495855 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  9. Trove. (2017). LAW COURTS. - SLY GROG-SELLING. - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) - 21 Apr 1916. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8714846 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  10. Trove. (2017). Fined for Liquor Supply - News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) - 20 Feb 1928. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129307514 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  11. Trove. (1931). CONVICTION WITHOUT PENALTY - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 17 Dec 1931. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74371069 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  12. Trove. (1933). Liquor After Hours - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 29 Mar 1933. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73999446 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  13. Trove. (1936). Fines Imposed For Liquor Offences - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 12 Sep 1936. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48178013 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  14. Trove. (1937). Application For Transfer Of Hotel Licence - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 12 Jan 1937. [online] Available at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47776493 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2017].
  15. Trove. (1939). HOUSEKEEPER REFUSED HOTEL LICENCE - Magistrate's Decision In Thorndon Park Case - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 25 Feb 1939. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74402317 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  16. Trove. (1951). 3 KILLED; 6 INJURED IN ROAD CRASHES - Utility Plunges Into 25 Ft. Of Water - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 21 Nov 1951. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45786919 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  17. Local History folder Thorndon Park , Sections 298, 349 and 350, viewed March 2, 2017.
  18. Adelaidenow.com.au. (2015). Hotel to be demolished for new $14m venue. [online] Available at: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/east-hills/rezz-hotel-in-newton-planned-for-demolition-to-make-way-for-new-14-million-hotel-and-function-centre/news-story/38cb5b5e282ddc0fb4744d0e5dc7cb1a [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].

Photo References

  1. State Library of South Australia. (1887). Reservoir Hotel. [online] Available at: http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+9711 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].
  2. State Library of South Australia. (1936). Reservoir Hotel. [online] Available at: http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+31835 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2017].