Three Brothers Arms Hotel

Location: Part Lot 90 Venables Street (West side) Macclesfield.

Established in 1841 by Mr S Jackson and originally called 'The Goats Head Inn', later 'The Macclesfield Arms', then 'The Davenport Arms', and now 'The Three Brothers Arms'.

Mr Jackson gave it up after a few years and Samuel Davenport, the 'Squire' of the district, had trouble finding a suitable tenant to replace him. He believed that a well-run Inn was essential if Macclesfield was to benefit from the passing trade, particularly after the Wellington ferry across the River Murray was opened in 1847.

James Hackett arranged with Samuel to take up the lease and he had an inn licensed and operational as the 'Macclesfield Arms' in 1846.

Reference: ‘Hotels and Publicans in South Australia’ by J L (Bob) Hoad. Multiple attempts have been made to contact the author for copyright permission, with no success.

• Macclesfield Newsletter Article (c2012?)
• Early Images
• Early Hotel Publicans listed

1841 Plaque

Macclesfield Newsletter Article (c2012?) (Inset of folk below text)

Davenport Arms Hotel, photo from K M Bowen

We continue here with another one of the photos of Macclesfield, from days past, that we are privileged to have thanks to K M Bowen (formerly of Flaxley). This is the Davenport Arms Hotel, which is today known as the Three Brother’s Arms Hotel, a popular place for visitors to the Macclesfield area of today.

We don’t know the date of this photo unfortunately, nor the names of the folk standing out the front of the hotel by, the motorcar. We can tell from the name painted above, that the hotel was licensed at that time by Kerrison, who was one of a long line of licensees of this hotel over the years and that their telephone number was Macclesfield 2.

The hotel has changed quite a bit since this photo was taken of course, although it is un-mistakenly the one we know today. It appears to be a very substantial building with great stonework and with living quarters in the middle. West End are advertising XXX Bitter Beer and Exhibition Stout and written on the window is an ad for Haighs Scotch Whisky. The window on the left in the photo is marked Bar and looks very similar to one of the existing windows.

The first hotel in Macclesfield (The Goats Head) was established very early in this town’s history, around about 1842 and, was a popular stopping place for those travelling later on the east/west route, through to the goldfields and back and to other areas in that general direction.

From the model of the motorcar (Rego No. 228-311) we might suggest a date for this photo in the early to mid twenties. (Note the large wire wheels on the car!). Those among us who are more expert at recognising the dress of these folks, may be able to put a better date on it than that. It would appear that some of this group have either just arrived in town by this car, or more likely, probably about to leave. Note the suitcase alongside the young woman on the right and the better dressing of the travellers. My guess is that the man in black is the driver of the car.

Not many folk had their own private motorcar in those days and we do know that during a later period, there was a car service running from Macclesfield to the city, so maybe this vehicle is also a service car, rather than a private one?

Did anyone notice that the young lad kneeling down is holding onto a small black dog. Great photo and, it is a valuable addition to our history collection.

Article: Ray Risely

Inset of group in front of Davenport Arms

Subsequent research shows that Estelle Ann Kerrison was the Licensee in 1936, 1940 and 1941.

Note:
James Mott was the publican from 10 Jul 1885 to 8 Dec 1885, and again from 29 Apr 1896 to 13 Sep 1904. He was also the publican of the Macclesfield Hotel, further down and across Venables Street, from 22 Jun 1880 to 10 Apr 1884, which means he was a publican in Macclesfield for much of the 24 years June 1880 to September 1904.

Then his son, Henry (Harry) James Mott was publican of the Davenport Arms from 9 Jun 1914 to 20 Jul 1921.