C. A. Hornabrook Explained

Charles Atkins Hornabrook (1833 – 26 August 1903) was a businessman in the colony of South Australia who made a fortune from property development in the city of Adelaide and investments in Broken Hill Proprietary and other mining prospects. He is remembered as the owner and developer of the York Hotel, at the time regarded as Adelaide's finest.[1]

Background

The widower John Mitcham Hornabrook of Egloskerry, Cornwall, with his children Ann Greenfield Hornabrook and Charles Atkins Hornabrook arrived in South Australia in December 1838 aboard Glenalvon.In December 1849 John Hornabrook applied for the publican's licence for the York Hotel, a modest family hotel at the south-east corner of Rundle and Pulteney streets, previously held by its founder Jane Bathgate (died June 1869). He was successful, but only on the casting vote of the chairman.[2]

In 1854 the licence was transferred to John Bray, previously landlord of the "Grace Darling" and "Glenelg Hotel", and most likely John Hornabrook's brother-in-law.

John Hornabrook married Sarah née Shephard, whose sister Anna Shephard (died 18 July 1876) married one John Bray, date and location as yet unknown and died before her.[3] There are three John Brays known in South Australia at the time, one being John Cox Bray, another a miner in Moonta. The third John Bray (c. 1812 – 1 March 1868), who arrived aboard Hartley in October 1837 and died at residence, Pulteney Street[4] is a likely candidate.

The fact of his daughter Alice marrying someone of a similar name may be entirely coincidental. Bray was not an uncommon surname in 1850s South Australia.

History

C. A. Hornabrook first became interested in Rundle Street in 1851, when he leased Town Acre 39 from Samuel George Smith, of the London banking firm of Smith, Payne & Smiths, then sublet it for building.[5]

In 1857 he applied, successfully, for the licence for the York Hotel previously held by his father, then by John Bray. That same year he married Eliza Maria Soward, half-sister of architect George Klewitz Soward. In 1863 the first major improvement was commissioned: a separate building adjacent on Rundle Street with seven bedrooms with balconies projecting over the footpath, and a bathroom. Soward was the architect and Charles Farr the builder.

In 1867 he purchased a property between Third and Fourth Creeks near Magill, previously owned by Dr David Wark,[6] but apparently not Wark's residence "Alton", which was owned by Daniel Chappell between 1862 and 1876.

In 1868 he had Charles Farr pull down the old portion of the York Hotel, and in its place build a new "pile" designed by Daniel Garlick.[7] George Scarfe, the (unmarried) man largely responsible for the preeminence of Harris, Scarfe & Co., was a longtime resident.In 1878 substantial additions were made by Woods & McMinn, notably the addition of two billiard rooms and a row of shops.[8] W. E. Ford was the new licensee, but Hornabrook retained ownership until 1900, when he sold it for £28,000 by the Melbourne firm of Foy & Gibson.[9]

It was demolished by Foy and Gibson in 1909 to make way for the Grand Central Hotel, of six storeys in the style of their emporium next door.[10] but despite some high-profile guests (the Prince of Wales in 1920, Arthur Conan Doyle in 1922), it never prospered, and around 1925 was incorporated into the emporium.[11] It later became showrooms and offices for the Electricity Trust, then in 1975–1976 was demolished to make way for a multi-level car park,[12] which was later hidden by the "Rundle Lantern" a hoarding of aluminium panels, individually illuminated.

In 1874 he commissioned Farr to build the imposing residence "Dunheved House" later "Kalymna" (architect Thomas English),[13] which still stands at 28 Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town.[14]

A large collection of their furnishings and household goods was sold by auction in 1879 prior to leaving, with their six youngest children, on a trip to England by the clipper Hesperus, sharing the saloon with the Rischbieth family.[15] Hornabrook returned alone in April 1882 on the steamer Cuzco,staying at "Landrowna Terrace", Victoria Square, resigned his directorship of several companies including Grove Hill Gold Mining Company.In 1887 he offered some £30,000 worth of shares at auction in a slow market.[16] He then became, with J. M. Wendt and a few others, a major shareholder in the Baker's Creek gold mine at Hillgrove, New South Wales.[17]

In 1891 he had a new residence built at the south corner of East Terrace and Gilles Street, designed by George Klewitz Soward, naming it "Eöthen". In 1928 it became the home of Sir Lavington Bonython and his family, renamed "St Corantyn".[18]

Recognition

Family

John Mitcham Hornabrook (c. 1812 – 23 August 1862), whose first wife Margaret Hornabrook née Atkins, died 18 February 1837, arrived with his two children in South Australia in December 1838 aboard Glenalvon. He married the widow Sarah Attwood, née Shephard (c. 1811 – 26 May 1902) on 23 November 1847. Her daughter Annie Attwood (c. 1844 – 26 February 1860) drowned at Glenelg.[20] Sarah's mother, Ann Shephard (c. 1864 – 18 September 1848), died at their home on Rundle Street.

After the death of her husband, Sarah and their three children, Lilla (b.c. 1846) and twins Joseph and Alice (b. 1850) made an extended visit to England, returning aboard Yatala in 1866.The widow Sarah Hornabrook was living at "York Villa", Mitcham in 1873, South Terrace, Adelaide in 1876, died at "Eothen", East Terrace.[21]

John Mitcham Hornabrook (c. 1812–1862) married the widow Sarah Attwood, née Shephard (c. 1811–1902) on 23 November 1847. They had three children together:

Joseph Hornabrook (c. 1799 – 7 April 1876) was the elder brother of John Hornabrook, died at South Terrace home of his sister-in-law

Notes and References

  1. News: Comments from the City . . XXX . 2,471 . South Australia . 25 November 1898 . 22 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Law and Police Courts . . XIII . 1000 . South Australia . 12 December 1849 . 6 May 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Family Notices . . XLI . 9261 . South Australia . 20 July 1876 . 11 April 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Family Notices . . XXVI . 1379 . South Australia . 7 March 1868 . 8 May 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Local News . . XVI . 1245 . South Australia . 9 May 1851 . 12 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia. Town acre 39 was owned by Samuel George Smith, not John Abel Smith (1802–1871), who may have been related. Smith, Payne & Smiths of Lombard Street invested heavily in Adelaide properties.
  6. News: Water Divining . . XXXI . 6484 . South Australia . 16 August 1867 . 9 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: News of the Week . . X . 511 . South Australia . 23 May 1868 . 13 May 2019 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Building Improvements for 1877 . . XLIII . 9713 . South Australia . 1 January 1878 . 16 May 2020 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Personal Gossip. . . South Australia . 25 August 1900 . 22 May 2019 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: Expansion of Adelaide . . South Australia . 17 June 1911 . 10 January 2020 . 6 . Trove .
  11. News: Grand Central Hotel . . South Australia . 12 August 1924 . 10 January 2020 . 9 . Trove .
  12. Web site: Adelaide City Heritage: Grand Central Hotel . 15 May 2013 . National Trust of South Australia . 10 January 2020.
  13. News: Private Houses . . XXXIII . 1789 . South Australia . 15 January 1876 . 10 May 2019 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  14. Web site: Oreon House. Oreon Partners. 12 April 2019.
  15. News: Shipping News . . XVII . 4,794 . South Australia . 7 January 1880 . 11 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: Auction Sale of Shares . . XIX . 5693 . South Australia . 19 September 1887 . 21 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Mining . . South Australia . 28 March 1889 . 21 May 2019 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  18. Web site: St Corantyn House, Coach House and Wall . Adelaidepedia . 18 January 2023.
  19. News: Government Gazette . . XXIX . 8901 . South Australia . 29 April 1887 . 11 May 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: Fatal Boat Accident at Glenelg . . XXIV . 4171 . South Australia . 27 February 1860 . 11 April 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  21. News: Concerning People . . LXVII . 17,327 . South Australia . 27 May 1902 . 22 May 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  22. News: A Pillar of the Church . . South Australia . 26 September 1922 . 31 August 2018 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  23. News: Mr. H. N. Hornabrook . . 83 . New South Wales, Australia . 25 July 1951 . 11 May 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: Adelaide Notes . . CVIII . 2,808 . Victoria, Australia . 24 January 1920 . 17 April 2019 . 37 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: Family Notices . . LXIII . 3,393 . South Australia . 13 October 1906 . 11 May 2019 . 32 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: Obituary . . XCIII . 27,250 . South Australia . 15 December 1928 . 8 March 2019 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: Medical Man and Hero . . LVIII . 3,099 . South Australia . 23 February 1901 . 11 April 2019 . 34 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: Personal . . XLIV . 13,522 . South Australia . 19 February 1902 . 12 April 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: The Country . . XLVI . 14,219 . South Australia . 14 May 1904 . 14 April 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: Mr H. A. Hornabrook . . 29 . 4 . New South Wales, Australia . 14 January 1916 . 16 April 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: Obituary . . South Australia . 8 March 1930 . 8 March 2019 . 23 . National Library of Australia.