1900c View of the Grand Hotel

MI_1198

A beautiful image of the "Grand Hotel" around 1900, taken from the steps of Parliament House in Spring Street. This photograph was one of many of "Marvellous Melbourne" taken by Nicholas Caire around the turn of the century, when Melbourne had established itself as one of the world's most significant cities. 

The "Grand Hotel" was designed by Charles Webb and opened in 1884, but was originally only half the size of the current building. New owners in 1886 operated the hotel as a Coffee Palace, and renamed it as the "Grand Coffee Palace". In 1888 the building was extended to its current size. New owners acquired the neighbouring Old White Hart Hotel in 1897, thereby allowing them to re-license the Grand, and its name was changed back to the "Grand Hotel". In 1920, the hotel changed hands again, was refurbished, and renamed "Windsor Hotel", in honour of the British Royal Family.

The "Hotel Windsor" remains as Melbourne's only remaining example of a grand Victorian-era hotel.

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Photograph by N. J. Caire.

This is a digitally retouched reproduction of the original held by the National Library of Australia.

Our team of conservators have worked on a high resolution digital image in order to remove blemishes and artifacts such as stains, mould, scratches and damage caused by the handling of the original. We strive to provide authentic representations of the original work that are suitable for enlargements that retain the tones and character of the original.



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