Pub History
Pub History
Built in 1848 the Williamstown Hotel was originally called the Victoria Creek Hotel after the Victoria Creek that ran through the county of Paranga people. The town of Williamstown was originally called Victoria Creek. The first publican was Tom Adams. It is said that the hotel and surrounding land were exchanged with a Mr Lewis who got the pub and it's land for 500 pounds and a mob of horses. The pub used to be a hotel where people could book rooms and live. At the back of the pub the old rooms are still standing.
The Old Gumtree
Years ago in front of the Hotel, near where the path crosses the nature strip towards the Main Street stood an old gum tree. On Sunday the 17th of October the tree was cut down because it was called unsafe by the "authorities". The red gum stood 85 ft high and was 9 ft and 6 inches in diameter.
The Publicans
1867 - 1872 G Snellgrove
1872 - 1873 J R Gillard
1873 - 1880 John Bain
1881 - 1883 Isacc Thomas
1884 - 1885 C Snellgrove
1886 R J Panter
1887 - 1888 WD Cundy
1889 - 1893 R Taylor
1894 Mrs R Taylor
1895 - 1896 E M Taylor
1897 - 1902 Mrs E M Taylor
1903 - 1905 Jas. M McFayden
1906 - 1907 J O Dwyer
1908 - 1918 J W Tidswell
1919 D Caro
1920 - 1922 Thomas Childs
1923 - 1927 R Schmid
1928 - 1929 L E Mesner
1930 - 1938 T Elliot & R Darcy
1938 - 1952 E L Fietz
1952 - 1953 - J A Malthouse
1953 - 1958 James Donald & Margaret LillanHansberry
1958 - 1983 Lurlin Constance Pollard
1981 - 1983 Lurlin Constance Pollard & Gilian Norton Furst
Bench Seat
This bench seat has been at the hotel for over 100 years, it was cut from the original red gum tree. It was said that any man that could lift the end of the seat would win a free beer, publicans shout. Although the timber has dried out over the years it would still take a very fit man to lift it today.