IMPERIAL / CECIL HOTEL

The “Imperial” Hotel was situated on the corner of Walker and North Streets, Casino. Robert Whiteman brought the unoccupied land in 1883 and was living there in 1884. He may have built the Imperial Hotel that year as he is listed on the Casino rates notices as occupying the land in 1884. He continued with ownership of the land until his death in 1905 when he left it to his wife Sophia Caterine Whiteman of Brisbaneon, 30th November 1905.

On the 17th October 1904, the morgagee was listed as Andrew Joseph Brown, baker of Casino. He is listed as morgagee until 28th Feburary 1908. The land was then leased to Thomas Holloway from 1908 until 1917. Mrs Whiteman was the owner of the Imperial Hotel until 26 March 1917.

Mr John Webster was the licensee in 1912 until 11th January 1917. Webster's name was on the front of the hotel in the photograph of Casino 1912. Webster complained to Tooth & Co. about the high rent, no drinkers and the uneconomic position of the hotel. He also stated that Mrs Whiteman, the landlord of the premises was not interested in financing renovations so subsequently Webster lost his liscence.

Mr Richard Saunders took over the licence in 1917. Mr John Menzies Bryce of 134 Adelaid Street, Brisbane, had bought the hotel from Mrs Whiteman on 17th April 1917 and injected money into it, the licencee, Rick Saunders and his wife started doing major repairs to the interior of the hotel themselves. It was decided that the hotel should be shifted closer to town and was moved to the corner of the Centre and Barker Streets where it would be adjacent to the “Cattle Sales Holding Blocks”.

Richard Saunders applied for a transfer of licence to this site and it was approved by the Licensing Court on 5 October 1918. It was thought it would take three months to shift the hotel to its new site. An advertisement was taken out in the “Casino and Kyogle Courier” from 8 October 1918 to 15 February 1919 notifying the Public that pending removal of the hotel to its new site a temporary bar was set up at the Corner of Centre and Barker Streets. The advertisement was placed every Wednesday and Saturday until 15 February 1919 when it ceased to appear. This could have been due to the influenza epidemic at that time when public gatherings were banned.

The change of name of licence can be located in the “Richmond River Express” - Tuesday 15th April 1919. It detailed the changing of the Hotel name from “Imperial”to “Cecil” and described the new building and those who contributed to its removal and renovations. To obtain a photocopy of the newspaper report, it is necessary to attend in person, the Southern Cross Library in Lismore. Unfortunately, it makes no reference to why it is called “The Cecil”.