Glostermin The Ghost of Hamilton

When researching houses and Brisbane history the house name Glostermin has appeared a number of times. There is no heritage listing for the house or anything to provide any historical context except for the name Glostermin residing on a residential apartment complex. Where the original Glostermin Estate was is still today a significant piece of Brisbane real estate. The original home was the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Peter. J. and Ellen Murphy a Brisbane couple prominent in the late 19th, and early years of the 20th. century in Brisbane and Queensland. In May of 1898 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Murphy moved from their home in Roma Street, Brisbane to their new home Glostermin at Hamilton. In January of 1900 Mrs. Murphy advertised for a cook - laundress and also a house parlourmaid and these positions would suit two people who were friends of each other. The Murphy family were of Irish catholic descent and a sign of their strong Victorian Catholic family life was shown when Mrs. Murphy with her daughters Ida, Rita, Eileen and Annie Lily left for Sydney on the steamer Arawatta. The purpose of the visit was to leave Ida at the Rose Bay Convent School for three years. The biography of Peter Murphy is included in this post and provides a very good summary of the Murphy family's role in early Queensland history. Mrs. Ellen Murphy born in the Fortitude Valley was a child of the Bulcocks who arrived in the ship Fortitude in January of 1849. 

The Murphy family became another of those early Brisbane family dynasties that were built on initial wealth generated by one colonial immigrant. Peter J. Murphy's estate was valued at probate in 1925 as 280,000 pound. This large estate was not finalised for many years even after the death of Mrs. Murphy almost ten years later. The house Glostermin became a centre of social activity until the death of Ellen Murphy in 1934. After her death the land around the home Glostermin was sub divided and was first advertised in October of 1838 as the Glostermin Estate. This estate was still being advertised as building blocks for sale in 1940. 

In 1935 the old house Glostermin was then proposed to be developed into a new style of private hotel called the Chevron Hotel. This hotel was to be modelled on the same lines as the Chevron Hotel in Melbourne. A company was floated with a capital of 100,000 pound but the development never eventuated. The new owners of Glostermin did use the original home as a private hotel and in its last years as a house it became a convelescent home. In 1975 a development proposal was lodged with the Brisbane City Council titled Glostermin Towers Development. In the decades of time between 1935 through to the late 1960s the Glostermin Private Hotel became a well known place for short term and long term accomodation stays. No different to the modern apartment complexes along the Brisbane River the Glostermin was one of the very first to provide this style of accomodation. Many country visitors to Brisbane would enjoy the river breezes and scenic vistas that was not part of their normal daily lives. Is there a ghost of a house that resides on this prominent position overlooking the river? Maybe this is taking the story of a house too far. Glostermin the name lives on with only the older residents of this area remembering the ghost of the house from long ago.

Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Saturday 20 April 1940, page 24

Glostermin the name still resides on the entrance to the apartment complex in Whyenbah Street Hamilton. The house Whyenbah may not exist as it once was but there is a separate large building in this complex that is situated to the front of the complex facing Kingsford Smith Drive and does appear to be remodelled over the old house or built where the main house existed. It is definitely not a building of character or of any architectural quality but the history and events that have been generated by the name Glostermin at Hamilton are worth writing about.

Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934), Friday 2 February 1906, page 17

A BRISBANE SUBURBAN RESIDENCE. '"GLOSTERMIN," HAMILTON", THE RESIDENCE OF TIIE HON. PETER. MURPHY. M.L.C,

The Queensland Game Fishing Association Jetty and Official weighing Station - Kingsford Smith Drive Hamilton - 1964

Author: Brisbane City Council

Subject: Fishing--Brisbane--Queensland--History.

Description: Glostermin Convalescent Home in the background

The two photographs below are taken from the same position in 2022. The current photograph taken of the complex Glostermin at the start of this post is also taken from the same position. No longer the Game Fishing Jetty but still a jetty that allows private and public access.

Peter J Murphy and Ellen Murphy

Murphy, Peter (1853–1925)

by Betty Crouchley

This article was published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10 , 1986

online in 2006

Peter Murphy (1853-1925), businessman, was born on 29 June 1853 at Mohill, Leitrim, Ireland, son of James Murphy, storekeeper, and his wife Ann, née King. Educated at National schools, he worked in an uncle's wine and spirit store at Mohill before reaching Brisbane in the Indus in July 1871 as a nominated immigrant. Labourer, bullock-driver, police constable in North Queensland, and grocer at Red Hill, Brisbane, he obtained a spirit dealer's licence in 1879. Later he conducted the Railway Co-operative Store and a wholesale spirit agency in partnership with William Healion whose niece, Ellen Imelda Bulcock, he married on 16 February 1885 in St Stephen's Cathedral.

Murphy became licensee of the Burgundy Hotel, Roma Street, in 1883 and in 1884 opened the Transcontinental, which soon had the largest bar trade in Brisbane. President of the Queensland United Licensed Victuallers' Association for several terms and a successful hotel broker, from 1893 he was a director (later chairman) of the reconstituted brewery firm, Perkins & Co. Ltd. With his usual business acumen he became a shareholder in its rivals, Queensland Brewery Ltd, and Castlemaine Brewery and Quinlan Gray & Co. Brisbane Ltd.

Diversifying his interests, Murphy invested mainly in businesses of Catholic friends, in particular in Cummins & Campbell Pty Ltd, Townsville, and McDonnell & East, of which he was the initial financial backer and alternate managing director. He held directorships in the City Electric Light Co. Ltd and the Union Trustee Co. of Australia Ltd and from 1907 to 1914 partnered P. J. Leahy in a stock and station agency. His property holdings were extensive: tenants included hotels, the Theatre Royal and the State Butchery Department.

Appointed to the Legislative Council on 4 May 1904, Murphy for a time was the only member sympathetic to Labor, although he never joined the party. His most significant role was as spokesman of the liquor trade. Overseas travel had instructed him in prohibition and 'local option', and he surprised the Denham government by the vigour and efficacy of his opposition to the 1911 liquor bill. When the Ryan government took office the pragmatic Murphy, father-in-law of J. A. Fihelly and with influential Labor friends, was untroubled by fears of the ascendancy of the temperance faction. His confidence was not misplaced; Queensland was the only State in which hotels remained open until 11 p.m. throughout World War I.

The archetypal Irish-Australian, genial, generous, honorary life member of the Philanthropic Institute, Murphy believed drinking and gambling were inherent in human nature. An advocate of State lotteries, a racehorse owner, committee-member of the Queensland Turf and Brisbane Tattersall's clubs, and a Toombul Racecourse trustee, he financed the sporting paper, The Pink 'Un, with M. J. Barry, later Brisbane's first Labor mayor. Murphy died at his home Glostermin, Hamilton, on 24 February 1925 and was buried in Nudgee Roman Catholic cemetery. His wife, four sons and four daughters survived him and inherited most of his estate, valued for probate at £295,839.

Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Wednesday 25 February 1925, page 5

Death of Hon. P. Murphy

End of Successful Career

Hon. Peter Murphy passed away at his home, Glostermin, Hamilton, on Tuesday, after a long illness. Mr. Murphy was about 72 years of age. He came to Queensland from his native county, Leitriin,. Ireland, in 1870, when through his ability, energy, and industry, he began a career in which he rose from a humble position to a place of wealth and power in his adopted land. He was for a time a member of the police force, but animated by a strong ambition and keen business instinct, he became interested in the liquor trade. From hotel licensee and proprietor he was for many years associated with the Transcontinental Hotel, in George street. Mr. Murphy developed into a brewery magnate. He had an interest in the business of McDonnell and East the well known drapers, &c., and in other enterprises and was reputably wealthy. The deceased gentleman for a time filled the position of president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association. In later years he was chairman of directors of Perkins and Co., the , well known brewery proprietary. He resigned from that position through ill health a year or two ago. His success in business eventually provided him with some leisure, Mr. Murphy devoted part of his time to politics and sport. He became prominently identified with the turf as a horse-owner and a member of the Queensland Turf Club committee. He wus appointed to the Legislative Council in May, 1904, and retained his seat until that branch of the Legislature was abolished a few years ago. He was a rather able debater, and he spoke only on subjects of which he could claim to have a fairly wide knowledge. A severe accident. in recent years affected Mr. Murphy's health and vigour, and since then he had led a more or less retired life. Mr. Murphy was survived by a widow, four sous, and four daughters. Two daughters are married, one to Mr. J. Fihelly and the other to Mr. Austin Lenuon. Aliss Ida and Miss Irene Murphy are the other daughters. Of the sons, Dr. Peter Murphy lives in Sydney, and Messrs. Roy, Rex, and Kevin Murphy in Brisbane. :

Catholic Advocate (Brisbane, Qld. : 1911 - 1934; 1936 - 1938), Thursday 19 April 1934, page 28

Late Mrs. Peter Murphy

A wide circle of friends in Queensland and in the Southern States will be deeply grieved to hear of the death of Mrs. Peter Murphy, relict of Mr. Peter Murphy, a member of the former Legislative Council of Queensland, which took place at her old home Glostermin. Hamilton. Mrs. Murphy was prior to her marriage, Miss Ellen Imelda Bulcock, and was born in Fortitude Valley, her father having been a passenger to Queensland by the ship Fortitude. She was the last of that branch of the Bulcock family, having survived her sister, Mrs. Williams, who was 81 years of age, and died 30 days earlier. Mrs. Murphy was in her 72nd year, and had been seriously ill for some months. She was an active worker in philanthropic affairs, having been a member of committee of the Lady Lamington and the Lady Bowen hospitals, and took a keen interest in the Bush Nursing Association; but her many charities and helpfulness to those in need were little known beyond her own family. Mrs. Murphy had travelled extensively on various voyages round the world. She last visited the British Isles in 1927. but in 1R20 made a trip to China, Japan, and the Malay States. During her last illness inquiries were made from practically all over Australia. Mis. Murphy was wonderfully bright and gracious, and was held in deep regard by all who knew her. She is survived by four daughters and four sons. Her daughters are Mrs. H. Bruce Henderson, wife of the British Consul at Medan, Sumatra; Mrs. John Fihelly: Mrs. James E. Staley, of the Burnam (Rubber) Estate, Perak. Malaya; and Mrs. Austin Lennon, of Kitchener Road, Ascot. The sons are: Dr. Peter Murphy. Macquarie Street, Sydney, Mr. Kevin Murphy, solicitor, Brisbane: and Messrs. R. A. and E. K. Murphy of Brisbane. Two children predeceased her. On Saturday. April 7 Mass was held at St Stephens Cathedral after which the funeral moved to the Nudgee Cemetery. 

Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Tuesday 26 March 1935, page 23

Building and Real Estate

PRIVATE HOTEL PROPOSED FOR HAMILTON Chevron will Represent Some Ideas New to Brisbane

Plans and specifications for a non-licensed residential hotel, The Chevron, proposed to be erected in the near future on an elevated piece of land facing Hamilton Road, Hamilton, and overlooking river reaches, are being prepared. The estimated cost of this project is £75,000. The hotel as planned will be divided into three blocks a main section housing: a dining room, lounge, kitchen, and several suites; a family build ing; and a bachelors and spinsters section.

Recently Mr. C. A. Byrne, of Messrs. A. J. Jones and Byrne, company sec retaries, purchased from the Murphy Estate Glostermin, the home of the late Mr. Peter Murphy, M.L.C., with its surrounding grounds of 2½ acres, and steps were immediately taken to prepare preliminary designs for a non-licensed hotel to accommodate 212 guests. The choice of site was con sidered a particularly happy one, because the surroundings for a mod ern hotel were ready-made, complete with fully-grown trees. The grounds lay-out will consequently conform to that which already exists. Moreover, the site was deemed worthy of a major building project because it overlooks charming views of the river reaches towards the city and the sea, arid because the locality generally is one of the choicest in Brisbane. Fur thermore, in the future, overseas ship ping must gravitate to the lower reaches of the river, and it was con sidered that overseas visitors to Bris bane particularly would be attracted to a modern hotel, handy to the wharves and close to the city, though removed from its bustle and noises. The proximity of a golf course, race-courses, and school was also a determining factor. 

OLD HOME CONVERTED The handsome old home of the late Mr. Peter Murphy became in the mind's eye of the designing architect the nucleus of what is described in the preliminary plans as ''the main building." This building, it is pro posed, will be converted from its present use to a new one, and will be extended. Colonial style of archi tecture has been chosen for all three sections of the completed scheme, which will depend not so much upon ornateness for artistic effect as upon simplicity and solidity of massed architectural formations. The work will be carried out in reinforced brick, and the roofs will be tiled. The main building, which will house the administrative offices, will also in clude a dining room, 60ft. by 46ft., to accommodate 200 guests; a lounge, and a children's dining room (30ft. by 16ft.), and a modern kitchen. In this building, a two-storied structure, will be a limited number of suites, So that no inconvenience will result from the dining room and lounge being detached from living quarters in other buildings the main building will be connected with other sections by covered ways to afford protection from the weather. 

FAMILY BUILDING On the eastern side of the main building will be the family section of the hotel, which will be set apart ex clusively for the accommodation of families. It is to be a two-storied structure, comprising 13 suites of rooms of various sizes, and each suite will have its own sleep-out accom modation, bathroom, and toilet. In the basement of this building it is proposed to provide a children's recreation room, which will have a view of lawn space to be reserved as a children's park. BACHELORS AND SPINSTERS By reason of the fact that in the third block of buildings there will be a large proportion of single rooms, for the sske of convenience, it is described on the sketch plans as 'the bachelors' and spinsters' building.' Suites of rooms for married couples will be included in this building, but children will be excluded from it. This building will comprise a ground and first floors, an exterior promen ade, 132ft. in length, a mezzanine floor, end a basement. It will pro vide accommodation for 108 guests, and the male staff will be housed in the basement. The services proposed to be pro vided by the hotel include a small gymnasium, tennis court, garage, cen tral laundry, and small hire laundries on each residential, floor. Special attention, it is stated, is to be paid, to the provision of bathrooms throughout the hotel, which will num ber 51, or approximately one to every four guests. 

FINANCING OF SCHEME In a large measure the proposal to erec.t this hotel .has been inspired by the success of the Chevron Hotel in Melbourne. The Chevron, Brisbane, will be capitalised at £100,000 (nominal), and the issued capital will be £75,000 (to be expended on the purchase of land, erection of buildings, and purchase of furnishings). The Brisbane Permanent Building and Banking Co., Ltd., has undertaken to advance to the company £30,000 on the security of a first mortgage deben ture over the company's undertaking. The directors of the company are Mr. T. L. Jones, Dr. C. A. Thelander, and Colonel F. W. G. Annand. Mr. C. A. Byrne, of Messrs. A. J. Jones and Byrne, company secretaries, who purchased the site of the proposed hotel from the trustees of the late Mr. Peter Murphy, will vend the property to the company. Mr. Arthur W. F. Bligh, architect, of Brisbane, has been instructed to proceed with the preparation of plans and specifications, and it is anticipated that, when the first action of this work is completed, in about six weeks  time, an immediate start will be made with the building operations. In the meantime Mr. Bligh will pro ceed to Melbourne to gain the latest ideas of the equipment of a private hotel.

PROPOSED CHEVRON HOTEL. — The three units of the Chevron private non-licensed hotel proposed to ue erected on land facing Hamilton Road Hamilton. The larger of the two buildings on the left and on the higher elevation will contain the hotel dining room, main lounge, and kitchen while the building- on the lower level will be a family section. The large building on the right has been designed as bachelors' and spinsters1' residential block. The architect is Mr. Arthur W. F. Bligh.