77 Victoria Pde, Fitzroy (The Belvidere Hotel)

The Belvedere (Belvidere) Hotel was located on the north-west corner of Brunswick Street and Victoria Parade. By 1886 it was the Commercial Hotel and in the 1950’s the Eastern Hill Hotel.

The design and build for this hotel are a little sketchy. They could be either:

It was also altered by Alfred Kursteiner (Architect), I believe this was 1866 (National Trust Database), (Alfred Kursteiner Biography by Dr John J Taylor), though the South Fitzroy Conservation Study, 1979, p.18, suggests the alterations were done in 1861, but I think this is incorrect as p.138-139 of the same study states “In 1866 he undertook alterations to the Belvidere Hotel, now the Eastern Hill hotel, Brunswick Street, and was probably responsible for the upper floor facades which remain intact today.”

Google Image Capture from Nov 2020

It is clear that the Hotel was a meeting place for trade unionists campaigning for the eight hour day as indicated by Helen Wilding and according to Only Melbourne these campaigners became known as ‘Belviderites’, after the hotel in which they met. It was later renamed Eastern Hill Hotel, and is now a part of the St. Vincent’s Hospital complex.

From ‘Early Brunswick St in 1839 and 1941‘ written by Mike Moore for the Fitzroy History Society. This shows the contour lines of Eastern Hill.

All of the following research has been conducted by Helen Wilding and is available on her blog. She is a Research Librarian by profession and spent some time looking into 77 Victoria Parade. It is so perfect as it is. Also Helen is much more clever than I and has the option to swipe right to see close ups. Visit her blog directly to see these.

Research conducted by Helen Wilding
Research conducted by Helen Wilding
Source: Nettleton, Charles (1864). Belvidere Hotel, Corner of Brunswick Street and Victoria Parade)
Research conducted by Helen Wilding
Research conducted by Helen Wilding
Corner of Victoria Parade and Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 1889. This is a zoomed in part of F. W. Niven’s Lithograph and depicts Brunswick St heading North. The Commercial Hotel(formerly the Belvidere Hotel) is on the north west corner of Brunswick and Victoria Parade.
Research conducted by Helen Wilding

The following is additional information sourced from a range of places, as listed.

Commercial Hotel

In 1886, the licensee was Charles Graham

Beautiful photo taken from the Balance Architecture blog. I commend them highly we should not be losing this history!
Eastern Hill Hotel, photo c. 1958? from the National Trust Database.
Eastern Hill Hotel, Victoria Pde, Fitzroy Vic. Photographer: Colin Calwell. Sourced from Victorian Historical Hotel Drinkers Association. Date [ca. 1949]
Eastern Hill Hotel Fitzroy – Date Unknown c. 1970s
Photographer R Smith.
Sourced from Victorian Historical Hotel Drinkers Association.
Eastern Hill Hotel, corner Brunswick Street and Victoria Parade, Fitzroy. c.1975
View of Fitzroy from the Eye and Ear Hospital by  Unknown. Aug 1983 – Held by Fitzroy Library

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