Hello, how are you doing?
A couple of times recently, I’ve been asked about the history of the Terminus Hotel. As I explained, in response, I wrote about the Termi’s interesting past, a couple of years ago. Then, just last week, a reader called to say she had cut the article out, to keep, and now couldn’t find it.
So, given that the hotel’s past is a fascinating one, I’m going to revisit.
The early days of the Terminus Hotel
The hotel is one year younger than this newspaper. It first appeared in 1878 and was owned by the Coghlan family. When the railway arrived, just a couple of years later, it was renamed Coghlan’s Terminus Hotel.
Not much is known about the next 20 or so years but apparently all was well until early in the new century when the then licensee, James McDonald, was charged with selling adulterated whisky.
However, in 1915, things started to become very interesting indeed.
The fortune teller
The first thing to note — and it becomes important — is that the licensee, Margaret Anne Burnside, had a secret lover and was in the process of ending the relationship.
A popular fortune teller was Mrs Smith, who could be found ‘somewhere near the railway line’. Mrs Smith was telling her clients that there would be a fire or robbery connected with the Terminus, before Christmas. Mrs Burnside moved some of the furniture from the hotel, perhaps in anticipation.
One night, Patrick Mackie requested matches to light his pipe. The fire became a reality and Mr Mackie died as a result. Basil March pointed the finger at Mrs Burnside, saying she had admitted to lighting the fire. March was also a suspect but it was Mrs Burnside who was charged.
Melodrama and manslaughter
It was complex. The hotel was insured for 700 pounds but when the Burnsides requested more for the furniture, the insurance company refused. They became suspicious of their clients and the insurance was cancelled.
The serious charges against Mrs Burnside were finally dropped.
J.A.K. Clarke – architect
The hotel was redesigned by Clarke and rebuilt. It is unclear who owned the hotel at this point. However Bryant and Shiels sold all their local hotels in 1928 and the Termi was one of these, at that point in time.
The Stainsby family
The Houston family had arrived from Scotland in 1921 — and, in 1941, Agnes Houston took over the lease of the hotel and moved in with her husband and her daughter Margaret. Bob Stainsby was sent to Shepparton by the Postmaster General’s Department, in 1943, to oversee the building of Radio Australia. He stayed at the Termi, where he met — and married — Margaret. Mrs Stainsby took over as licensee in 1945.
There were major alterations to the building around 1938 — adding a first storey and changing the façade to classic art deco.
In 1955, there was another fire, damaging the dining room and kitchen; it was first noticed by small son Robert. The Stainsby family bought the freehold of the hotel in 1961.
Customers’ expectations of a hotel had changed dramatically since Clarke’s 1916 design — and the Stainsby family continued to improve the hotel to meet the needs of their clientele. Many of us will remember Pippins Wine Bar, which was opened in 1983. It was a meeting place like no other. The warm fire, comfy chairs and the company of friends and workmates; it was often difficult to find a seat.
In 2018, the hotel was taken over by Greg and Brooke Brassil.
The Ides of March
Sometimes I’m a bit slow on the uptake. I have just discovered a film that was made in 2011. And no! It has nothing to do with Rome.
This is not the kind of movie where, at the end, you find yourself humming a pleasant song and feeling that all is well with the world. This is strictly for those interested in politics, particularly of the American kind. The cast includes George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The story focuses on an idealistic young man, working for a United States presidential campaign. He gets a crash course in dirty politics — as do the viewers. I found myself unable to press the pause button to make a cup of coffee.
If you are at all interested, and you are as far behind as I am, you can find it on Stan, Prime or Apple TV.
The farmer finds a wife — yippee!
And along comes, yet again, a television show titled Farmer Wants a Wife. I didn’t watch it; it holds no interest for me. But I did check in, once a week, to see if the scenario remained the same.
How on earth do the producers of this show persuade up to 40 young Australian women, smart and attractive, to publicly humiliate themselves in this way. They are ‘evicted’ from the farmhouse, one at a time, until the farmer has one he is satisfied with.
Their publicity tells me that it is ‘a fun-filled Australian show’ and that 70 per cent of viewers watched it. Seems I’m in the minority once again!
This year — was it season 13? – there appeared to be a twist. At least two of the farmers went missing. It seems one had quickly found a lady he liked and left the show. Another, with three ladies left in his farmhouse, said “I can’t continue” and disappeared.
At the end, I think there were five women who appeared to be happy with their farmers. But what about the other 30 or 35? Was it ‘fun-filled’ for them? Are they richer for the experience? Or is their humiliation with them for a lifetime? They all said they were ‘looking for love’. But a couple of them were at uni and a couple had graduated; surely there had been opportunities to meet prospective partners. What on earth makes them do a show such as this one, which presents women as commodities. Here you go, farmer — take your pick!
What is even worse, we seem to be contaminating the planet; Farmer Wants a Wife USA is only in its second season. As is the Canadian version.
Thank you, Bluey
They are saying that this gentle little television show is one of our greatest exports. And now there is a tourism campaign, for Queensland, designed to bring an additional 1.3 million visitors to the state.
Of all I have seen and read about this children’s show, which adults love, there is one reported result that gives me a good laugh: they say that young American children are speaking with Australian accents — because Bluey does.
Finding gratitude
Things have not been easy in our household for five months, as we search for an accurate diagnosis of my husband’s illness and, therefore, some lasting cure. He will be better for a few days and then, back it comes. Getting out and about to chat with people has been difficult, sometimes impossible.
However, last week, I was able to meet with a lady who had been involved in retail in our city for several decades. We had coffee in her immaculate, shiny kitchen and chatted for some time. The conversation moved past our original topic and this admirable lady told me her pain-filled personal story. Like most of you, whenever I hear stories like this one, I want to do something; I want to offer solutions; I want to give whatever I can. But, in this case, there was nothing to be done — no solace to be offered. But then, I’d never heard a story like this one.
When I got to the car, I felt sad, of course. But I also felt something more difficult to explain. It was like ‘survivor’s guilt’ — as I imagine it to be. Why had all of this happened to one family? Why her and not me? It was some time before I could drive.
Then I remembered gratitude. Whenever I need them, I have our boys, who rally around like the loving people they are — and we have our grandchildren. Most of them live within a five-minute drive. I am indeed fortunate — and gratitude will do me more good than guilt.
I tell you this to remind us all. It is so easy to get a little lost in our problems and forget to be grateful for the many blessings.
God bless you. I hope the cost-of-living pressures aren’t biting too hard; I hope you are warm and comfortable throughout the coming winter; I hope you keep well to fight off the various viruses.
In short, my friends, may it be easy.
Marnie
Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au
Letter: Town Talk. The News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.
Phone: Send a text to 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back if you wish.)