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:
- Designed by Joseph Burns and built by Thomas McClelland between 1854 and 1856 (Only Melbourne website); or
- Designed by Robert Russell, built in 1853 (National Trust Database).
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.”
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.
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.
The following is additional information sourced from a range of places, as listed.
Commercial Hotel
In 1886, the licensee was Charles Graham
Photographer R Smith.
Sourced from Victorian Historical Hotel Drinkers Association.
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