“The Oriental” – “Albert Hall”, Glenelg

Built 1878 for William Kyffin Thomas, purchased 1880 by William Pile who added a ballroom, became Oriental Guest House 1918, backpackers hotel 1982, converted 1990s to 3 apartments, building now known as Albert Hall. The road along the sea front south of Jetty Rd was originally known as Albert Terrace or Seawall. Closed to vehicles by the Council 1918, it was renamed South Esplanade in 1932.

 

“A fine house is in course of construction for Mr. W. K. Thomas on Albert-terrace, for which Mr. D. Miller is the contractor. The new building, which consists of a basement and two stories, will contain 20 rooms, and will be very elegantly finished.” [Register 1 Jan 1878]

 

“A large house erected by the late Mr. W. K. Thomas on the esplanade was finished about midwinter.” [Register 1 Jan 1879]

 

“Correspondence. . . From W. Kyffin Thomas, acknowledging receipt of the letter from the Town Clerk which requested him to have his land at the north west corner of the Saltram property covered with seaweed to prevent the sand from drifting from the property on to Kent-street. He stated that he had already taken steps to comply with the wish of the Council, and he had done so with the greater promptitude because he inferred that it was the intention of the Council to form and metal the road. . . and trusted that the Council would also have the Esplanade (Albert terrace) formed and gravelled as soon as possible. A portion of the road — called, he believed, St. John's-road — at the rear of the grounds fronting Albert-terrace required forming and metalling, and if it were necessary that contributions should be made by adjoining landowners to meet the expense he (Mr. Thomas) was prepared to pay his part in proportion to his frontage to the road.” [Register 19 Apr 1878]

 

“Wanted, a Good Laundress. Apply to Mrs. W. K. Thomas, Albert-terrace, Glenelg.” [Register 15 Jun 1878 advert]

 

“Wanted, a Needlewoman. . Apply Mrs. William Pile, Seawall, Glenelg.” [Register 15 Dec 1881 advert]

 

“PILE. — [Birth] On the 11th April, Seawall, Glenelg, Mrs. William Pile, of a daughter.” [Register 14 Apr 1883]

 

“Wanted, a Nursery Housemaid. Apply Mrs. W. Pile, Seawall, Glenelg,” [Register 15 Mar 1894 advert]

 

“The committee of the Nurses' Fund are not likely to have any difficulty in selecting enough nurses to go to South Africa. . . and assist in helping our wounded soldiers back to health. Among the many with this noble aspiration was Miss May Pile, a daughter of Mr. William Pile, of Glenelg.” [Express & Telegraph 8 Feb 1900]

 

“Nurses For South Africa. . . This afternoon the six ladies who have been selected to go to South Africa as nurses will leave for Melbourne, where they will join the steamer Australian which leaves for Cape Town on Wednesday. . . For some time it was doubted whether the War Office required nurses. . . Many of them volunteered to go without pay and to pay their own expenses, and one of these — Miss May Pile, of Glenelg — when she found that she would not be chosen generously donated £60 to the fund.” [Advertiser 19 Feb 1900]

 

“The Bushmen's Contingent are having quite a round of farewell entertainments. . . Mr. William Pile, of Glenelg, is giving them an afternoon tea. . . It will really take the form of a garden party when music, croquet, tennis, billiards, and games of all sorts will form the afternoon's programme. Mr. Pile's beautiful house and grounds on the sea wall is an ideal spot for such an entertainment.” [Critic, Adelaide 3 Mar 1900]

 

“Glenelg. To be opened shortly as High Class Boarding Establishment, ‘The Oriental’, Seawall, (Formerly Rurua), Newly renovated and furnished throughout. Mrs. Morgan.” [Advertiser 19 Nov 1918 advert]

 

“Wanted for High-class Boarding Establishment, opening at Glenelg. Woman Chef; good wages to competent person.— ‘The Oriental’, 16, Seawall. Glenelg.” [Advertiser 25 Nov 1918 advert]

 

“Wanted, immediately, good Housemaid-Waitress.— Mrs. Morgan, ‘The Oriental’, Seawall, Glenelg.” [Advertiser 3 Jan 1919 advert]

 

“At the Oriental, Sea Wall. Glenelg has Beautifully Furnished Double Room Vacant. Mrs. Morgan.” [Advertiser 26 Mar 1919 advert]

 

“Oriental, 16 Seawall. Magnificent position, luxurious dining room; perfect home for Paying Guests. Entirely under New Management.” [Saturday Journal 6 Oct 1923 advert]

 

“Auction. . . By direction of Mrs. Milburn and Mrs. Place, the latter of whom is leaving for England:— The Well-Known and Highly Esteemed Seawall Guest Home. ‘The Oriental’, Glenelg. To Be Sold Walk-in, Walk-out, completely furnished and equipped for the conduct of a highclass Boarding Establishment. . . 25 Rooms, , including a wonderful Dining Hall (a truly magnificent apartment, with handsome Marble Mantel and special Stained Floor). . . all rooms being fully booked up until well on into April.” [Register 18 Oct 1924 advert]

 

“At the Oriental Guest Home. 16 Seawall. Balcony room, winter tariff.” [Advertiser 16 Jun 1936 advert]

 

“Auction. . . The Oriental Guest Home. . . Unsurpassed Location. . . an Imposing structure in well executed stonework, with verandah and balcony along its facade from which an uninterrupted view of the foreshore and Gulf is obtained, and contains lower Gound, Ground and First Floors. There are in all, 25 rooms, including Dining Room of most Dignified Proportions (previously a ballroom), domestic offices, bathroom facilities, and in addition, detached servants' quarters and garaging. Although the Oriental has been conducted successfully as a first class guest home for a number of years. It also has Distinct Potentialities for adaptation to full development for First Class Flats.” [Advertiser 14 Apr 1951 advert]

 

“The Oriental guest home, Seawall, Glenelg, was passed in after £12,000 had been bid at auction in Adelaide yesterday. . . negotiations for the purchase of the 26-roomed property were going on.” [Advertiser 3 May 1951]

 

“Housemaid wanted, live in or out. Oriental Guest House, Glenelg.” [Advertiser 5 Jan 1952 advert]

 

WILLIAM KYFFIN THOMAS

“THOMAS.— [Died] On the 4th July, at his residence, Glenelg. William Kyffin Thomas, aged 56 years.” [Register 5 Jul 1878]

 

“Mr. William Kyffin Thomas. . . was the second son of the late Mr. Robert Thomas, one of the original proprietors of the Register. He was born at Fleet street, in London, on November 4, 1821. . . The family were of Welsh extraction, having come from the neighbourhood of Llanymynach in Montgomeryshire, in North Wales. Mr. Thomas was educated at a grammar school in Rickmansworth, a small town in Hertfordshire. . . Mr. Thomas's life is so closely interwoven with the history of the Register. . . sailed from England in the Africaine. . . several months when he was away at the Victorian diggings in 1852, and of a longer interval about ten years before that date, when he for a time engaged in agricultural pursuits. . . Justice of the Peace. . . Councillor for Grey Ward in 1863. . . Aborigines Mission, the Bushmen's Club, Union College. . . Flinders-street Baptist Church. . . he leaves besides a widow and nine children — three sons and six daughters — and twenty grandchildren. His eldest daughter died rather more than three months ago, and two other children died in infancy.” [Register 5 Jul 1878]

 

WILLIAM PILE

“PILE.— [Died] On the 20th May, at Somerton, Glenelg, William Pile.” [Advertiser 22 May 1916]

 

“Pastoralist and Sportsman. . . Mr. William Pile. . . was a brother of Mrs. McKinley, widow of the explorer. The late Mr. Pile, who was 75 years of age, was a son of the late Mr. James Pile, of Gawler. The latter came out to South Australia about 67 years ago, and shortly afterwards took up land on the Darling, in partnership with McKinley, the explorer. He obtained Cuthero and Polia Stations. . . Deceased was for about 36 years a resident of Glenelg, and also had a small farm at Plympton. . . Mrs. Pile, who predeceased her husband a couple of years ago, was a daughter of Mr. McLean, the original owner of Polia. Deceased's daughters are Miss Pile, Mrs. John Tennant Love, and Mrs. Dan Cudmore, of Queensland. There are three sons — Lieut. W. Pile, who is at the front, Charles, and Allen, of Somerton.” [Register 22 May 1916]

 

“Mr. William Pile owned the Melbourne Cup winner The Assyrian, the Australian Cup winner First Water, and other noted horses. After retiring from the turf Mr. Pile distinguished himself as a member of the Adelaide Gun Club, and occupied his spare time with his farm at Morphettville. His pigeon tower is a familiar landmark to all who travel on the Glenelg railway line and who frequent the Morphettville racecourse.” [Advertiser 22 May 1916]

 

ALBERT TERRACE

“The threat made by Mrs. Burford, a ratepayer residing on Albert Terrace, to force the council to open the Terrace to vehicular traffic, is one which will, we feel sure, find little support from those other ratepayers fortunate enough to own property fronting such a picturesque outlook as is provided by the beautifully-kept lawns and footway. . . two or three years ago Albert Terrace was one of the most desolate spots along the whole of the sea frontage. It was nothing more or less than a veritable sand-heap, overrun by weeds and bushes. . . the council decided that if the Terrace was to be transformed into a ‘thing of beauty’, then one of the first essentials was to stop all vehicular traffic along it.” [Glenelg Guardian7 Feb 1918]

 

“Mrs. Burford Explains. . . Many years ago, when the Glenelg Council wished permanently to close the esplanade to vehicular traffic, I together with other residents, strongly objected on principle, it being a public roadway, and as such no council had the right to close it.” [Glenelg Guardian 28 Feb 1918]

 

“During the season many visitors flock these parts, for the reason, among others, that the Council has closed Albert Terrace (south of jetty), and the North Esplanade only remains for motors and other vehicles.” [Glenelg Guardian 20 Feb 1919]

 

“The whole of the streets in Glenelg bearing two or more names have been renamed, so that one name only designates each street in future. There is but one exception. Albert-terrace is to be known by that name as far as Pier-street, and thence towards Brighton will be known as South Esplanade.” [Advertiser 14 Mar 1923]

 

“Glenelg Town Council. . . it was decided that Esplanade South, from Pier St. southwards, be renamed Albert Terrace.” [Glenelg Guardian 19 Jun 1924]

 

“Mr. Charles Moore, a ratepayer residing at 36 Albert Terrace, wrote as under:— 36 Sea Wall, or South Esplanade, or Albert Terrace, January 5th, 1925. [to] The Town Clerk, Glenelg. Dear Sir — I desire to bring under the notice of your Council the confusion arising from the frequent changes in the name of this thoroughfare. When I came here some four years ago this house was known as 32, Sea Wall, and was so given in directories, telephone guides, etc. Later when the re-numbering took place it was changed to 36. No sooner, however, had we came used to the new number, when this portion of the front became ‘South Esplanade’. . . After just allowing time for us to notify our friends, and have some new stationery headings printed, we suddenly and without warning blossomed into ‘Albert Terrace’. . . respectfully suggest that ‘Sea Wall’ or ‘Esplanade’, either of which is well known and self explanatory. . . Mr. Moore has been informed that the Council cannot do anything at present in regard to the matter.” [Glenelg Guardian 22 Jan 1925]

 

“Glenelg Council. . . a memorial from residents of Albert Terrace to have that handsome boulevard changed to South Esplanade, made such an eloquent appeal that the request was granted without a demur.” [Glenelg Guardian 16 Mar 1932]

 

Done