Heritage of the City of

CUMBERLAND ARMS HOTEL

203-207 Waymouth Street

The Cumberland Arms Hotel is another reminder of the close knit community which once existed in the west end. It is a typical Adelaide pub with a chamfered corner and veranda/balcony. Although the ebullient detailing is reminiscent of designs by the architect Rowland Rees, a tender notice in the South Australian Register, 16 October 1882, gives the architect as H.C. Richardson.

Originally, the hotel was in Elizabeth Street where it was first known as the Crown and Anchor, and then from 1853 the Cumberland. It was rebuilt in 1882 at the corner of Waymouth and Elizabeth streets.

The Cumberland Arms Hotel, while typical of halcyon days of boom period architecture, is essentially an elaborated version of the typical corner Victorian commercial building. It is not as disciplined a composition as the Newmarket Hotel. Its external detailing and originality, particularly at ground floor level, expresses in built form the confidence of the boom period of the early 1880s.

The Cumberland Arms is of further historical significance because of its association with Edwin Thomas Smith (knighted in 1888) being rebuilt for his brewery. E.T. Smith was born in England in 1830 and arrived in in 1853. He entered the brewing industry and was soon at the head of such a large flourishing concern that in 1888 he was able to retire from active business management and devote himself to public life. He was mayor of Adelaide, 1879-82 and 1886-88. He was elected to the House of Assembly representing East Torrens from 1871-93. From 1894 to 1902, he served the Southern district in the Legislative Council and attended, as the state's representative, the coronation of King Edward in 1902. For over fifty years E.T. Smith was associated with the majority of public movements of a national or civic character. The statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Square was his gift to the city. Smith also actively promoted the Jubilee Exhibition. He also contributed to many sporting organisations and recreation grounds, and was involved with commercial bodies such as the AMP Society and the Savings Bank of South Australia. His philanthropy extended to sponsorship of the Adelaide Hospital; the Blind, Deaf and Dumb Institution; Elder Workmen’s Homes; the Benevolent and Strangers' Friend Society; Queen's Brigade, and a Boys' Home.

ACA, Digest of Proceedings, 13 November 1882; Burgess, H.T., Cyclopedia of South Australia, Vol. 1, 1909, pp. 443-4; Loyau, G.E., Representative men of South Australia, 1883, pp. 220-2; McLellan, J., Adelaide's early inns and taverns, 1941, p. 19; Morgan, E.J.R., & Gilbert, S.H., Early Adelaide architecture 1836 to 1886, 1969, p. 35; Pascoe, J.J., History of Adelaide and vicinity, 1901, pp. 299-303; South Australian directories; South Australian Register, 16 October 1882.

The text in this Information Sheet was copied from the Heritage of the : An Illustrated Guide, (1996). The photographs contained in this

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Information Sheet are a selection of those held by Heritage Services, in digital format.

The property described in this Information Sheet is included in the Register of State Heritage places. A heritage listing does not mean or imply right of access by the public to such properties.

The heritage related Principles of Development Control as well as the Precinct specific objectives and Principles of Development Control are contained in the Adelaide (City) Development Plan. These should be referred to in whole when contemplating any development. Further information on the Heritage Incentives Scheme, an initiative of Council to sponsor timely and appropriate conservation action is available upon request of the Customer Service Centre.

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Image scanned - not to stated scale. This Curtilage Map has been prepared as a guide only and no warranty or assurance is given about the accuracy of the content as it may contain obsolete information. The Corporation excludes all liability [including for negligence] in relation to your use of these documents.

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 Corporation of the City of Adelaide