p 25
At this point the book brings us into the mid 70s.
We also hear of Lottie’s son, Tommy for the first time.
p26
. . . You know that man, Peters . . .
We don’t know who Peters might be.
p27
. . . at the new Sorrento Hotel nearing completion on top of the cliff . . .
The first licence was granted to the Sorrento Hotel in October 1872. The licensee was a Michael Wheeler. The Sorrento was the first Hotel in Sorrento.
p28
. . . the main business street, named by Coppin “Amphitheatre Road” . . .
. . . Another large hotel of four stories with tower, to be called “Continental” was halfway to completion . . .
Here the Author appears to compress time a little.
The Ocean Amphitheatre Company was floated by George Coppin and others on 11th of April 1874. The Company made its first purchase of land at Sorrento (perhaps ironically from Charles Gavan Duffy) on the 15th of April. This included Sorrento Town Allotment 5 which would be the site of the future Continental Hotel.
The Company did construct “a good metalled road” to the Back Beach which was completed by November 1874, as reported in the Company’s Half Year Report. 1
The Continental was first licensed in December 1875, three years after the Sorrento. Even then, the Continental was not completed when it first opened.
. . . Lugger Jack, who had bought a little cottage on two acres o’land a while back, is building a small hotel on the corner of it almost facin’ the pier. . . .
As stated earlier John Boswell Clark (Lugger Jack) retired from skippering lime craft. He bought the Sorrento Town Allotment 8A of 2 acres in July 1873. He would later build “The Mornington Hotel” on the corner. Although it might be understandable, we have never been able to find any evidence that Coppin and others opposed its licence.
p29
. . . to buy a horse from Jim Purves he told him about this ‘ere petition, and Purves said that his son had been made a barrister. . .
James Purves (1814 -1878) was an early pioneer of The Heads. An early Victorian colonist from Berwick-upon-Tweed. In May of 1860 (just weeks after James Ford) he had taken up 8 Crown Allotments (750 acres) in the Parish of Nepean to the East of Rye. This was in addition to the Tootgarook Preemptive Right of 640 acres he took up in 1855 in the Parish of Wannaeue. He was a noted racehorse breeder.
His Son James Liddle Purves (1843-1910) having been sent to England (due to poor health) for his education, returned to Australia and was admitted to the Bar in Melbourne in 1866. There he was involved in many landmark cases in Victorian Melbourne. He entered the Legislative Assembly in April 1872 as a free trader and constitutionalist for Mornington, and was soon known for his oratory. James jr. was also prominent in Victorian sporting circles as an owner of fine race-horses, a champion shot, and a keen lawn-tennis player and yachtsman. 2
Probably overkill for a Licensing Case, but if the story is even partly true, it would have been great theatre.
. . . a suntanned leather-skinned man known as Tom Clancy . . .
We are unable to find a fisherman by this name.
p30
. . . Mr. Martin the brewer, owns this hotel. . .
Peter James Martin (1832 -1896) owned ‘Martin’s Australian Brewery’ in Flinders Lane in Melbourne from about 1862. The Brewery regularly won awards for its Ales.
In July 1872 Peter Martin bought the One Acre Sorrento Town Allotment Section 2 part 1 from Susan Gavan Duffy (the daughter of Charles Gavan Duffy) for 10 shillings. At the same time he purchased Section 2 part 2 (the same size) for £15.
This is confirmation of the story that Peter Martin was assisted to build the Sorrento Hotel by Charles Gavan Duffy.
Nepean Historical Society 