Albion Hotel, Light Square, 1910

State Library Catalogue Reference: B 3845

The former Albion Hotel on the north-western corner of Light Square. The hotel was licensed from 1839-1871. This shows the building in 1910 and in the first stages of demolition. When the landlord, John Lamb, was seeking renewal of his license in 1867 before the Bench of Magistrates the following was reported in the Register newspaper:

'John Lamb, Albion Hotel Morphett-street Adelaide.Mr. Bruce, in this case, presented a memorial signed by the Revs. S. Mead and J. Pollitt Jones Brothers. J. P. Merchant, J. S. Bagshaw and others, opposing the granting of a licence to Mr. Lamb, and calling attention to the gross nuisance caused by persons of ill-fame at the Albion Hotel as well as of some others resident in the vicinity, the conduct of such being of a nature to render it impossible for any respectable female to pass to North Adelaide from the west end of the city by the Morphett street Bridge, and inconsequence they had to go round by King William-Street; also, asking that stringent measures should be taken to put a stop to the disgraceful and immoral scenes witnessed in the neighbourhood, not only on week-days, but also on Sunday, causing great annoyance to persons on their way to church. A report from Detective Brennan was read, in which he stated that he had visited the Albion nightly, and he was bound to say in justice to Mr. Lamb that he had done his best to keep good order in the house. In fact his conduct in repressing disturbances had lost him much custom, as many of the bad characters left his place and went elsewhere, where less restrictions were put upon them. The conduct of the prostitutes in Light-square was always bad when not repressed by the police. Mr. Lamb had also given him every assistance in trying to discover robberies in the neighbourhood. '
South Australian Register, Tuesday 12 March 1867, page 3

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