The Lost Pubs of Surry Hills

Surry Hills, a unique inner-city suburb of Sydney, is renowned for its vibrant cafe scene, boutique shops, picturesque terraced streets, and a remarkable number of pubs. 

By ELLIOT LINDSAY

More on Surry Hills

Evening Star Hotel. Corner of Cooper & Elizabeth Street in 1905

Pubs, a cornerstone of Surry Hills' village culture, are a distinct feature of the area. Surry Hills stands out with a current count of twenty-two, particularly when compared to the average Sydney suburb, which typically has no more than two pubs. However, this number represents a significant decline from the past. 

Since 1833, Surry Hills has been home to a total of ninety pubs, inns, taverns, and hotels, reaching its peak at eighty-three open at the same time in 1889! Streets like Fitzroy, Riley, and Devonshire were particularly known for their pub culture, boasting six, nine, and ten establishments respectively. But what led to the closure of sixty-nine of these iconic establishments?

The Rise and Fall of Surry Hills Pubs: From 1833 to Today

It is crucial to delve into the history of the hotel industry in the area. The first hotel, Roebuck’s Inn, opened its doors in 1833 at what is now 360 Bourke Street (long since demolished). Inns like Roebuck’s were not just places of lodging but also served as stables for horses and venues for meetings, making them vital during colonial times. 

A handful of hotels were erected in the 1830s and 1840s; The Surry Hills Hotel on Elizabeth Street still operates today, albeit not in the original building. Established in 1845, it is the longest-running hotel in Surry Hills. 

Albion House and Albion Brewery, Surry Hills c1840. Photo courtesy: Mitchell Library

The gold rush in New South Wales spurred significant urban development in Surry Hills, which began in the 1850s. This period witnessed a surge in Sydney's population and the expansion of its suburbs. Farms in Surry Hills were subdivided into streets, lanes, cottages, and terraces, with new residents increasing demand for new pubs. 

Between the 1850s and 1860s, eighteen more hotels opened, including notable names like The Dolphin (1856), The Clock (1864), and The Evening Star (1866).

The 1870s and 1880s brought exponential growth and economic prosperity to Surry Hills, shaping it into the town recognised today. Many of the popular pubs operating today, such as The Beresford (1870), The Royal Albert (1873), The Shakespeare (1879), and The White Horse (1880), were established during this period. However, by this time, authorities deemed eighty-two pubs sufficient for the neighbourhood, halting the issuance of new licenses.

Pubs as Multifunctional Hubs: From Taverns to Temporary Mortuaries

Sydney lacked adequate mortuary facilities during the nineteenth century. The North Sydney Mortuary, built in 1853, and the South Sydney Mortuary, established in 1882, could not handle the capacity. Consequently, all the local pubs in Surry Hills served as temporary mortuaries where bodies awaiting coroner inspections were stored. 

The Old Pubs of Surry Hills

Inquests were also held in these pubs, making them more than just places for drinking and lodging. This was an old English custom dating back centuries. 

The Gentrification and Legacy of Surry Hills' Historic Pubs

The demographics of Surry Hills underwent a significant shift after the 1890s depression. The area saw an exodus of wealthier residents, who were replaced by a rural underclass. The landscape of Surry Hills transformed, with factories replacing residential blocks, leading to a decline in living conditions. 

The Liquor Act of 1916, which introduced the six o’clock swill, further reshaped the pub scene. Big breweries like Tooths & Co, Toohey’s, and Resch’s acquired and renovated most hotels to cater to the working-class clientele who flooded pubs between 5 pm and 6 pm.

The New South Wales Government actively inspected and terminated pub licenses in the early twentieth century. Seven pubs had already been closed during the 1890s depression, and eight more were terminated in the early 1900s. The most significant closures occurred between 1920 and 1924, when twenty-eight licenses were revoked. 

Liquor Referendum Sign & Adverts - June 1916

By the beginning of the new millennium, thirteen more pubs had closed, the latest being The Hopetoun in 2009. Of the closed pubs, thirty-eight were demolished.

The former hotel buildings that survived were repurposed into boarding houses, shops, brothels, warehouses, and workshops. When the baby boomers moved to Surry Hills from the outer suburbs, starting in the 1970s, the area was gentrified. Many old pubs were converted into houses and apartments. 

Intriguingly, many people today live in buildings that were once bustling pubs from over a century ago and have no idea of their home’s history. We walk along the streets and lanes of Surry Hills, passing these historical buildings, oblivious to their glorious past. They are hidden before our eyes; they are ghosts in plain sight.

You can see the full list of old hotels, with photos, in the window display at 194 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills (next to the Shakespeare Hotel), or at talkingwallshistory.com/history-shop/