Hotel Francis (former)

The former ‘Hotel Francis’, is situated on the site of the earliest hotel in Maryborough, on the corner of Richmond and Kent Streets. The ‘Maryborough Inn’ was established around 1853 and was later renamed the ‘Steam Packet’ in 1864, under the management of George Galbraith. The old pub was demolished in 1878 and a new one built on the site. The first stage was the single storey ‘Metropolitan Hotel’, erected in 1878 which comprised four sitting rooms and five bedrooms. A timber extension comprising 11 bedrooms was added in 1883. In 1914, local architect H W F Palmer called tenders for additions to the hotel and extension to the bar. In 1920, the hotel was redesigned by architect F H Faircloth and a second storey was added. Eleven of the 12 new bedrooms accessed the balconies through French doors, providing a cool environment. When the hotel changed hands in 1935, the Noonan family renamed it ‘Hotel Francis’. The Noonans refurbished the interiors and installed hot water in the bathrooms. The adjoining building fronting Richmond Street was updated in 1938, and a second story added. The licence was surrendered in 1992 and the ground floor converted to a doctor’s surgery.