Former Seven Seas Hotel, Maitland
5 September 2011
"Hi . This building has been in my family since 1957 so I will give you as much info as I know about it.
The site of the current house was supposedly the site of a pub so I'm guessing the pub names were the Seven Seas Hotel and the Emu Inn. The current building was constructed around 1890 as a "Gentlemans Residence", whatever that means, and was later converted into Riverview Private Hospital. After that it was converted into a house and then into upstairs and down stairs flats, which was the layout when my Grandfater, Grandmother and my parents collectively bought it. The grandparents had the upstairs flat and my parents the downstairs. Today it is just one big house.
If you look at the property from Google Earth you will notice a building effectively in the side yard, with a skylight, next to Hannah St. This building was the operating theatre for the hospital. I used to have my motorbike workshop in there when I was younger.
I hope this helps keep your website accurate and if you have any other information about the building, that maybe we don't know about, then please feel free to share it.
Kindest regards. Dennis Brown - Sept 2011"
<i>Many thanks Dennis, Great information. Cheers.
All I can add is that there is a Publication which gives clues to the Hotels fate.
"Time Gentlemen, Please - Maitland's Hotels Past and Present, Cynthia Hunter and W Ranald Boydell - published by Maitland City Council Heritage Group -2004. Donated to the Gday Pubs library by Jon Graham.
In which the Hotel is referred to as the Seven Stars and it notes that "Upstream from Maitland, at Oakhampton was a shallow river crossing place (called the Falls) that became the transport link between the County of Northumberland and the counties of Durham and Gloucester. In the mid 19th century traffic that crossed at the Falls supported two hotels - Seven Stars or Emu, and Rose Thistle and Shamrock or Falls Hotel. These Hotels did good business untill the belmore bridge opened in 1869 and took away much of their patronage." - Courtesy - Time Gentlemen, Please