More than the story of a hotel, Seventy Years of Cheers! is a social history of the suburb of Mount Hawthorn. The book begins with a general history of the area, acknowledging Aboriginal occupation and land use before gradual European settlement. It follows the first land grant, and describes the stages of development of the suburb before moving into the actual development of the site for the hotel, the corner of Scarborough Beach Road (previously North Beach Road) and Fairfield Street, Mount Hawthorn.
Originally named the Mount Hawthorn Hotel, it was built and opened in 1932 during the Depression and began as a 'corner pub'. According to popular opinion, the hotel was, and still is, a focal point of the community. Interviews with ex-patrons, publicans, and others connected to the hotel offer an insight into suburban life across the decades. Many amusing anecdotes bring to life its dramatic moments and often colourful past.
An architectural history . . .
The architect of the building, Michael Cavanagh FRAIA, of Cavanagh & Cavanagh, believed that 'the goal of an architect is to build something so well that it becomes the property of everyone and the cherished heritage of future generations'. His goal was to design a building so well that future generations would 'revere and not demolish it'.
Cavanagh's original 1930 plans for the interwar free classical design are reproduced in the book with internal and external features of the finished building described.
Over the decades the hotel has undergone several renovations and the architectural history of the building is presented with relevant architects' drawings. In 1987 the hotel's name was changed to the Paddington Ale House and since then it has been restored to its former splendour, and extended, to meet the needs of a diverse clientele. It now offers quaint charm with modern refurbishment.
Cavanagh's architectural ideals were achieved. The hotel was included on the Town of Vincent's Heritage Inventory in 1995, a listing which has encouraged its preservation, and ensured its existence as the heart and soul of Mount Hawthorn for decades to come.
Soft cover, 128 pages, colour and black and white photographs, subdivision maps, architects' drawings, endnotes, references, list of contributors.
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