PMHPS - History - Henry O'Brien

Henry O'Brien

Henry O'Brien was born around 1828 in the small Irish town of Blackrock, County Louth. He came to Australia in the 1850s and joined the police force in May 1856. He did well in the police and was a senior constable when he came to Sandridge on 26 Apr 1867.

Henry retired from service on 3 Aug 1870 and took over the lease of The Ship Inn in Bay Street between Rouse and Graham Streets. The Ship Inn was known at that time as one of the 'roughest' hotels in the district but Harry, as he was known to his many friends, changed the whole character of the place with great success. He was a shrewd businessman and saw the value of investing in property.

By 1886 Harry owned the Victoria Hotel on the corner of

The Rex Hotel (formerly Victoria Hotel) and O'Brien's Terrace, Bay Street

Graham and Bay Streets, now known as The Rex Hotel. He had also built a row of 5 shops next door called "O'Brien's Terrace". Despite owning these properties, he continued as the proprietor of The Ship Inn for another 10 years.

He was respected and held in great esteem as a generous person. His obituary in The Standard describes him as "Never turning a deaf ear to the cry of distress and always giving with a generous hand towards any good object to benefit his fellow men".

According to U'ren and Turnbull in A History of Port Melbourne, "In April 1895 the old Victoria Hotel ... was demolished and a new building designed by architect Frederick Williams and built by locals Dubbledan and Austin was erected."

Frederick Williams was a local architect, former councillor and mayor who also designed many buildings in Port Melbourne including Excelsior Hall, Holy Trinity Church Hall and the Graham's Family Hotel. He also designed the extension to Swallow and Ariel's on the corner of Rouse and Stokes Streets as well as their office and counting house on the opposite side of Stokes Street.

Detail of O'Brien's Terrace, Bay Street

Harry O'Brien's hand is clearly visible in the rebuilding of the hotel. A stone in the outside wall on Bay Street near O'Briens Terrace, reads "This stone was laid by Henry O’Brien Esq, May 14th 1895".

Harry moved to the Victoria Hotel around this time and in the early months of 1896, was advertising "The New Victoria Hotel" in The Standard as "The Finest Hotel in Port Melbourne".

Henry O'Brien died on Saturday 13 August 1898 after a short illness. The obituary printed in The Standard the following Saturday described him as "... witty, quick at repartee, a genial companion, a firm friend and a real philanthropist".

His funeral took place on Tuesday, 16 August 1898. The hearse drawn by four horses was followed by a floral carriage, four mourning coaches, as well as numerous private vehicles and cabs.

A large crowd lined the street as the cortege set out for Harry's final resting place in the Melbourne General Cemetery.

Many friends visited the Victoria Hotel the night before the funeral to pay their respects and offer their sympathies to his niece, Mary.

Mary Josephine O'Brien inherited the Victoria Hotel and O'Brien's Terrace after her uncle's death running the hotel for a year or so before marrying William MacGregor at St Joseph’s on 2 May 1900. At the time, Mary lived in St Vincent's Place in South Melbourne while William, a barrister, lived a short distance from her, also in St Vincent's Place.

O'Brien's Terrace (c. 1947), probably taken from the Holy Trinity Church. (PORT PHILLIP CITY COLLECTION) Must not be reproduced without prior permission

Mary 'retired' from The Victoria Hotel around the time of her marriage continuing to reside in St Vincent's Place and own the buildings in Bay Street although it appears she did take an active role in the running of the hotel at various times over the following decade.

Henry O'Brien and his niece Mary owned and ran hotels in Bay Street for about 40 years. First at the Ship Inn and then at The Victoria Hotel. The Ship is gone now but the Victoria which Henry rebuilt in 1895 still stands on the corner of Graham and Bay Streets as The Rex Hotel. Henry did well from the hotel business. He invested wisely in property, especially O'Brien's Terrace, becoming one of the most prosperous men in the area. He was generous and well liked and a five verse poem entitled "In Memoriam - Harry O'Brien" printed below his obituary in The Standard pays testament to this.

When your epitaph is written
Round your grave will mourners stand
And say here lies an honest man
Who loved dear Erin's land

Final Verse - "In Memoriam - Harry O'Brien" - The Standard, 20 Aug 1898

Sources
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Collection
Port Phillip City Collection
Port Melbourne Council Rate Books
St Joseph's Church Records
Port Phillip Heritage Review, Version 2, 2000. City of Port Phillip
A History of Port Melbourne, U'ren and Turnbull, Oxford University Press
The Standard Newspaper
Sands & McDougal Directories

© 2005 Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society
Images must not be reproduced without prior permission
All images from the PMH&PS collection unless otherwise credited

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			Henry O'Brien Henry O'Brien was born around 1828 in the small Irish town of Blackrock, County Louth. He came to Australia in the 1850s and joined the police force in May 1856. He did well in the police and was a senior constable when he came to Sandridge on 26 Apr 1867. Henry retired from service on 3 Aug 1870 and took over the lease of The Ship Inn in Bay Street between Rouse and Graham Streets. The Ship Inn was known at that time as one of the 'roughest' hotels in the district but Harry, as he was known to his many friends, changed the whole character of the place with great success. He was a shrewd businessman and saw the value of investing in property. By 1886 Harry owned the Victoria Hotel on the corner of		The Rex Hotel (formerly Victoria Hotel) and O'Brien's Terrace, Bay Street
			Graham and Bay Streets, now known as The Rex Hotel. He had also built a row of 5 shops next door called "O'Brien's Terrace". Despite owning these properties, he continued as the proprietor of The Ship Inn for another 10 years. He was respected and held in great esteem as a generous person. His obituary in The Standard describes him as "Never turning a deaf ear to the cry of distress and always giving with a generous hand towards any good object to benefit his fellow men".
			According to U'ren and Turnbull in A History of Port Melbourne, "In April 1895 the old Victoria Hotel ... was demolished and a new building designed by architect Frederick Williams and built by locals Dubbledan and Austin was erected." Frederick Williams was a local architect, former councillor and mayor who also designed many buildings in Port Melbourne including Excelsior Hall, Holy Trinity Church Hall and the Graham's Family Hotel. He also designed the extension to Swallow and Ariel's on the corner of Rouse and Stokes Streets as well as their office and counting house on the opposite side of Stokes Street.		Detail of O'Brien's Terrace, Bay Street
			Harry O'Brien's hand is clearly visible in the rebuilding of the hotel. A stone in the outside wall on Bay Street near O'Briens Terrace, reads "This stone was laid by Henry O’Brien Esq, May 14th 1895". Harry moved to the Victoria Hotel around this time and in the early months of 1896, was advertising "The New Victoria Hotel" in The Standard as "The Finest Hotel in Port Melbourne". Henry O'Brien died on Saturday 13 August 1898 after a short illness. The obituary printed in The Standard the following Saturday described him as "... witty, quick at repartee, a genial companion, a firm friend and a real philanthropist". His funeral took place on Tuesday, 16 August 1898. The hearse drawn by four horses was followed by a floral carriage, four mourning coaches, as well as numerous private vehicles and cabs.
			A large crowd lined the street as the cortege set out for Harry's final resting place in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Many friends visited the Victoria Hotel the night before the funeral to pay their respects and offer their sympathies to his niece, Mary. Mary Josephine O'Brien inherited the Victoria Hotel and O'Brien's Terrace after her uncle's death running the hotel for a year or so before marrying William MacGregor at St Joseph’s on 2 May 1900. At the time, Mary lived in St Vincent's Place in South Melbourne while William, a barrister, lived a short distance from her, also in St Vincent's Place.		O'Brien's Terrace (c. 1947), probably taken from the Holy Trinity Church. (PORT PHILLIP CITY COLLECTION) Must not be reproduced without prior permission
			Mary 'retired' from The Victoria Hotel around the time of her marriage continuing to reside in St Vincent's Place and own the buildings in Bay Street although it appears she did take an active role in the running of the hotel at various times over the following decade. Henry O'Brien and his niece Mary owned and ran hotels in Bay Street for about 40 years. First at the Ship Inn and then at The Victoria Hotel. The Ship is gone now but the Victoria which Henry rebuilt in 1895 still stands on the corner of Graham and Bay Streets as The Rex Hotel. Henry did well from the hotel business. He invested wisely in property, especially O'Brien's Terrace, becoming one of the most prosperous men in the area. He was generous and well liked and a five verse poem entitled "In Memoriam - Harry O'Brien" printed below his obituary in The Standard pays testament to this. When your epitaph is written Round your grave will mourners stand And say here lies an honest man Who loved dear Erin's land Final Verse - "In Memoriam - Harry O'Brien" - The Standard, 20 Aug 1898 Sources Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Collection Port Phillip City Collection Port Melbourne Council Rate Books St Joseph's Church Records Port Phillip Heritage Review, Version 2, 2000. City of Port Phillip A History of Port Melbourne, U'ren and Turnbull, Oxford University Press The Standard Newspaper Sands & McDougal Directories © 2005 Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Images must not be reproduced without prior permission All images from the PMH&PS collection unless otherwise credited back ...