Mount Austin Hotel [1891-1897]

Submitted by annelisec on Sat, 09/18/2010 - 13:43
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed
Date closed / demolished

http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/indexplus/obf_images/3f/13/44c4dd24aa49af255053c97c5d2e.jpg

Previous place(s) at this location
Austin Arms [1875-1891]

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Photos that show this Place

1888 Austin Arms Hotel Prospectus
1888
1891 Opening of the Mount Austin Hotel
1891
Mount Austin Hotel - architects design
1891
See more photos of this place

Comments

Some dates:

  • 1888: Prospectus published for 'The Austin Arms Hotel', stating they would
     - buy the site of the 'Austin Arms', and  build and keep a large 'First Class Residential Hotel' on it
     - buy another section of land on the Peak and build & let a terrace of 11 houses there. (They'd be known as 'Mountain Peak')
     - Architects are Messrs Danby & Leigh.
  • 1891: The last page of http://www.hkia.net/news_attach_file/journal_issue45_02.pdf shows Danby & Leigh's plan for The Austin Arms Hotel, and dates it 1891.
  • 189?: The map on Annelise's site shows the building is a simple L-shape, as shown in the architect's drawing.
  • 1892, April 2: An EGM of The Austin Arms Hotel company is held. It reports income from the hotel (so it's obviously open for business), but also notes a loss of capital, and says Mountain View must be sold to avoid further expenditure. It also suggests Findlay Smith bore some of the blame for these problems.
  • 1892, April 4: Findlay Smith writes a letter to the newspaper to state his side of the story.
  • 1895: The revised 'Collinson' map of this year shows the same L-shaped building, but names it 'Mt. Austin Hotel'. Was there a change of ownership to match the change of name?
  • 1897: The HK Public library notes say it was sold to the Military Authorities in this year.

We've got a disagreement on the date of sale to the government. Annelise, have you been able to find a firm answer to that?

Moddsey found this article, explaining that the hotel was extended sometime between 1895 and 1897, with the new wing completed around April / May 1897:

Sale of Mount Austin Hotel - China Mail 29 May 1897 refers:

"More than two years ago,  rumours were current that the military authorities had cast longing eyes upon this splendidly situated building, but the negotiations were understood to have fallen through because the authorities could not come to terms with the proprietors, Messrs J. D. Humphreys & Son. Since that time extensive alterations have been effected upon the hotel, a large new wing of bedrooms, which was completed only a few weeks ago, and a large ballroom, have been added to meet the growing demands of the Peak District."

 

In the photo below I've highlighted the new wing (left) and ballroom (right),

Extensions to the Mount Austin Hotel / Barracks
{C}Extensions to the Mount Austin Hotel / Barracks, by Admin{C}