George Alfred Davies (original), Summerhayes Way and Associates and Martin H. Grounds
1887, 1929, 1987
47 South Terrace, Fremantle
Originally built in 1887 by George Alfred Davies, who was Fremantles Mayor in 1887, the Odd Fellows hotel embodies the economic mingling of the various agents influencing the shape of Fremantle over the period of Cup defence.
From 1952, private owners and companies bought, sold and managed the Odd Fellows Hotel. Major additions and alterations costing $500,000 occurred in 1985 in were initiated by developer Wayne Donaldson, and a small syndication of partners, who were also responsible for the refurbishment of Fremantle Markets. With the vision to create a courtyard pub “of an English public house scale,” Donaldson engaged the sannyasin building company Sahajam Rajneesh Builders to complete the work on a cost plus basis.[1]
Much of the building was demolished to create the street fronting courtyard, which indicated a departure from the obsession with hotel restoration at the time. The hotel was eventually renamed The Norfolk and sold for $1m to Brewtech who also owned the Sale & Anchor. The courtyard was extended in 2002.
[1] Peter Moran, “The Norfolk Hotel,” The Architect 1989, no. 1 (1989), 22.
For a review see The Architect 1989 issue 1.
