Menu
Railway Hotel, Hornsby
About
TypeOther
DetailsThe Railway Hotel, Hornsby was the first commercial building in Hornsby. It was built in 1886 by Martin Haydon, at its current location on the corner of Burdett Street (now Coronation Street) and Colah Street (now Station Street).
Haydon was the first Licensee when it opened in 1888 and the hotel was called Haydon’s Family Hotel at Hornsby Junction. Haydon managed his hotel until 1896, when it was leased from him by Cameron Roberts who turned it into a popular destination for weekend cyclists, and the hotel became known as the Hornsby Junction Hotel.
In 1898 Paul Pierre took over control of the hotel and soon after renamed it Hornsby Railway Hotel, as the area known as Hornsby Junction was renamed to just Hornsby. Pierre was very active in the community and well known in Masonic circles, having at one stage, attempted to start a lodge at Hornsby. He also had a farm at Colah where he hosted pigeon shooting competitions. The site of his farm went onto to become Mt Colah Public School, and Pierre Close, that runs between the school and the railway, is named after him.
Around 1903 J.C. Pullbrook took over the hotel. Pullbrook was Captain of the Hornsby Volunteer Rifle Club, often putting up monetary prizes for competitors. He was also a keen member of the local Progress Association and enthusiastically supported and entrance/exit at the northern end Hornsby Railway Station’s platform. When this proposal was successful it provided passengers a much more direct access to and from his establishment and this became known as “Pullbrook’s Entrance”. Pullbrook Parade, on the east side of Hornsby, was permanently named after him.
From 1909 Herbert Trimnell-Ritchard was the publican. During his time Trimnell-Richard invested a considerable amount in upgrading the hotel and when he sold up in 1915 it was a thriving concern. His vision was to take advantage of the increasing popularity of the motor vehicle and attract visitors from the city to appreciate the area. He actively promoted the natural beauty of the Hornsby district and his hotel’s dining facilities.
When he sold the Railway Hotel in 1915 Herbert purchased, and went onto successfully manage, the Hampden Hotel at Pennant Hills. Herbert’s son, Bernard Trimnell-Richard become the licensee at the Hornsby Railway Hotel in 1936 and stayed on for an incredible 35 years. There was significant change during Bernard Trimnell-Richard’s time for both his hotel and the NSW hotel industry as a whole.
By 1940 the Railway Hotel building was very run down and the Licensing Board actually condemned the building. Trimnell-Richard made immediate plans to rebuild however, this was delayed because of war time restrictions and Trimnell-Richard having problems reaching an agreement with Hornsby Council on the details, including a location for a temporary bar during the 15 months of rebuilding.
After Council referred the hotel to the NSW Health Department because of its poor state, and a prickly exchange with Trimnell-Richard in the newspapers, an agreement was finally reached. The temporary pub was set up in 1953, in one of Council’s own buildings near the corner of George Street and Burdett Street, on the east side. During this period the Hornsby Railway Hotel was virtually entirely rebuilt.
Trimnell-Richard also had to adjust to industry changes to the NSW Liquor Act that included increased competition with Sporting, Returned Servicemen and Social Clubs being permitted to serve alcohol to their members (July 1947) and alcohol service hours being changed from 10am to 6pm extended to 10am to 10pm, from 1st February 1955.
The change of alcohol service hours was after an extensive Royal Commission in April 1952, for which Trimnell-Richards himself gave detailed evidence. This was followed by a referendum that was very close because of active resistance from the Churches, but was eventually approved. The change brought an end to the six-o’clock swill (the drinking binge between 5 and 6pm – before closing). When this was introduced the sales at the Hornsby Railway Hotel nearly doubled overnight.
Another significant adjustment was the conversion to decimal currency on 14th February 1966. Then the change to Sunday trading in 1979, when a patron no longer had to be a “bona fide traveller’, living a minimum 10 miles from the hotel. Unfortunately this law actually encouraged drink driving. A further change in the 1980s meant a drinking establishment no longer had to provide accommodation as part of their facility. This saw many new pubs (built after the 1980s) given the name “Tavern” rather than “Hotel”.
When the Claude Fays Hotel opened on the east side of Hornsby, in late 1967, the Railway Hotel was often referred to by locals as the “Old Pub”, a name which is still commonly used today. The hotel’s name was formally changed to the Highwayman’s Hotel on 5th September 1973 under publican Russell Sharpe. Although, it reverted back to the Hornsby Railway Hotel in the mid-1990s.
With the popularity of Claude Fays basement bar, called the Bird Bar and later renamed Midnight Express, which often traded later hours, the Railway Hotel established its own after-hours area. Over the years this facility has traded under a number of names, but it is probably best known as “City Limits”. Today the nightclub area is called “Infuse”.
In 2007 the Hornsby Railway Hotel underwent a significant refurbishment which saw part of the main bar becoming Station Street Bistro. In 2014 this was converted into a restaurant area called “Rails".CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsHornsbyRailway HotelCoronation Street
DetailsThe Railway Hotel, Hornsby was the first commercial building in Hornsby. It was built in 1886 by Martin Haydon, at its current location on the corner of Burdett Street (now Coronation Street) and Colah Street (now Station Street). Haydon was the first Licensee when it opened in 1888 and the hotel was called Haydon’s Family Hotel at Hornsby Junction. Haydon managed his hotel until 1896, when it was leased from him by Cameron Roberts who turned it into a popular destination for weekend cyclists, and the hotel became known as the Hornsby Junction Hotel.
In 1898 Paul Pierre took over control of the hotel and soon after renamed it Hornsby Railway Hotel, as the area known as Hornsby Junction was renamed to just Hornsby. Pierre was very active in the community and well known in Masonic circles, having at one stage, attempted to start a lodge at Hornsby. He also had a farm at Colah where he hosted pigeon shooting competitions. The site of his farm went onto to become Mt Colah Public School, and Pierre Close, that runs between the school and the railway, is named after him.
Around 1903 J.C. Pullbrook took over the hotel. Pullbrook was Captain of the Hornsby Volunteer Rifle Club, often putting up monetary prizes for competitors. He was also a keen member of the local Progress Association and enthusiastically supported and entrance/exit at the northern end Hornsby Railway Station’s platform. When this proposal was successful it provided passengers a much more direct access to and from his establishment and this became known as “Pullbrook’s Entrance”. Pullbrook Parade, on the east side of Hornsby, was permanently named after him.
From 1909 Herbert Trimnell-Ritchard was the publican. During his time Trimnell-Richard invested a considerable amount in upgrading the hotel and when he sold up in 1915 it was a thriving concern. His vision was to take advantage of the increasing popularity of the motor vehicle and attract visitors from the city to appreciate the area. He actively promoted the natural beauty of the Hornsby district and his hotel’s dining facilities.
When he sold the Railway Hotel in 1915 Herbert purchased, and went onto successfully manage, the Hampden Hotel at Pennant Hills. Herbert’s son, Bernard Trimnell-Richard become the licensee at the Hornsby Railway Hotel in 1936 and stayed on for an incredible 35 years. There was significant change during Bernard Trimnell-Richard’s time for both his hotel and the NSW hotel industry as a whole.
By 1940 the Railway Hotel building was very run down and the Licensing Board actually condemned the building. Trimnell-Richard made immediate plans to rebuild however, this was delayed because of war time restrictions and Trimnell-Richard having problems reaching an agreement with Hornsby Council on the details, including a location for a temporary bar during the 15 months of rebuilding.
After Council referred the hotel to the NSW Health Department because of its poor state, and a prickly exchange with Trimnell-Richard in the newspapers, an agreement was finally reached. The temporary pub was set up in 1953, in one of Council’s own buildings near the corner of George Street and Burdett Street, on the east side. During this period the Hornsby Railway Hotel was virtually entirely rebuilt.
Trimnell-Richard also had to adjust to industry changes to the NSW Liquor Act that included increased competition with Sporting, Returned Servicemen and Social Clubs being permitted to serve alcohol to their members (July 1947) and alcohol service hours being changed from 10am to 6pm extended to 10am to 10pm, from 1st February 1955.
The change of alcohol service hours was after an extensive Royal Commission in April 1952, for which Trimnell-Richards himself gave detailed evidence. This was followed by a referendum that was very close because of active resistance from the Churches, but was eventually approved. The change brought an end to the six-o’clock swill (the drinking binge between 5 and 6pm – before closing). When this was introduced the sales at the Hornsby Railway Hotel nearly doubled overnight.
Another significant adjustment was the conversion to decimal currency on 14th February 1966. Then the change to Sunday trading in 1979, when a patron no longer had to be a “bona fide traveller’, living a minimum 10 miles from the hotel. Unfortunately this law actually encouraged drink driving. A further change in the 1980s meant a drinking establishment no longer had to provide accommodation as part of their facility. This saw many new pubs (built after the 1980s) given the name “Tavern” rather than “Hotel”.
When the Claude Fays Hotel opened on the east side of Hornsby, in late 1967, the Railway Hotel was often referred to by locals as the “Old Pub”, a name which is still commonly used today. The hotel’s name was formally changed to the Highwayman’s Hotel on 5th September 1973 under publican Russell Sharpe. Although, it reverted back to the Hornsby Railway Hotel in the mid-1990s.
With the popularity of Claude Fays basement bar, called the Bird Bar and later renamed Midnight Express, which often traded later hours, the Railway Hotel established its own after-hours area. Over the years this facility has traded under a number of names, but it is probably best known as “City Limits”. Today the nightclub area is called “Infuse”.
In 2007 the Hornsby Railway Hotel underwent a significant refurbishment which saw part of the main bar becoming Station Street Bistro. In 2014 this was converted into a restaurant area called “Rails".
CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsHornsbyRailway HotelCoronation StreetClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
Nathan Tilbury, Railway Hotel, Hornsby. Hornsby Shire, accessed 11/09/2024, https://hornsbyshire.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5667