The Bain family of the Border Hotel / Berwick Inn in Berwick

Robert and Susan Bain were the proprietors of the Border Hotel, also known as the  Berwick Inn, in  High Street in Berwick, at the intersection of Lyall Road.

The Border Hotel in 1858.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

The hotel was established by Robert Hudson Bain (1831-1887) in 1857 which was four years before the town of Berwick was gazetted. (1) The book, Early Days of Berwick has this to say about the name of the establishment -  at a very early age, possibly the late 1840's the district was marked out for Police administrative purposes embracing the Port Philip area and with its limits at Bacchus Marsh and Berwick respectively. This theory that Berwick was the 'border' of this administrative area and thus the hotel was named the Border Hotel, is supported by the fact that there is an historic hotel in Bacchus Marsh called the Border Inn, construction of which started in 1850. The book goes on to to say  when the original Port Phillip Farmers' Society was formed [in 1848] two branches one at Berwick and one at Bacchus Marsh were formed so that district links existed between these two places. (2) The other theory suggested by Early days of Berwick is that Bain named it after his birth place, the border town of Berwick-on-Tweed, however Richard Myers, author of the book, Berwick Mechanics' Institute and Free Library has dismissed this idea, as  Bain was born in Falkirk in Scotland. (3)

Robert Bain came to Australia in 1855, on the George Marshall, when he was 24 years old. (4) He married Susan Stewart in 1859 and they had eleven children, but more about them later.

Robert was very much involved with the civic life of Berwick. He was Post Master from 1859 to1872, he was the first secretary of the Berwick Road Board which was formed in this building in 1862, and held their meetings there until the Council chambers were built further up High Street in 1865. He was on the board of the Berwick State School from 1862. The hotel was the venue for the first Police Court in 1865. It was also the first meeting place for the Berwick Mechanics' Institute. A block of land had been reserved for a Mechanics' Institute on the corner of Peel Street and Rutland Road (previously known as Irby Street) and a building was constructed on the site in  1866. This building was moved to its present site in High Street in 1877 or 1878. The site was donated by Robert Bain on a 500 year lease on the condition that the land continued to be used for a Mechanics' Institute. The rental was one shilling per annum, if demanded. A framed copy of the original lease can be seen at the Berwick Mechanics' Institute. (5)

The Border Hotel in 1877

Township of Berwick, Australasian Sketcher October 27, 1877

State Library of Victoria image A/S27/10/77/125

The Berwick  Inn  is one the oldest buildings in the area. The earliest section of the building, the triangular single storey part, dates from 1857. This is made of hand-made bricks from local clay. An archway to the rear garden was erected in 1876; and the next year, in 1877, a two-storey section was added facing High Street. Between 1887 in 1891 another two-storey section was added to the  Lyall Street frontage. (6)

The Border Hotel in 1887. The building on the right with the colonnades is the Post Office and Court House; the next building up the hill is the Rechabite Hall, then the Church of Christ. St Andrew's Presbyterian Church is on top of the hill.

Berwick 1887 (28 miles from Melb.), 1887. Photographer:  Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria. 

State Library of Victoria image H2012.114/2 

Robert Bain died on February 24, 1887 at the age of 56. His obituary in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal can be read here but it reads in part - 

Connected with school, with Mechanic's Institute, with Cemetery, with everything that concerned the town ship; he was always ready to do his part, and, though latterly he could not help with his presence, his interest remained as keen as ever. He was possessed of a rare simplicity of spirit; and, although he made little show or pretence, did many kindly things in a quiet way which reflected great honor on his heart. Even within the last few days I have discovered many actions of this sort, and I know of one action especially which I shall never forget, showing a delicacy of sensibility that is only too rare among.us. Scandal, whether to hear or to utter, was abhorrent to him. He was full of humanity toward all, ever ready to give honor to whom honor was due, and help them who were in need. His end came peacefully and was such as we could wish our own to be. His funeral was held at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, conducted by the Reverend John Martin, and he is buried at the Berwick Cemetery. (7)

Rose Series post card of High Street, Berwick, c. 1923, which was the year Mary Byrne and her brother Daniel took over the Hotel.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

The Berwick Inn, 1949. Photographer: Colin Caldwell

State Library of Victoria image H84.276/6/5a

The Berwick Inn, 1949. Photographer: Colin Caldwell. This shows the 1877 two storey extension facing High Street.

State Library of Victoria image H84.276/6/5b

The Berwick Inn, 1949. Photographer: Colin Caldwell. This photo shows the 1876 archway to the rear garden.

State Library of Victoria image H84.276/6/5d

We know that Robert gets much deserved credit for his role in public life, but Susan was in the background raising their eleven children and when her husband died in 1887 and her youngest child was only eight, Susan took over as the licensee of the hotel, and operated it until shortly before her death at the age of 69 on June 26, 1908. This is her obituary from The South Bourke and Mornington Journal - 

It is our painful duty to record the death of one who was most highly respected in Berwick and surrounding district  - we refer to the recent death of Mrs. Bain, senr., aged 69 years. The sad event occurred at Heidelberg on Friday, 26th inst. It will be remembered that in April last the late Mrs. Bain relinquished the management of the Border Hotel, and went to Heidelberg for the benefit of her health, and, notwithstanding constant attention by Dr. Buchanan, and trained nursing, the end came peacefully, as stated above. For years deceased had been a patient sufferer, and was at all times satisfied to make little of the pain she endured. Deceased had resided in Berwick for 50 years, and it is now 21 years since her late husband died ; her many good deeds will long be remembered by residents in and around Berwick. On Sunday last the funeral took place, and was probably the largest seen in Berwick, the remains being interred in the Presbyterian portion of the local cemetery, where a most impressive service was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Cope, many at the grave-side being moved to tears. Mr Grant attended to the mortuary arrangements, in conjunction with Mr Apps. To the bereaved relatives we extend our deepest sympathy. (8)  

Susan was born on December 28, 1838 in Scotland, the daughter of Robert Stewart and Catherine Campbell, and she arrived in Melbourne in 1857 and as we saw before, married Robert two years later. (9) Her sister Margaret also lived in Berwick with her husband George Brown. George owned a drapers shop in the town. Margaret died July 28, 1884 at the age of 50. Her only child, George was killed in 1887 at the age of 23, accidentally hit by a train whilst walking back to Berwick from Beaconsfield along the railway tracks. George Brown later married Mary Jane Patterson and built Inveresk in 1891, the house on the corner of High Street and Rutland Road in Berwick. I have written about them here.  (10)

The Bain family taken in the 1880s.

Photo: Berwick Mechanics' Institute and Free Library by Richard Meyers, p. 41  (see footnote 3)

The Hotel, Mrs Bain (seated) watching the croquet, 1900

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Death notice of Susan Bain

South Bourke and Mornington Journal, July 1, 1908 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66147962

As you can see from the death notice, above, by the time Susan passed away in June 1908, only three of her eleven children were still alive.  

Here is a list of Robert and Susan's children. (The date of birth is actually the date the birth was registered)

• Catherine - born 1860 - died October 4, 1900, aged 40 - known as Kate, married John Murray Leggatt in 1878. (11)  
• Jane Hudson - born 1861 - known as Jean, she is the Mrs W.S Withers listed in the death notice. Jean married Walter Seward Withers in 1886, they are listed in the 1911 English Census, living in the town of Goodworth Clatford, near Andover, in Hampshire and she died on June 7, 1926 at Andover. (12)
• Margaret Anne Stewart  - born 1863, known as Maggie, married Charles Allen Champion in November 1889 and died on February 28, 1891 at the age of 28 - the same day as her stillborn son (13) 
• James - born 1865 - died January 15, 1908, aged 41 (14)  
• Robert - born 1867 - died January 18, 1902, aged 34  (15) 
• Harry Wilson - born 1869 - died April 1, 1902 aged 32. (16)   
• George Alexander - born 1871 - cannot confirm death date, however as he is listed in his mother's death notice he was still alive in 1908 (17)
• Edwin Clarence - born 1873 - died 1875. (18)
• Susan Stewart - born 1875 - died 1876. (19)
• McCulloch Stewart - known as Jock - born 1877 - died January 19, 1908, aged 29. (20)  
• Donald Stewart - born 1880 - died January 24, 1937, aged 56. (21)  

Sadly, there were two deaths in early 1902 - Robert and Harry - then in January 1908, James and McCulloch died in a heat wave. The South Bourke & Mornington Journal reported -

Berwick - The heat wave that has just passed over a greater part of the continent has been the cause of many premature deaths. Our small community has been smitten by the death of two brothers, comparatively speaking young men. Their ages being respectively 43 and 39 and the eldest and fourth son of Mrs. R. Bain of the Border Hotel. Much sympathy has been expressed for Mrs. Bain in her sad bereavement, more especially as she has been ill herself for close on a fortnight. The funeral of both her sons were largely attended, Mr. J. C. Bain who has been in business here for some years as estate and land agent leaves a wife but no children. Mr M. S. Bain was unmarried. As he was a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge here the members attended the funeral and walked in procession at head of the hearse to the cemetery. (22)  

Licensees after the Bain family

The Bain family owned the Hotel for a few more years after Susan died, but the Berwick Shire Rate Books are a bit unclear about when it was sold from the family.

Here is a list of all the licensees and owners of the Border Hotel/ Berwick Inn after the Bain family; it is as complete as I can make it. Note: the Local Government year used to run from October 1 to September 30, thus for instance the 1914/1915 Rate books cover activities from October 1, 1914 to September 30,1915. You will see that the information from the Rate Books does not always correspond with the newspaper reports. I don’t have the Rate Books after 1960, so I have just had to rely on advertisements for the licence transfers in The Age (on newspapers.com). It appears that after the Blackburnes the Hotel was owned by a company and later sold to other companies. 

Shire of Berwick Rate Books	Licensee as listed in Rate Books and Owner (if listed).	Newspaper  report
1906/1907	Susan Bain
1907/1908	Alfred Britchnell Steele Owner: Donald Bain	South Bourke and Mornington Journal 1/4/1908 - Licence transferred from Mrs Bain to  Alfred Steele at Dandenong Police Court hearing held 31/3/1908. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66147509
1908/1909 1909/1910	Alfred Britchnell Steele
1910/1911	Alfred Britchnell Steele Owner: Englehardt
1911/1912	Alfred Britchnell Steele Owner: Inglehardt [sic]
1912/1913	Alfred Britchnell Steele	South Bourke & Mornington Journal 14/8/1913 – Sale of Hotel from Steele to Triado. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66183831
1913/1914	John  Peter Michael Triado	Berwick Shire News ad 17/9/1913 lists A.B. Steele as licensee;  Berwick Shire News ad 24/9/1913 - licensee is John P.M. Triado
1913/1914 again		South Bourke & Mornington Journal  2/7/1914 – lease of hotel for nine years from Triado to ‘Mrs Falkiner’ (Mrs F was not there for 9 years). http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page6367531 Berwick Shire News ad 22/7/1914 lists J.P.M. Triado as licensee;  Berwick Shire News ad 29/7/1914 – licensee is J. Faulkner - Proprietress
1914/1915	George Fawkner Owner: John  Peter Michael Triado	Police Court hearing  23/7/1914 Licence transferred from Julia Fawkner to John Triado. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66185742
1915/1916	George Fawkner Owner: John  Peter Michael Triado	South Bourke & Mornington Journal  6/7/1916 – Mrs and Mrs Triado took over management of Border Hotel. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66190157
1916/1917 to 1919/1920	John  Peter Michael Triado
1920/1921	John  Peter Michael Triado and from 4/2/1921 L.A. Parish	The Argus 31/5/1920 Transfer of licence from  J.P.M. Triado to  Selina Parish. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1707160
1921/1922	L.A. Parish and from  10/4/1922 Margaret Graham	The Argus 8/10/1921 Transfer of licence from Laura Selena Parish to Margaret Graham. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4640971
1922/1923	Arthur L. Morrow (Margaret Graham crossed out)	The Argus 31/7/1923 – transfer of licence from Arthur L.H. Morrow to Mary Byrne. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2009036
1923/1924	Miss Mary  Byrne and Daniel Byrne
1924/1925	Miss Mary  Byrne and Daniel Byrne. Owner: A.L. Morrow
1925/1926	Mrs N. Wright  (Byrnes crossed out) Owner: A.L. Morrow	Sun News Pictorial 9/6/1926 - Transfer of licence from Mary Byrne to Nora Wright. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article274984054
1926/1927	A.  Hartshorne [name also spelt Hartshorn]	The Age 14/6/1927 – transfer of licence from Nora Wright to Annie Hartshorn. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205803860
1927/1928 1928/1929	A.Hartshorne Owner: A.L. Morrow
1929/1930	Helen Struth – date of takeover  8/8/1930	1.Dandenong Journal 29/5/1930 Miss Struth has vacated Springvale Hotel and is taking over Berwick Hotel. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201079860 2. The Argus 30/7/1930 – sale of furniture etc at Berwick Hotel. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4102544 3. Dandenong Journal 7/8/1930 – Hartshornes leaving district. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201080596
1930/1931 to 1946/1947	Helen Struth	Helen Struth  died in Cheltenham aged 76 on June 15, 1959. She is buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery (23)
1947/1948	George Robert and Royall Blackburne - 3/9/1948 is the date of take-over as listed in Rate books	Dandenong Journal 9/6/1948 – licence passed from Miss Helen Struth to Mr & Mrs Gordon Blackburne on 26/5/1948. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214581727
	Blackburnes	Information about Gordon Blackburne (1905-1979) here https://upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au/g0/p842.htm#i25245 including an informative obituary which appeared in the Pakenham Gazette. Blackburne Square in Berwick is named for Mr Blackburne.
September 1960	Transfer of licence from the Blackburnes to the  Ye Olde Berwick Inn P/L	The Age 17/9/1960, p. 53
May 1964	Freehold of Hotel auctioned on 20/5/1964	Various advertisements in The Age
July 1965	Application for transfer of licence from Ye Olde Berwick Inn P/L to John Francis Fallon	The Age  17/7/1965, p. 53
March 1969	Application for transfer of licence from Ye Olde Berwick Inn to George Kevin Barfoot and Betty Ann Barfoot	The Age , 15/3/ 1969, p.92
July 1971	Application for transfer of licence from the Barfoots to Francis Barry Johnson and Ann Therese Johnson	The Age, 10/7/1971, p. 53
November 1984	Application for transfer of licence from the Johnsons to Carl David Strachan	The Age,  21/11/1984, p. 64.
2017	Sale from ALE Property Group	https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/a-good-time-to-sell-ale-puts-berwick-inn-on-the-market-20171004-gyu1hx

Hotel freehold for auction on May 20, 1964

The Age, April 29, 1964, p.18

The Hotel, November 26, 1961. Photographer: John T. Collins

Border Hotel, Princes Highway, Berwick. State Library of Victoria image H2010.1/499

The City of Berwick was proclaimed on October 1, 1973 and the inaugural City of Berwick Council meeting was held that day at 10.00am at the Berwick Inn.  Cr Barry Simon was elected as Mayor. 

Barry Simon is at the front, then the other councillors are (left to right)  David Lee, Jack Thomas, Keith Wishart, Sid Pargeter, Jan Bateman, Jim Alexander, Joan Phillips, Ron Irwin, George Chudleigh, John Byron and Bill Hudson. 

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Acknowledgment - This is a much expanded  and updated version of a post, which I wrote and researched, which appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past.

Footnotes

(1) Berwick was gazetted on February 25, 1861, same day as Cranbourne and over 250 other towns - https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1861/V/general/29-a.pdf

(2) Early days of Berwick and its surrounding districts - Beaconsfield, Upper Beaconsfield, Harkaway, Narre Warren and Narre Warren North, complied by Norman Beaumont, James Curran and R.H Hughes. It was first published in 1948. 3rd edition, p. 20.

(3) Myers, Richard Berwick Mechanics' Institute & Free Library: a history (BMIFL, 1999)

(4) Early Settlers of the Casey-Cardinia District compiled by the Narre Warren and District Family History Group (2010)

(5) Early Days of Berwick, op. cit; Myers, Richard, op. cit.

(6) Context P/L Heritage of the City of Berwick: identifying and caring for important places (City of Berwick, 1993), pp. 311-313

(7) South Bourke and Mornington Journal,  March 16, 1887, see here.

(8) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, July 1, 1908, see here.

(9) Early Settlers of the Casey-Cardinia District, op. cit.

(10) https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-arthur-streeton-painting-of-brown.html

(11) The Argus, October 6, 1900, see here. 

(12) From Ancestry.com -  England Census 1911; England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995

(13) The Age, March 2, 1891, see here.

(14) The Argus, January 17, 1908, see here.

(15) The Argus, January 20, 1902, see here.

(16) The Herald, April 2, 1902, see here.

(17) Many sources on Ancestry.com list George Alexander Bain's date of death as October 25, 1945; however I purchased the death certificate of this person - it lists his name as Alexander,  his place of birth as Seymour; his father as Robert, occupation railway foreman and his mother as Margaret, maiden name unknown. This is clearly not the George Alexander born in Berwick in 1871 (registration number 14310/1871). This death certificate of Alexander Bain refers to the man born in Seymour to  Robert and Margaret (nee Bourke) in 1872 (registration number 19676/1872)

(18) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages

(19) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages

(20) The Age, January 21, 1908, see here.

(21) The Age, January 25, 1937, see here.

(22) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, January 22, 1908, see here.

(23) Death certificate