Katanning Hotel
The single-storey Katanning Hotel in 1901
The Katanning Hotel was the first hotel in Katanning and is an essential part of the streetscape of Austral Terrace. It is associated with many prominent people of the town, including the Piesse family and George McLeod. As well as being a hotel, it has been the site for many social gatherings, including Anglican Church services.
The rebuilt Katanning Hotel c1900
John Cook
The original single-storey wood and iron hotel was erected in 1889 by the Piesse Bros. On Saturday, 23rd January, 1897, when John Cook was the Licensee, the building was razed by fire which blazed fiercely and was soon destroyed. Lodgers narrowly escaped with their lives and one child, an infant of a servant of the family named Maggie Keenan, perished in the fire. John Cook went on to be Licensee of the Railway Refreshment Rooms, the Katanning Coffee Palace, and the Federal Hotel before retiring to Perth.
George McLeod Jnr.
The hotel was rebuilt on its present site in 1898 as a two-storey brick building by Mr George McLeod jnr. who purchased the goodwill and freehold”. [GSH, 1/10/65. p.8]. He went on to become a prominent member of the Katanning community including being a member of the Katanning Roads Board. He has descendants still living in Katanning.
The Katanning Hotel as built by George McLeod Jnr.
Walking past to day you will notice extensions built on to the left of this original building
The hotel was extended several times over the years. After the second world war the Swan Brewery bought the hotel and completely modernised it. In 1965 the hotel again underwent extensive renovations. The two bar areas also underwent changes such as the ceiling being lowered, and new acoustic tiles used to line the roof. Mr and Mrs Southern, who were the then licensees, carried out these renovations. Although the addition of the units – created by joining existing rooms together – reduced the number of rooms from 35 to 27, the rooms were fitted with the most modern fittings and appliances, including vinyl tiles, infrared heaters, bars and special bathroom and shower facilities. however, except for the facade, the rest of the building has been demolished to make way for car parking for a new Katanning Shire office complex.
In the news of the day
Kalgoorlie Western Argus
28 January, 1897
Katanning – January 24
A great fire occurred here on Saturday
night, Cook’s Katanning Hotel being totally destroyed and one life lost.
Shortly after the arrival of the Albany train at about 11.30,
passengers were at supper when the alarm was given, and the back of the
hotel was found to be in flames. Mrs. Cook, the wife of the landlord,
and three children were asleep at the time, but were quickly roused and
brought from the burning building.
Messrs Moody and Dartnell, surveyors, and Mr J. E. Chipper, boarders, were asleep in the front bedrooms, but escaped just in time, the latter narrowly and losing all his possessions. Three children were in the room where the fire originated. The eldest rushed out and gave the alarm. A man named Dimant rushed in and pulled out one child, but a baby six months old, a child of a servant named Maggie Keenan, perished, the remains being afterwards found burnt to cinders.
The mother frantically endeavoured to rush into the room to save the child and was only restrained by force. She was only restrained by force. She was removed to the telephone room, and her screams were stated to have been heard by telephone at Wagin, 47 miles distant, giving that station almost the first news of the tragedy. The hotel, which was a wooden building, blazed fiercely and was soon destroyed. Little was saved. There was an insurance of £1000 on the stock, furniture, and valuable property. The lessee has lost to the value of £700.
THE FIRE AT KATANNING – CORONAL INQUIRY.
THE FINDING OF THE JURY.
West Australian
27 January 1897
Katanning, January 26.
An inquiry was held to-day regarding the fire at Cook’s Katanning Hotel. Mr. W. K. Adam conducted the inquiry, and the jury consisted of Messrs. R. M. Fonceca (foreman), M. Lebad, and L. D. Hart.
The evidence threw no fresh light on the cause of the conflagration. Margaret Keenan, who was last in the hotel prior to going to the refreshment room at the station, deposed to leaving a lighted candle in the room in which the fire started. Two children were in the room fast asleep in beds on either side of a table under the window. The child burned to death was in the right-hand side bed.
J. C. Cook stated that passengers by the Albany train were just seated to supper when the alarm of fire was raised. They went across immediately and saw that the servants’ room of the hotel was ablaze. They threw water from an adjacent barrel into the room, but the fire had too strong a hold to be subdued. Constable Founlkes then came on the scene.
Mary Ann Sylvester said that she was in the temporary employment of Cook’s Hotel. She heard the alarm of fire from Alice McLeod. She was told, that the cook was in the servants’ room before going to the station refreshment room, and that there was a candle alight in the room when she left.
C. H. Ord, a passenger by the Albany train, stated that on going out of the station he saw smoke coming from the window of the bedroom at the southern rear part of the hotel. He went across immediately and saw that there was no show of saving the building. The fire had a good hold of the building. He stayed until the fire was over. In about an hour the hotel burned down.
Constable Fonlkes deposed that he heard the alarm of fire at the police station at 11.30 p.m. He went across to the hotel and saw Mr. Cook throwing water into the burning bedroom. Directly after Mr. A. E. Piesse came with a small fire engine, but the efforts made to extinguish the flames had no effect, the fire having too strong a hold. He advised Mr. Cook to save what he could.
The verdict of the jury was that the fire was caused by a lighted candle having been left in close proximity to light curtains, which were blown on to the flame by the draught caused by the window being open.
An inquest on the body of Iris Amy Keenan followed, before the same jury that inquired into the fire. The witnesses called were Margaret Keenan, Mary Ann Sylvester, Constable Fonlkes, and Dr. Badock, and the evidence was almost identical with that given at the previous inquiry. A verdict to the effect that deceased came by her death by being destroyed by fire at the burning of the Katanning Hotel, and that no blame was attachable to anyone, was returned. ends
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