In 1891, E A Peel sold the original Royal Hotel in Barcaldine to Joe and Margaret Edg. The Edg’s had held the licence since 1889 when it had become known as the Union Hotel. Mr Peel then purchased Emerson’s Hotel from Alfred Emerson and renamed it the Royal Hotel. The current Artesian Hotel was once called the Royal Hotel. Originally Emerson’s Hotel stood on the site, which, when pulled down in 1897, was replaced with the much grander Royal Hotel.
In April 1890 the hotel licence was transferred from Alfred Emerson to Esau Abbis Peel before Mr Peel succeeded Mr Emerson in the hotel bearing his name in February 1891. Mr Peel then pulled down some of the buildings in preparation for erecting new bedrooms, coffee room and other improvements.
On 30 December 1896 the Royal Hotel survived the great fire in the closely built main street of the town, although at one stage, with a high wind blowing it appeared as if the whole street would have gone up in flames. The contents of the hotel were bundled into the street in case the hotel burned. By then Mr Peel was in the new Exchange Hotel which adjoined the old Town Hall – both were destroyed in the fire.
By April 1897 the licence had been transferred from Peel to Page.
The old Royal Hotel was pulled down to make room for a handsome two-storey building in 1898, the work being undertaken by Messrs. Renshaw & Ricketts.
From about August 1897, Mr Joseph Campion held the Royal Hotel licence. He held it until 1901.
By July 1901 the license was transferred from Mr. Joseph Campion to Mr. Michael Lynch. Mr Lynch was licensee until his death in 1906 whereupon Anne Lynch took over the licence.
Mrs. Annie Lynch continued on as licensee until March 1923 when the license was transferred to her widowed daughter, Mrs. Annie Murnane, after 22 years of occupancy by the Lynch family.
March 1928 – Mr J P Vesper sold the freehold of the Royal Hotel property to the licensee, Mrs. Annie Murnane.
In 1934 the hotel was put up for sale again but did not sell. Annie held the licence until February 1935 when she retired and the new licensees took over – Harry and Mrs. Jessie Venus Davis.
Mrs. Jessie Venus Davis was the proprietor and licensee until April 1939 when the licence was transferred to Mr. Oliver Bull. In July 1939 Mr. Oliver Bull was on leave of absence and the manager was Miss Phyllis Ferguson.
August 1940 Mrs. Frederick Stanislaus Pedley was the licensee. Leave of absence for Mr. Frederick Stanislaus Pedley; Miss Violet Catherine Pedley in charge in November 1940.
22 August 1942 – Royal Hotel is for sale, described as ‘the front door key to the main street of Barcaldine’ in the sale advertisement in the Western Champion 20 October 1934. It gives a short description of the building:
‘Situated directly opposite the new Railway Station gates, Its position for a hotel site could not be improved upon. The freehold land itself has a total frontage of 88ft to Oak Street with a similar frontage to Ash Street at the back, the total depth from street to street being 330ft and the total area of land is 2 roods 26 perches. Upon the land stands a handsome two-storey building most complete in every respect, and all in splendid order. The main buildings occupy the whole frontage and the principal block has a depth of 86ft. The kitchen block is a detached structure 49ft by 15ft with the bedrooms upstairs, There are two shops on the main street frontage, one at each end of the hotel, and also a fully equipped standard billiard room’.
1949 Mr. Donald John Grant, licensee.
1958 Mr. Russell Beken, Mr. Douglas Edward Stegemann and Mrs. Juanita Hope Stegemann, Proprietors. Mr. Daniel Joseph Daly, licensee. Eileen Muriel Daly, Manager.
1963 Mr. Herbert Edward Warren, licensee. Mrs. Ivy Isabel Pearl Warren, Manager.
1968 Mr. Herbert Claude Francis, Proprietor.
1972 Mr. Lindsay Arthur Oakley, Licensee. Grace Madoline Oakley, Manager.
By 1976 the Royal Hotel was known as Bert’s Pub.
