Historical information

This plate comes from the Hotel Mansions in Warrnambool. This building was opened in 1890 as the Grand Ozone Coffee Palace (a temperance hotel) and was at the corner of Koroit and Kepler Streets in Warrnambool. It was built by a company of local businessmen and leased out. In 1891 the Coffee Palace was granted a wine licence. In 1895 Thomas Randall was the proprietor of the building and it was re-named the Ozone Hotel. The building was closed in 1915 and re-opened in 1920 as the Hotel Mansions. In 1923 the Hotel Mansions became a fully-licensed hotel. In 1929 it was destroyed by fire and the present day Hotel Warrnambool was built on the site.

Significance

This plate is of considerable significance because it is one of the few items we have from the Hotel Mansions in Warrnambool. The Grand Ozone Coffee Palace/Ozone Hotel/Hotel Mansions was the grandest building ever erected in Warrnambool. Its destruction by fire was a major loss to the city.

Physical description

This is a white plate made of vitrified china (bread and butter plate size). It has a

charcoal-black rim around the outer edge and a black monogram and scroll on the

outer edge of the plate. There are a couple of small stains on the upper part of the

plate and on the base. There is information on the maker and supplier on the base as

well as a crown symbol.

Inscriptions & markings

‘H.M. Warrnambool’
Grindley Hotel Ware England Vitrified’
‘Loftus Moran Pty Ltd Melbourne’