Gulgong Post Office Hotel

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1897

13 February 1897

R. White's Post Office Hotel

1903

15 October 1903
A Gulgong Hotel Change.
From a notice which appears in our Gulgong contemporary we gather that Mr. W. M. Blunt will shortly be leaving the Post Office Hotel, of which he has been the highly popular landlord for the past few years. We understand that Mr. Richard White, who owns the freehold of the premises, will once more go into harness, and after a lengthy spell will once more dispense the cup which cheers and does inebriate - if you take too much of it. Mr. White contemplates considerable improvements to the hotel2 .

1904

25 July 1904
The Post Office Hotel at Gulgong is nearing completion, and the contractor Mr. M. H. Bennett, will have fulfilled his contract in about four weeks time. Mr. Alex Low, of Mudgee has got the contract for the painting, and will be soon putting the finishing touches on the building. Mr. R. White opened the new bar last week3 .

1 September 1904
White's Hotel, Gulgong.
Mudgee people who visit Gulgong are loud in their praises of the splendid hotel which Mr. R. White has recently erected for himself. Mr. White evidently has great faith in Gulgong, for his expenditure on improvements and buildings has been very heavy during the past few years, The Post Office Hotel is certainly a credit to Mr. White and a credit to Gulgong4 .

1905

15 June 1905
Meeting at Mr. White's Hotel.
A special meeting of cyclists, and those interested in cycling, was held at Mr. R. White's Post Office Hotel, Gulgong, on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. R. White (vice-president) was in the chair, and there were also present; Messrs. H. Byfield, W. Gudgeon, G. Gunnell, and G. H. Dowell (Gulgong), C. M. Page, R. S. Kear, E. Doswoll, S. Keech, D. Ezzy, H. Byrnes, and A. E. Southwick (Mudgee).
Mr. White explained the objects of the meeting, and expressed regret at the poor attendance of the Gulgong cyclists.
The secretary of the M. D. C. and A. C. (Mr. Southwick), mentioned the principle items in connection with the club's doings for the past year, and also mentioned the prospects of the ensuing year, when about £200 will be given away in prize money.
Mr. D. Ezzy proposed, and Mr. S. Keech seconded, 'That Mr. H. Byfield be elected joint secretary to the club, and to control matters in connection with the club at Gulgong.'
The following gentlemen were elected members of the club:- Messrs. R. White, E, Doswell, H. Byfield, W. Gudgeon, and G. Gunnell. Intending members may procure tickets from Mr. H. Byfield, of Gulgong, or Mr. A. E. Southwick, hon. sec. Mudgee5 .

25 November 1905
An Accident. - Last Saturday evening an unfortunate accident occurred to Mrs. R. White, of the Post Office Hotel, Gulgong. While going behind the bar her attention was drawn to a customer. Not observing the cellar flap open, quite inadvertently she fell down the cellar. In the fall the back of her head struck heavily on a cask. She was immediately lifted out of the cellar and placed in her room, where Dr. Quinn, of Rylstone, who is a visitor to the town, gave immediate attention. Mrs. White has been under the medical supervision of our local medico, Dr. Blaney, since. An examination has proved that though no bones were broken Mrs. White has been severely bruised and received a serious shock to the system. It is universally hoped that she will soon be on the road to a complete recovery6 .

1908

1 October 1908
GULGONG CRICKET CLUB.
The annual meeting of the above was held at Lincoln's Post Office Hotel, Gulgong on Friday night last. The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £2 16s 2d. The annual subscription was fixed at 5s. Mr. A. P. Lambert was elected hon. secretary. The following have promised trophies for the ensuing year: Messrs. P. Ford, C. Lincoln and W. G. Scott7 .

1909

14 October 1909
GULGONG BUSINESS CHANGE.
Mr. Albert Robinson, an hotel keeper of considerable experience, has taken over the Post Office Hotel at Gulgong, where there is no doubt he will maintain the prestige so long enjoyed by the old established hostelry8 .

1913

6 November 1913
A GULGONG FAREWELL.
At Thame's Post Office Hotel, Gulgong, last week, between 50 and 60 friends of Mr. Percy Barton met to bid him farewell and present him with a small memento of the esteem in which he was held. Mr. A. P. Lambert spoke of Percy's services to the town during his residence amongst them, and regretted his departure. He presented to the departing guest, on behalf of his many friends, a travelling bag. Other speakers to add their regrets at Mr. Barton's departure were Messrs. Upham, R. Thame, F. Campbell, J. English, H. Stahl, H. Curran, R. Upham, Dowell, and H. Naughton. Mr. Barton suitably replied9 .

1918

14 March 1918
Gulgong Hotel Changes Hands.
The Post Office Hotel at Gugong, for nine years conducted by Mr. E. Thame, is about to change hands, Mr. W. A. Saunders, well-known to Mudgee and district people, having made arrangements to take over the house at the end of the present month. Mr. Saunders, it will be remembered, was at one time licensee of the Prince of Wales Hotel at Gulgong, and until recently licensee of the Royal Hotel at Cassilis, which was destroyed by fire10 .

1922

16 February 1922
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. F. Harris, of the Post Office Hotel, on the arrival of a bouncing baby boy. Both are doing splendidly11 .

1924

27 November 1924
Mr. Bennett, who has the contract of enlarging the Post Office Hotel, has the work nearing completion. This hotel will be a fine building when completed12 .

1925

18 June 1925
POST OFFICE HOTEL CHANGES HANDS.
The Post Office Hotel has one of the youngest licensee in the State. We refer to Mr. Charlie May, who took over the business on Monday last week. He is yet in the early twenties. This old established hotel is now being furnished with entirely new furniture and lino throughout, and other improvements will be made. Electric light is being installed in every room. Mr. May has had considerable experience, and we wish Mm luck in his venture. - Gulgong Advertiser13 .

1936

7 October 1936
Owner
Richard White Kandos 1/1/20
34 or 36 Wilberforce Avenue, Rose Bay.

Mortgagee
James Clark (Furniture Etc.) Dapper, via Gulgong 1/1/20

Lessees
Walter Norman Alfred 1/1/20
Frederick Claude Harris 7/9/20
Ambrose Appleby 3/4/22
John Erickson 18/12/22
Charles Walter May 6/6/25

Sub-Lessee Booth Licenses
10/1/27, 11/2, 2/5/27, 11/6, 4/6/28, 23/6, 22-23/3/29, 6/7, 3/5/30, 10/5, 21-22/3/33, 15 -16/3/35.

General
1/9/24. Alterations to be effected.
11/2/27. Appn. Material Alterns - Granted. - Approx Cost £110.
5/9/33. Order 40A Made - Complete by 1 month & 13 months . Approx Cost £50.
9/1/36. Mat. Alts. approved - £60 - complete by 31/3/36.
7/10/36. Mat. Altr. Approved. Cost £150 - 3 mths. To complete14 .

1944

8 June 1944
Death of Gulgong Business Man
Mr. A. E. Wilde, partner in the firm of Wilde and May, of the Post Office Hotel, Gulgong, passed away in the Gulgong District Hospital on Thursday, May 25, at the age of 60 years.
Deceased, whose father was in the teaching profession at one time, was a native of Coolah, where, with Mrs. Wilde, he resided for some years, till he entered into partnership with his nephew, Mr. C. W. May, when taking over the Post Office Hotel from Mr. John Erickson 19 years ago.
He was a very keen supporter of sport, especially racing and football, and of the local show. He and his partner (Mr. May) were recognised throughout the trade and public generally as good hotelkeepers.
The funeral, which took place at Gulgong on the following day, was largely attended, following an impressive service conducted by Rev. Canon A. G. Powell, of Mudgee, in St. Luke's Church of England. There were many floral tributes in evidence. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr. D. Whale, of Gulgong Motor Funerals.
Mr. Wilde had been an inmate of the hospital for two months, following a collapse at his residence and, indeed, spent his birthday celebration there only recently.
To deceased's widow, who has been associated with many of the town's movements, and to other members of the family, brothers Arthur (Western Australia), Harold (Coolah), and sisters Mrs. Harper (Emily, of Parkes Forest, South Coast) and Mrs. Grimes (Ethel, Narrabri).
To Mr. and Mrs. May and family and other friends, the "Advertiser" joins in offering sincere sympathy.

1946

28 February 1946
Sale of Post Office Hotel
Popular Residents Leave for Sydney
The well-known Post Office Hotel in Gulgong has changed hands, after being conducted by the firm of Wilde and May for almost 21 years.
It will be recalled that Mr. A. E. ('Happy') Wilde, who was partner with Mr. C. W. ('Springy') May in the business during that period, died nearly two years ago.
It was a great combination, 'Happy' and' 'Springy' - they worked up a fine business, became popular and ran the hotel on lines which won the praise of patrons from near and far.
The freehold has been sold to Tooheys Ltd., of Sydney, and Mr. John O'Sullivan, late of the Tweed River, has acquired a lease of the business.
The licence changed hands at the Gulgong Licensing Court, before Mr. J. S. Hart, P.M., last Wednesday.
Mr. May and the late 'Happy' Wilde were associated with the late Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lynch in the conduct of the Royal Hotel (of which Mr. Lynch was the licensee) for some time up till Mr. Lynch's death some 21 years ago. Deceased had conducted the Royal Hotel for about 20 years. On disposal of the business by Mrs. Lynch, Messrs. Wilde and May acquired the Post Office Hotel from the estate of the late Richard White. Mrs. Lynch died some years ago.
Mr. May, a native of Orange, came to Gulgong about 35 years ago to take up residence with the late Mr. and Mrs. Lynch. Mrs. May, a native of Gulgong, is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Turner, of Fitzroy street.
Mrs. May has taken up residence at Bellevue Hill, Sydney. Mr. May left for Sydney yesterday. Their son, Jack, has just finished a four year course in engineering technology at the Sydney University, and after being the guest of the new licensee of the Post Office Hotel for a fortnight, will take up a position with the York Air Conditioning Co., Sydney. Jack should make a name for himself. His brother, Jim, is attending Cranbrook High School, Sydney, and sister, Joyce, takes up the nursing profession at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, on March 11.
So Gulgong has lost a fine family to the call of the city.
Mesdames Wilde and May will be greatly missed in such circles as the Red Cross, Country Women's Association, etc., for they were valuable supporters of such worthy bodies. Their hospitality in connection with women's organisations and various public functions should never be forgotten. Neither should their financial aid to the numerous causes and movements which have helped and are still helping to keep Gulgong on the map.
Sporting organisations in particular, and fans of the various sports which are past numbers just now, owe a very great debt of gratitude to 'Springy' and the late 'Happy' for all they have done for them. If they didn't take a personal interest in every activity they gave moral and financial support, often of a most generous kind. Nearby centres also benefitted from their helpful spirit or generosity.
Arrangements were being made to give Mr. and Mrs. May and Mrs. Wilde a public farewell and presentation, but they would not hear of it. However, some friends of Mr. May did gather at the hotel and got his acceptance of a gift. Eloquent tribute to 'Springy's' qualities as a business man and citizen was paid by various speakers, which included the chairman, Mr. D. Milsom, manager of the Cullengoral Gold Sluicing N.L.
Mr. May, when interviewed by the Gulgong 'Advertiser' on Monday, stated that he was very sorry to be leaving Gulgong, where he had many friends. He voiced his appreciation of the hospitality and friendship of the people of Gulgong and surrounding centres15 .

1947

21 August 1947
Post Office Hotel Licence Transferred
At the Gulgong Licensing Court yesterday, the transfer of the licence of the Post Office Hotel from John W. Bury to Reginald John Roderick was effected.
Mr. and Mrs. Roderick and two daughters arrived on Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Bury intend to leave Gulgong on Friday, and Mrs. E. Mostyn, who has been staying with them, leaves tonight (Wednesday)16 .

27 February 1947
In the licensing Court last Wednesday, two Gulgong Hotels - the Post Office and the Centennial were transferred, the former from Les Hope-Caten to John William Bury and the later from Joseph Langtry to K. N. Mitchell17 .

23 October 1947
HOTEL CHANGES HANDS
Mr. R J. Roderick, who recently purchased the licence of the Post Office Hotel from Mr. J. W. Bury, has disposed of the business to Mr. G. M. Lancaster, of Newcastle. The transfer is expected to be effected at the Gulgong Licensing Court to-day (Wednesday);. Mr. and .Mrs. Roderick were fast making friends in the town, but unfortunately Mrs. Roderick's health has been unsatisfactory, since her arrival lift1-. They are to return to Belmcnt (Newcastle district)18 ..

30 October 1947
HOTEL LICENCE TRANSFERRED
At the Gulgong Licensing. Court last Wednesday, an application for the transfer of the licence of the Post Office Hotel, from Mr. Reg. J. Roderick to Mr. M. K. Lancaster, late of Newcastle, was approved. Mr. Lancaster has not previously held an hotel licence19 .

1949

27 October 1949
During the absence of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Marsh on holidays, the Post Office Hotel is in charge of Mr. and Mrs. R. Craig, of McMahon's Point (Sydney)20 .

2023

16 February 2023
The Gulgong publicans who ripped out all their poker machines
When Matt and Margot Felvus bought the historic Gulgong Post Office Hotel last year, they knew they had a lot of work ahead of them. But when they took the poker machines out, some said they were crazy.

Relatively new to the hotel game, Matt and Margot both admitted there's still a lot to learn, but early community feedback has been positive since they took over the pub in November 2022.

"It's been a bit of a hectic journey over the last four months, there's been plenty go wrong - it is a historic old building - but we're getting there and what we're starting to find is... more and more people coming in are really appreciating the fact that there are no pokies and appreciate the fact that they can sit at the front bar and have a conversation," Matt said,

"We wanted to create a morally-sustainable business, not just a business that relied on gaming revenue...

"We also really wanted... the atmosphere that pubs used to have and not just people sitting there slamming endless $50s into a machine."

"I think there's a turn in the community where people are really open to the damage of what poker machines do," Matt said.

"Everyone knows someone that has had a busted up marriage or they might have slammed their whole pay into the pokies and been in financial ruin. I think that those stories are becoming more apparent as we speak, it's a well-known fact that NSW has more poker machines than any other jurisdiction in the world.

"To buck against the trend - we certainly had a lot of people who thought we were mad. And look, we're not there yet. I'm not going to say we're a success story straight away but we're certainly on our way."

The decision to remove the machines in the first place was something the duo feel strongly about.

"My parents had pubs, so I was born and bred into them and my parents actually left the business when poker machines came in," Margot said.

"We both come from the south coast... Dapto Leagues Club has one of the highest amount of machines in NSW, so growing up in a little community like that watching parents, teachers... people that we knew go down a really hard place was difficult," Margot said.

Matt said he feels like their decision to forgo the pokies is part of a larger pivot away from the machines back to the pubs of old.

"I think we're seeing a trend now in the other direction. I'm noticing a lot of miners or tradies who might come in and they first balk at the fact that there are no poker machines but after a while, they sit there and really appreciate it," Matt said.

"There was a comment the other day - 'this is great, I've sat here for two hours and I haven't slammed $200 in a poker machine'. So we're getting more people coming in for a social beer after work and playing a game of pool and enjoying some music in the beer garden... and going home with a pocket full of cash rather than empty.

"It's good for our community."

Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders says the coalition's cashless pokies proposal is a "sensible one" which will help tackle problem gambling in the region while protecting local venues.

The policy reform package - which the coalition promised to bring in later this year should they be successful at the March 25 state election - would see every poker machine in NSW be made cashless by December 2028.

"It's a comprehensive plan to tackle the issues identified by the Crime Commission and that provides industry the time, certainty and support to plan for the future," said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Gambling helplines: Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 Lifeline on 13 11 14

CREDIT: Benjamin Palmer21

References