Origins and Early Years (1864 – 1868)
The Lord Alfred Hotel is one of Brisbane’s oldest hotels.
Originally opened in 1864 as the Terrace Hotel, it was renamed the Prince Alfred Hotel in 1868 to honour Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria, during his visit to Australia.
The pub is a historical landmark at the entrance to Caxton Street with a long association with the nearby military and former police departments.
From Humble Beginnings
John Dowling’s first application for a publican’s licence was evidently refused, but in November 1864 a licence for the hotel was granted to Michael Carrick.
The first hotel on this site was a wooden building with a bar, bar parlour, and five attic rooms for travelers. It opened its doors to an area starting to attract people to the settlement.
The Rise of Petrie Terrace
Brisbane City Local Heritage Places tells us that Petrie Terrace, being one of Brisbane’s earliest settled suburbs, was already attracting residents.
“The first land sales began in 1842 after the closure of the Moreton Bay Penal Colony. The suburb had been on the edge of Brisbane town during the 1840s, hosting only the cemetery.
“However, its proximity to the central business district and a population boom in Brisbane combined to make the area much more desirable from the 1860s onwards. Houses, shops and a school were quickly built on small, tightly-packed lots.”
A Royal Connection
In 1868, when licensee Henry Corbett took over, the hotel was renamed the “Prince Alfred” in honour of the Prince’s Queensland visit.
A Grand Rebuild
In 1881 the original wooden building was replaced with a new hotel from a design by renowned architect Richard Gailey resulting in the current building’s distinctive filigree style. The new building retained the original cellars, demonstrating the early development and prosperity of the area in the nineteenth century.
The original cellars from this period are still in existence today.
Meet the Man Behind the Design
Richard Gailey was a well-known architect of the time who designed several early Brisbane hotels, including the famous Regatta Hotel, which in 2024 celebrated 150 years of operation.
The City of Brisbane heritage study tells us about Gailey:
“Gailey was a Londonderry architect who had settled in Brisbane in 1864. He established his own practice in 1865, and over the next 60 years built up a thriving business, working until his death in 1924. Hotels were Gailey’s speciality. He designed over 30 hotels or modifications to existing hotels in Brisbane alone in the period 1869-1895, with hotel work elsewhere throughout the colony.
“The largest and most opulent of the Gailey-designed hotels were erected during the 1880s, reflecting the general building boom in Queensland during a period of unprecedented economic growth. His impressive surviving boom era hotels include the Regatta [1886] at Toowong, and in Fortitude Valley the Wickham [1884-85], Prince Consort [1887-88], Jubilee [1887-88] and Empire [1887-89].”
The Beating Heart of the Community
In 1881 the hotel was rebuilt, with local newspapers describing it as a “first class hotel” and soon became a key gathering place for the settlement town.
The City of Brisbane heritage study tells us Petrie Terrace lacked a public hall before 1884, and the Prince Alfred Hotel made a convenient meeting place for business dealings and social gatherings, including the establishment of a lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids in 1882.
“Licensees organised groups for outings, and improved the property with stables in 1878,” the study said. “By 1881, however, the hotel was considered ‘rather dilapidated’. New proprietor John Murnane acquired title to the hotel in March 1881. In May, tenders were called for the erection of a stone and brick hotel on the site of the Prince Alfred, by architect Richard Gailey.”
A Landmark for Police and Military Life
City of Brisbane tells us the new Prince Alfred Hotel became a landmark of the suburb.
“Its corner position on the Petrie Terrace ridge contributed to its success, as did the proximity of the barracks buildings. The Petrie Terrace gaol closed in 1883 but was replaced by the police force, while the Queensland Defence Force occupied the barracks site from 1885. The hotel became closely associated with the police and military officers stationed nearby.”
Heritage Meets Modern Hospitality
Today the Lord Alfred Hotel has been given a stunning makeover to bring out its rich history while becoming an on-trend destination.
Formerly known as Hotel LA, The Lord Alfred Hotel has been meticulously restored to highlight its many original features across all of its three levels, creating a myriad of nooks, crannies, and charming spaces to enjoy a drink or bite to eat.
Grab a stool at the bar for a pre-dinner drink, or book a table in the restaurant with a group of friends for dinner. Offering modern Australian cuisine on Caxton Street, The Lord Alfred provides a number of different seating areas to suit everyone, whatever the occasion.
A frosty ale on a hot summer’s day, a full-bodied red to go with your steak, or a cheeky chilli marg on a weekend. Come in soon and say hello!
