On 7th September 1854 Horace Bastings applied for a liquor license for the Peacock Inn. Whilst Horace was building the Peacock Inn, his brother Edwin was building the general store across the road.
The next year Horace passed the license on to 21 year old George Plant, a recent arrival in the colony who became the next publican. Plant was the model of the successful Victorian businessman, combining his publican duties with a career in local politics, subcontracting on major projects, butchering and farming in Gippsland. The Plant family went on to purchase the hotel from the Bastings brothers.
As Plant’s duties as councillor increased and he developed other commercial interests, Plant began employing a series of publicans to run the hotel. During the 1880s William Clarke became the publican and saw the hotel increase in value from £120 to £180 in only a few years. In 1890 Richard Walker became the new publican. His reign was short, no doubt influenced by the incident when bailiffs seized goods and stock from the hotel to pay Walker’s outstanding debts. Catherine Plant, George’s wife took over, holding the license until 1910.
The hotel was rebuilt in 1890 just before the depression struck and was to undergo more construction work in 1897. After Catherine Plant relinquished the license in 1910 she was replaced by Georgina Hore who remained there until 1917.
In 1921 the hotel drew the attention of the Northcote Leader when publican Elias Phillips was charged with having people on the premises during the prohibition hours. The local police had noticed three men entering the hotel via a side entrance at 10 pm and reported hearing the sound of a soda fountain being used. They entered the hotel and found several recently used glasses. The police made a number of arrests. At the subsequent court case Phillips was found guilty and fined £2 5s.
During the 1920s Martha Coghlin became the new owner and publican. She was to remain there until after the Second World War, although not always as the publican. It was during her ownership that the hotel under went another renovation.
The hotel was renovated again during the 1990s although it subsequently received some damage due to a fire.
Sources
Butler, Graeme. City of Northcote urban conservation study, Alphington, 1982.
Cole, Robert K. Index of Hotels 1841 – 1949. (Manuscript)
Edge, Gary. Surviving the six o’clock swill: a history of Darebin’s hotels. Melbourne. Darebin Libraries. 2004
Lemon, Andrew. Northcote Side of the River. North Melbourne (Vic): Hargreen, 1983
Northcote Leader (Melbourne), Newspaper, Northcote 7 January 1921
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne and Suburban Directory. Melbourne: Sands & McDougall, 1864- 1974
