Named after William Gladstone, the British statesman known as the “Grand Old Man,” the hotel was a substantial brick building located on the north-eastern corner of Mitchell and Richard Streets in Bourke.
In 1888, the licensee was Joseph Donohoe, a stock dealer and alderman, who had previously managed Murphy’s Family Hotel for three years. Donohoe set up the Gladstone after acquiring and renovating the former Bourke Club House Hotel, which had earlier been the Commercial Bank. He successfully ran the hotel until 1901, when he transferred his efforts to the Telegraph Hotel.
During Donohoe’s time at the Gladstone, he formed a close friendship with Dr. Sides, a local doctor known for his imposing stature, standing over six feet tall. It was not uncommon to see the doctor, still in his pyjamas, walking to the Gladstone to share a drink with Donohoe. Dr. Sides had rooms at the Towers Drug Co. building, a two-story structure that still stands today, further cementing his connection to the hotel.
After Donohoe, the licence passed through a series of owners, primarily members of the Warmoll family in the early 1900s. First Charles Warmoll, then James Warmoll, and later Charles Bernard James Warmoll held the licence, before James Hackett took over in 1919.
Over time, the Gladstone transitioned away from its role as a hotel. It was repurposed as a store, and later became a boarding house. However, by 1953, the building had fallen into disrepair and was officially condemned, marking the end of its long and varied history.
The Pubs & Breweries of Bourke
From its earliest days Bourke has always had a reputation as a drinking town and it’s no wonder as it was, in fact, founded by publicans!