The original Palace Hotel was opened in 1886, the same year as the gasworks It was built on the river at the end of Tennyson Road, where the River Quays Marina now stands.
The first licensee was John Stuart. The hotel, known as Mongomery’s Palace, was a distinctive building with verandas and a tower which made it a popular vantage point for the viewing the sculling and rowing races along the Parramatta River.
This hotel was demolished in the mid-1920s and a new hotel, still named the Palace, was built further up Tennyson Road, nearly opposite the entrance to the gasworks. The gasworks entrance was also the Mortlake tram terminus.
Second Palace Hotel
The hotel became a very popular watering hole for the thirsty workers and was one of Sydney’s early-opener hotels. This variation to the normal hotel opening hours was to accommodate workers coming off night shift.
The hotel still serves excellent beer and has incorporated a bistro.
The Palace’s most striking feature is the size of its men’s toilet. “Big enough to hold a dance in”, quote the locals. This feature is a constant reminder that while the gasworks operated, the Palace dispensed huge volumes of beer to its many thirsty patrons.
Before the digital age and the internet, the cinema was a major part of Australia’s social life. On Saturday nights in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, everyone went — or tried to go — to “the pictures”. For the children of that era, the weekly matinee at the local cinema was the highlight of the…
Christmas Dinners In my younger days, Christmas dinner always consisted of roast turkey, with lots of roast vegetables, green peas and gravy. This was often supplemented with ham or roast pork. Then, after a reasonable interval during which we allowed the food to settle, we proceeded to eat the second course, which involved a slice…
An Unlikely Dalliance . . . the actress Sarah Bernhardt, the scientist Adrien Loire and Rodd Island. She was the most famous actress in the world, a 46-year old Venus with a well-known appetite for younger men and counted numerous women and the Prince of Wales among her conquests.. He was the nephew of Louis…
From the Archives Advertisements are often the best indicators of contemporary society for while they are meant to sell goods and services, they are framed with the intention of appealing to a particular clientele. Advertisements reflect the values, concerns and aspirations of their intended audience. They are an appeal for trust, to engage in good…
From the Archives In 1963 Tulloch Ltd. designed and built the world’s first double deck railway trailer car. Four prototypes were produced at Tulloch’s engineering works at Rhodes. Later motor carriages were added to create the eight-car double deck trains so familiar to Sydney commuters. Double decker trains were introduced to relieve the congestion caused…
Edward Smith Hall was of those early pioneers whose great work in winning for us the freedom of the Australian Press has been obscured by the more widely known achievements of Wentworth. Bom in London in 1786, Hall came to Australia in 1812 armed with letters of introduction to Governor Macquarie. Failing to gain Macquarie’s favour, he joined Simeon Lord in forming…
Coincidentally I used the ‘Mens’ there today! I noticed the ladies is adjacent in the same access way, so perhaps they moved the Ladies from another location in the hotel and then could use the former space for something else?
My first time in the hotel which has lovely retained historical features. I will be back!
I have read before of the size of the men’s toilet but scratch my head . The men’s toilet still seems part of the original construction yet certainly is not huge by any measure . Does anyone know why the toilet size claim was made ??
There used to be another men’s toilet where the gaming room is. Entry was through doors where they now have the TAB corner from the main bar. That room was very large and suspect that was the reference.
×
Nurungi Printed Copy
Do not print this page until after the first of the new month
This window will automatically close after 10 seconds
Coincidentally I used the ‘Mens’ there today! I noticed the ladies is adjacent in the same access way, so perhaps they moved the Ladies from another location in the hotel and then could use the former space for something else?
My first time in the hotel which has lovely retained historical features. I will be back!
I have read before of the size of the men’s toilet but scratch my head . The men’s toilet still seems part of the original construction yet certainly is not huge by any measure . Does anyone know why the toilet size claim was made ??
There used to be another men’s toilet where the gaming room is. Entry was through doors where they now have the TAB corner from the main bar. That room was very large and suspect that was the reference.