Councillor Samuel Baird’s residence was the property known as ‘Warrong Station” north of Kirkstall. During the last year of his presidency he played an important part in obtaining the severance of the Shire of Minhamite from the Belfast Shire. Councillor Baird was the first president of the Minhamite Shire.Black and white portrait president, portrait, government, shire, municipal, local-government, minhamite shire, shire of belfast

This book belonged to Rolf Crawley who was an engineer in the employ of the Shire of Warrnambool at the time he acquired this book. In 1926 he was the engineer/secretary for the Minhamite Shire, returning in 1935 to the Shire of Warrnambool as the engineer after the death of his father, John William Crawley Junior. Rolf retained this position until 1968. Rolf’s grandfather, father and uncle had all been engineers or shire secretary for the Shire of Warrnambool, with the Crawley family recording a total of 132 years of service to the Shire of Warrnambool which existed from 1863 to 1994. This book is retained as a memento of Rolf Crawley, the engineer with the Shire of Warrnambool from 1935 to 1968. This is a hard cover book of 626 pages. The cover is green with gold lettering on the spine. The edges of the cover are rubbed. The book contains a preface, 18 chapters of text and an appendix. The pages contain many diagrams and plans. The inscriptions on the first page are handwritten in black ink. There is a label from the bookseller attached to the first page. Rolf L. Crawley 1922 Please return to R.L.Crawley ‘Korongah’ Port Fairy or Shire Hall Warrnambool Tait Book Co. 90 William Street St. Melbourne for Technical Bookscrawley family, warrnambool, shire of warrnambool, history of warrnambool

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as follows “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel still continues serving patrons with beverages and meals but no beds these days. There is also an addition to the building, as seen in the bottom illustration— a bottle shopBlack and white sketch photographed Line drawing of the Commercial hotelhotel, building, commercial, oak and anchor, inn, pub, d.smith

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as follows “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel still continues serving patrons with beverages and meals but no beds these days. There is also an addition to the building, as seen in the bottom illustration— a bottle shopBlack and white photograph of 8 males formally posed outside entrance to Commercial hotelhotel, building, kemp family, bank street, royal oak, commercial, oak and anchor, d.smith

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The sign on the hotel states "Fitzgerald's Commercial Hotel" more research is being undertaken as to this owner or lessee. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel has now been transformed into apartments and a restaurant called the Oak and Anchor Image of the hotel at an earlier timeBlack and white photograph of Two story bluestone painted commercial hotel with large verandah car at kerbhotel, building, bank street, john j huntly, d smith, royal oak, commercial, fitzgerald, kemp, oak and anchor