Mahogany Inn Open Day

Mahogany Inn is the oldest hotel on what was York Road, now Great Eastern Highway. The Inn started life as a military barracks, protecting travellers. In 1843 the building operated as a wayside house, able to sell alcohol. The next year, Edward Byfield was granted a Publican's Licence and named the Inn "The Prince of Wales”.

Edward and his wife Jane ran the Inn until his death in 1863. Jane then ran the hotel with her second husband James Gregory, until her death in 1871.

From then on there were a number of licensees:

• 1873 new licensee William Coates (Jane’s brother) and his wife Sarah.

• Later Henry Coppin a retired police constable from The Lakes until December 1880.

• 1881 John Symonds took out a licence (renaming the place as The Oxford Inn). It did a roaring trade in the following 2 years as the Eastern Railway was being built, and the thirsty “navvies” frequented the bar most days. However, Symonds did not renew his lease as more people were then travelling by rail and in 1883 transferred the licence and name to a new purpose-built Inn at Chidlow which opened in April 1884.

• In 1884 it was sold to Parliamentarian and Barrister Sir Stephen Henry Parker who modified the Inn as a country house.

• From then on were a number of owners until 1980 when John and Mary Arnold purchased the Inn when it was in disrepair. Over the years they added rooms including “luxury suites” that were said to be modelled on the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. Gardens including lawns and beds of roses were built and inside was a collection of Australian antiques including oil paintings by Frank Pash.

Over its life this building has had many owners including the Tuckfields, Barnacles, Peets, Pollocks and the Bonini family.

Images from top left: 1.Sir Stephen Henry Parker, who bought the Inn as a country retreat 2. Dining room at Mahogany Inn c1960 3. Jane Byfield with 2 of her 10 children c1867 4. Exterior view of Mahogany Inn c1960 6. Exterior view of Inn 2018

Come along on Saturday 31 May and find out more about this fascinating building and its history. Call us for more information.

Further information may be found on this website HERE.