Formerly New Bath & Criterion, built in 1856. New Bath demolished in the 1860s. A new hotel was built in 1878 and altered in 1921, when it changed hands and an entertainment venue was incorporated into the former exclusively residential building. Famed for live music, it is one of the earliest, largest and most prominent 19th-century resort hotels in Victoria. It has been altered many times since and this image predates extensive renovations and restoration work in 2018.colour photographst kilda, esplanade hotel, hotel esplanade, the espy, the esplanade

Alfred Felton (8 November 1831 – 8 January 1904) lived at the Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda, from 1892 and died there in 1904. He was born in England and came to Australia in 1853 intending to search for gold. In 1867, having worked as a commission agent and dealer in merchandise, an importer and general dealer and a wholesale druggist, he went into partnership with Frederick Sheppard Grimwade and founded Felton Grimwade and Company, "wholesale druggists and manufacturing chemists". He was a keen collector of books and art. He never married, had no direct descendants and gave away considerable amounts to charity. When Felton died, he left the bulk of his fortune to the creation of a charitable foundation known as the Felton Bequest to support culture and the community, with half the funding benefiting Victorian charities (particularly those that support women and children) and the other half used to acquire and donate art works to the National Gallery of Victoria. The Felton Bequest has been responsible for 15,000 artworks in the National Gallery of Victoria and they are the core of the collection. colour photograph unmountedCity of St Kilda. Alfred Felton (1831-1904) Philanthropist, Industrialist, lived here 1892 - 1904, sponsored by ACI International Ltdfelton, alfred felton, the esplanade, hotel esplanade, espy, st kilda, plaques

The bell was used for Trade Week to signify "time's up" at Optus Oval. Prior to this it was used to let Alan Espie's children on their Wandin property to come home.Why Al chimes in for Carlton Tony De Bolfo, Carlton Media Feb 20, 2014 11:05AM Alan Espie with the famous bell. (Photo: Carlton Football Club) Alan Espie with the famous bell. (Photo: Carlton Football Club) Related Etched into the rim of the bell Alan Espie has rung at every trade week gathering since 1994 is a touching quote attributed to his grandson. Dear Pa, May you always ring true blue, Love Harry Just thinking about that inscription often brings big Al to tears. The story of the Espie bell has its origins at the old family property at Wandin in the picturesque Yarra Valley, in the days when the Espies’ kids were at the neighboring creek fossicking for local platypus. “If they got too far away we’d ring an old cowbell,” Espie recalled, “and years later, my daughter Jo brought me this replacement bell from some second-hand naval place”. “Not long after Shane (O’Sullivan) asked me to officiate at trade week and that’s when the bell came into vogue.” A permanent fixture at trade week, Espie would ring the bell to signal the opening of trading when club recruiters gathered – initially within the confines of the Carlton Heroes Stand at Visy Park, more recently at Etihad Stadium. In those early days at Carlton he caused a stir as bell ringer, drawing curious responses from officiating journalists, recruiters and coaches alike. “I even remember (Kevin) Sheedy asking me if I was selling muffins,” he recalled. Then, when trade day was relocated to Etihad, Espie’s daughter thought it appropriate to get the bell inscribed. “Because the bell was leaving Carlton, Jo got it inscribed on my grandson’s behalf, because he was only four or five then. When I saw what was inscribed I was tearful,” Espie said. “The bell is very important to me, particularly at this time, because Jo is battling health problems at the moment, my grandson is autistic and she’s fought like hell to get him through.” Espie joined Carlton’s Under 19 committee on the eve of the senior Premiership season of 1979 and managed the club’s junior squads, the Bert Deacon Squad included. “I worked very closely with Geoff Southby, ‘Swan’ McKay and Trevor Keogh when they were coaching the Under 19s and I was recruiting as well,” he said. “In 1981 and ’82 I forward scouted for ‘Parko’ (David Parkin) and later on I did the same for ‘Wallsy’ (Robert Walls). After that I coordinated recruiting in central Victoria and it was nothing for me to do 25,000ks a year in my own car – and I loved every minute of it.” Espie’s passion for Carlton and empathy for its wartime players Bert Deacon, Ollie Grieve and Jack “Chooka” Howell can be sourced to his childhood years. His grandparents lived not far from the old ground on Wilson Street “and that’s how I got in for the ’45 Grand Final”. “My uncle, who had just got back from the war, grabbed a ladder from Wilson Street and set it up against the barbed wire fence at the ground. I climbed the ladder and caught my arm on the barbed wire, but I got over the top and saw the game while I straddled the fence,” Espie said. “What I saw was what you would today call ‘spotfires’ and I reckon it took football 20 years to get rid of it.” Today, Espie continues to ring in the yearly trade talk days at AFL headquarters (with the notable exception of 2012 when he was hospitalized), but he’s in no doubt as to where the bell belongs. “This bell has had nothing to do with Wandin but everything to do with Carlton - and with the 150th year of the club I think the bell stays here (at Visy Park). I still hope to ring the bell for the AFL this year, but at least I’ll know where it is,” Espie said. “I’ve told Jo about this and she tells me Harry’s rapt, because he’s a big Carlton supporter and he’s so happy his name is on the bell.”Wooden handle attached to a brass bell."Dear Pa, may you always ring true blue, Love Harry"