Dry Dock Hotel, including interiors

Item details


Name of item:	Dry Dock Hotel, including interiors
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Hotel
Primary address:	22 Cameron Street, Balmain, NSW 2041
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Inner West

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
22 Cameron Street	Balmain	Inner West		Cumberland	Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	The Dry Dock Hotel is of local historic, aesthetic and social significance as a good representative example of a corner Hotel building that was initially constructed in the late 1850s and remodelled in the 1920s. The Hotel has significantly continued to operate to the present and is possibly one of the oldest Hotels in the area. Despite additions and alterations, the building retains a sense of its early scale, character and fabric including rendered and painted brick facades, splayed corner, high parapet and associated mouldings, roof form and chimney, suspended awning and pattern of openings. The building occupies a prominent corner site and is a key townscape element that makes a positive contribution to the College and Cameron Streets streetscape. Note: This inventory sheet is not intended to be a definitive study of the heritage item, therefore information may not be accurate and complete. The information should be regarded as a general guide. Further research is always recommended as part of the preparation of development proposals for heritage items.
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1857-
Physical description:	One and two storey rendered and painted brick corner Hotel building with high parapet to the corner, skillion roofs clad in corrugated steel and brick chimney. Located on the north western corner of College and Cameron Streets, the building is constructed to the street frontages with splayed corner. The corner splay has modern timber and glass doors on the ground floor and single window over. A steel framed suspended awning curves around the corner and extends along most of the two storey façades. The two storey section is topped by high parapet with rendered cornice and mouldings and panels bearing “Dry Dock Hotel” in relief lettering. The façade also features a number of large openings on the ground floor and timber framed double hung windows on the first floor. Another pair of modern pair of door is located on the Cameron Street façade. The large ground floor openings are also infilled with bayed window on timber boarded base. A single storey wing extends along the College Street frontage. The wing also has another pair of modern timber and glass doors and two large openings with roller shutters.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	In very good condition. Some patching and repairs and layering of paint on the facades is generally evident.
Modifications and dates:	1982: Renovations (20790). 1983: Beer garden - rear (20920). 1984: Internal alterations (22041). 1988: Alterations and additions (88/11). 1990: Constuct internal court and sound barrier (90/422). 2016 - Alterations to existing hotel including use of the internal courtyard as a smoker's courtyard and removal of two existing trees and new landscaping (D/2015/591)
Further information:	The rear, single storey wing is used as restaurant and coffee lounge. Air conditioning units and service equipment and TV antennae are visible over the main roof and roof of the single store wing. Satellite dishes have also been added to the main roof. Bracketed signage has been fixed to the ground floor façade.


Current use:	Hotel
Former use:	Hotel

History

Historical notes:

Surgeon William Balmain was granted 550 acres and most of the area now encompassing Balmain in 1800. In 1801 the entire grant was transferred to fellow surgeon John Gilchrist. Gilchrist never actually lived in NSW and advertised the land for sale in 1823. However, the sale was not a success. He gave power of attorney to his Sydney-based agent and merchant, Frank Parbury, who commissioned Surveyor John Armstrong to subdivide part of the land. In 1836 22, 2-4 acres lots mostly about Balmain East were auctioned for sale by Parbury on behalf of the absentee landowner, Gilchrist.
In 1836 James Curtis purchased 10 acres (in what is now Morts Bay) of the low lying area located around a small creek (known as Curtis Waterhole). John Lamb purchased the adjoining 11 and a half acres in 1836. These two lots were to become the site of Mort's dock.
In 1854 the two lots at the eastern end of the bay of the Strathean Estate were purchased by Captain Rowntree and Thomas Holt for a slipway and dry dock. Mort joined them in their venture and purchased more land in the area. Mort was publicly credited with the whole of the dry dock enterprise when it opened in February 1855 and it was known as Mort's Dock. Later the bay was renamed Mort Bay.
The company became the major developer on the slopes above the dock in the development of housing for the workforce. The Dock became the major influence both on the development of the suburb for 100 years, and the largest industrial operation in Australia for about a century. The workforce lived in comfortable timber cottages and terraces on the slopes above the site. They often purchased their houses. The executives lived in the grander houses on elevated positions close by. It is in this context that the Hotel was initially constructed. In 1856 Thomas Rountree was given the license for an establishment on the corner of Cameron, College and Mort Streets. In the following year it was stated in the Sydney Morning Herald that “the Waterview Hotel is now open and replete with every accommodation for visitors”. The heading on the article was “Waterview Bay Dry Dock”.
The local workforce utilised the many pubs around the Dock complex including the Forth and Clyde, the Star, the Dry Dock and the William Wallace.
A Sydney Water plan dated c. 1887 and amended in the 1890s (Balmain Sheet No. 14) shows a small building on the site with small spay at the corner. A separate detached structure is also shown at the rear on the College Street frontage.
Tooth and Co purchased the hotel in 1897. An early photograph dated c. 1907 shows the two storey building with corner splay, posted balcony and hipped roof with dormer windows facing both College and Cameron Streets. A small single storey wing is also clear along the College Street frontage. Tooth substantially rebuilt the structure in 1921 when it is assumed the building was extended along Cameron Street, balcony removed, awning and parapet added. Since that time a number of works were carried out in the 1980s including major renovations in 1988. The single storey wing has also since been extended along College Street.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Growth of Balmain-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Growth of Balmain-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Growth of Balmain-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The site and building is of local historic significance as part of an early land purchase and subdivision and early corner Hotel. It is possibly the oldest licensed hotel in Balmain. The subsequent changes to the building represents the growth and development of local waterfront industries and shift of working class population..
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The building is associated with Tooth & Co.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The building is of local aesthetic significance as an example of rendered corner Hotel initially constructed in the late 1850s and remodelled in the 1920s. Despite additions and alterations, the building retains a sense of its early scale, character and fabric including rendered and painted brick facades, splayed corner, high parapet and associated mouldings, roof form and chimney, suspended awning and pattern of openings. The building occupies a prominent corner site and is a key townscape element that makes a positive contribution to the College and Cameron Streets streetscape.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The building is of some social significance as a corner Hotel that has continued to serve the local workforce and residents since the late 1850s.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The building is a good representative example of a corner Hotel building.
Integrity/Intactness:	Moderate to high
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

It is recommended that: - the existing scale, character and details of the building as presents to corner including rendered and painted brick facades, splayed corner, high parapet and associated details, rendered mouldings, roof form and chimney, suspended awning and pattern of openings should be retained and conserved; - no new openings should be made to the street facing facades; - as part of any major works to the building service elements on the roof should be rationalised and where possible concealed from view; - signage should also be rationalised and consistent; - any further additions should be restricted to the rear of the building and should not detract from the overall form and character of the building.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2013	I147	23 Dec 13

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Leichhardt Municipality Heritage Study	1990		McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd (Craig Burton, Wendy Thorp)		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Max Solling and Peter Reynolds	1997	Leichhardt: On the Margins of the City

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	1940155

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