Bottle Alley

An article in the Queensland Times on Friday 30 April 1920 titled New Pathway, Connecting Link with Nicholas and Ellenborough Streets, 'Bottle Alley' Lane reads:

Probably before this week is ended the new pathway between Nicholas and Ellenborough-streets will be open to public thoroughfare (writes "Red Gum"). Since the construction works in connection with the erection of the new railway Station on a site between Waghorn and West-street, the whole disposition of Ellenborough-street has been altered out of all sight of a few years ago, and included in alteration was the pulling down of the overbridge which extended across the railway line from Union-street to Ellenborough-street, thus giving a continuous thoroughfare from the present railway station or Nicholas-street to those who resided on or had business with, the West End or Woodend, or to the worshippers of St. Mary's Church who lived in the East Ward. This overbridge had been in use for some 41 years. Previous to its erection there was a roadway right through from Nicholas to Ellenborough-street, this thoroughfare having been, previous to the erection of the original railway erected facing Ellenborough-street, made by the Government of that day, after having been purchased what was then private property owned by the late Mrs. Malcolm McLean, an esteemed lady resident of Nicholas-street in the "good old days," and mother of Messrs James and John McLean, of Limestone-street. This road was utilised by Messrs. Cobb and Co.'s coaches and other vehicular traffic for some 9 years ---- from 1865 to 1874. Previous to the commencement of the railway era in 1864, there was a lane -----styled "Bottle Alley"--between Nicholas and Ellenborough-streets, running right through the properties of the late Mr. William Vowles--now the site of Whitehouse's Cafe ---- which was formed for the convenience of the residents of Ellenborough-street to take a short cut into Nicholas-street, so doing away with the necessity of going round the North Star corner. Mr. William Vowles also owned the property opposite to what is now the Whitehouse Café, and there has nearly always been a public-house conducted thereon. At any rate, during the mid-fifties and in the latter part of the 50, and the early parts of the 60, decades the late Mr. William Thompson was the lessee of the hotel under the sign of the "Horse and Jockey." Hence, so the story goes, the reason for the lane being made through Mr. Vowles's property on the west side of Nicholas-street was for the convenience of customers living in Ellenborough and West-streets. Be that as it may, the "boys of the old Nicholas and Ellenborough streets' brigades" knew that old lane well, leading to which, from the Ellenborough-st., the parents of Mr. Charles Fleishmann resided on Mr. Vowles's property, the late Mr. John Fleishmann having carried on the business of a saddler there for some time. What memories of boyhood that "Bottle Alley" lane brings forward. As to Ellenborough-street, the first public house opened there was conducted on a site now occupied by the Ellenborough-street railway overbridge. This was during the latter part of the '40 decade. It was known as the Travellers 'Rest, so I was informed, the lessee having been the late Mr. Charles Watkins, who subsequently became a well-known identity as "Charlie Watkins." During the 60's he became an alderman, and was for many years associated with the Ipswich Hospital as its secretary. He was always a popular man. After having been a "pub," a ginger-beer factory, and what not, it became the office of the second newspaper published in Ipswich, which occurred on the 4th of July, 1859, and was named the "Ipswich Herald," merging eventually into the "Queensland Times" in October of 1861. Then came the railway era in 1864, the first terminal station having been erected in Ellenborough street. This was the pioneer railway station in this State. In Ellenborough-street, at this period, lived the late Mr. William Henderson and his family, he having been a well-known carrier of those days, and whose property faced the old railway station. Mr. William Henderson conceived the idea of erecting a substantial hotel, which idea was carried into effect and its erection was almost contemporaneous with the completion of the original railway station. On the two-storied brick building being finished, the late Mr. William Trotter---- one of the early building contractors of Ipswich, and who was responsible for the erection of the present Court-house in East-street in 1859--opened it as the "Commercial Hotel" during the latter half of 1866, he having had that license transferred from the one he has previously kept in Bell-street, to Ellenborough-street. The original brick Commercial Hotel disappeared in April of (1916?), and the present Commercial Hotel premises have taken its place. Ellenborough-street, as I have said, is entirely altered, and the Commercial Hotel is the only land-mark, a substantial one, by-the-way, now left to gaze upon!