"Argyle Hotel"

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Argyle Hotel was erected in 1855 for William Rae at the height of the post gold rush hotel building boom in Geelong. Architect John Young, noted for his earlier designs for the 'Golden Age' and 'Bay View' hotels in Geelong, designed the Argyle hotel in a similar classically derived style which was dominated by modeling brick parapets, architraves and mouldings in distinctive patters. In August 1857 a meeting held in the Argyle Hotel led to the formation of the Borough of Newtown and Chilwell. The Argyle hotel is one of the first establishments of the 1850's in Geelong.

The Argyle Hotel was an important meeting place in the nineteenth centuary for people to discuss such things as, the separation of Newtown and Chilwell and Thomson ward from Geelong, and meetings of the Geelong Football Club. The building was designed by the important Geelong based architect John Young and is one of the two known examples by him which brickwork has been used in this innovative way to stylize Italian High Renaissance elements. It is of State significance.

REFERENCES

L Huddle - 'Architects In Geelong in the 1840's and 1850's, Department of Architecture, University of Melbourne 1979. VIl 1, p 32-3, p 105-6.

G Seaton - The Ashby Story - A History of Geelong West, Geelong West City Council 1978. pp 51-2, 121, 171.

I Wynd - 'Hotels of Geelong West', Investigators, Vol 10, No 1, P 6.

Geelong Advertiser - 11th January, 1855 - Tender Notice for Willingham Index - Foundation works.

12th March, 1855 - tender notice for plastering.

5th January, 1859 - For sale notice

20th March, 1869 - For sale notice with description.

19th April, 1880 - Tender notice for extensions.

Seaton Gladys - The Ashby Story - A History of Geelong West, Adams Printers, for Geelong West City Council, 1978 pp 51, 65, 95 & 232.

Brownhill, W R - The History of Geelong West and Corio Bay - Wilke and Co, Melbourne, 1955 - p 376.

Group

Commercial

Category

Hotel