IMPERIAL HOTEL
| The Imperial Hotel began its life as Hann’s Hotel in 1869, making it one of the later Victorian-era hotels built in Adelaide’s city centre. It was established by Asher Hann, who secured its license later that same year. Hann managed the hotel for just two years before selling it to William Borten, who renamed it the Imperial Hotel in 1871. In the 1870s, the Imperial marketed itself as a premier dining destination, proudly advertising its first-class chefs. The hotel also became a popular stop for explorers and gold prospectors heading to the Northern Territory, making it a vibrant hub of frontier ambition and colonial adventure. By the early 20th century, the Imperial had grown into a central venue for public celebrations and civic pride. It hosted major events marking the end of both World Wars, royal coronations, and other significant national moments. Its prominent location and welcoming atmosphere made it a natural gathering point for the people of Adelaide. However, as the decades passed, the hotel’s age and prime location began to work against it. With increasing development pressures and changing tastes, the Imperial Hotel was sold and demolished by the end of the 1950s.  1957 State Library [PRG 1662/9/59] |
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| HANN'S HOTEL | 1869 | 1871 |
| IMPERIAL HOTEL | 1871 | 1960 |
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c1875
State Library [B 4679]
c1880
State Library [B 62414/1/24]
c1896
State Library [PRG 631/2/1251]
1918
State Library [PRG 280/1/18/83]
c1925
State Library [B 75354]
Hotel site in 2025
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 5.001.H398.0010 |
 5.001.H398.0020 |
5.001.H398.0030
| Publican Name | Start Date | Finish Date | Hotel |
| Asher HANN | 1869 | 1870 | Hanns Hotel |
| William Robert BORTEN | 1870 | 1872 | Imperial Hotel |
| Henry James ELBURN | 1872 | 1875 | Imperial Hotel |
| William PECK | 1875 | 1875 | Imperial Hotel |
| John CRAMPTON | 1875 | 1875 | Imperial Hotel |
| Mrs Elizabeth OLIVER | 1875 | 1878 | Imperial Hotel |
| James REED | 1878 | 1881 | Imperial Hotel |
| Andrew George KYLE | 1881 | 1881 | Imperial Hotel |
| Mrs Mary HODGKINS | 1881 | 1882 | Imperial Hotel |
| Alick Eardley STACEY | 1882 | 1889 | Imperial Hotel |
| & Charles Tracey STACEY | 1882 | 1889 | Imperial Hotel |
| Mrs Kate PHILLIPS | 1889 | 1890 | Imperial Hotel |
| Thomas Deagon COWARD | 1890 | 1891 | Imperial Hotel |
| & William DEAGON | 1890 | 1891 | Imperial Hotel |
| Thomas Deagon COWARD | 1891 | 1896 | Imperial Hotel |
| John LORD | 1897 | 1908 | Imperial Hotel |
| Maurice George Frederick HULBERT | 1908 | 1912 | Imperial Hotel |
| John Henry FLANNAGAN | 1912 | 1932 | Imperial Hotel |
| William Henry FLANNAGAN | 1932 | 1933 | Imperial Hotel |
| Joseph E CHANDLER | 1933 | 1936 | Imperial Hotel |
| George Philip WAYMAN | 1936 | 1937 | Imperial Hotel |
| Robert George LEE | 1937 | 1938 | Imperial Hotel |
| Alfred Kitson AUSTIN | 1938 | 1940 | Imperial Hotel |
| Albert Edward MOYLE | 1940 | 1941 | Imperial Hotel |
| Thomas Matthew O’HALLORAN | 1941 | 1956 | Imperial Hotel |