Palace Hotel, Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340019)
Rockingham, Australia
September 19, 2018 12:19am CST
The photo I’ve used here is of the Ravensthorpe Hotel in south-east Western Australia. It is typical of the hotels of that era (early 1900s) with its wide verandahs and corner position. A great many small country towns have buildings very similar to this. The towns were once buzzing with activity and might have supported a number of hotels but of course nowadays many of them are struggling to survive.
The bedrooms on the top floor all opened out to the balcony and there was no such thing as ensuites – just men’s and women’s bathrooms. However there was an upstairs toilet. The poor old ‘night-cart man’ had to carry the loaded toilet pan down the fire escape to his cart. Once he slipped and dropped the pan which spilt all over the outside stairs. He then threw up and the story is still told today. Very funny if you weren’t the one with the pan.
When my husband was first transferred to the town in the bank, he boarded at the hotel. As there wasn’t much to do for entertainment, he earnt extra money by serving behind the bar from time to time. It is still a great looking building don’t you think?
21 people like this
21 responses
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep 18
@compslick Yes, we are all used to having our own bathrooms now aren't we?
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (13022)
• Ireland
19 Sep 18
@juduev that's indeed a fine looking building. Reminds me of a lot of British and French colonial buildings. I remember some like it in Africa and it's very like a hotel we stayed at in 1970 in Mozambique before heading down to South Africa to catch a boat to Australia. I like a building with a verandah.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
For many years most Australian homes had verandahs and many still do. Before air-conditioning and burglars, people would sleep on their verandahs during the summer.
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
19 Sep 18
I love the look of it- it really does give you the feel of yesteryear. Would not like the night-carts job for sure! Eww! haha!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep 18
@MarymargII I've posted it now. I hope you'll like this one too. 
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
20 Sep 18
@JudyEv That would be fun as I really liked your last story on myLot.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep 18
@compslick There is a good view of the countryside from up on the balcony.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87806)
• Bangalore, India
19 Sep 18
The story is a funny one. The hotel looks beautiful. It is a good looking building indeed.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87806)
• Bangalore, India
19 Sep 18
@JudyEv I like to stay in such old era buildings that have been turned into hotels.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
@arunima25 Yes, it can be fun to stay in such an old, genteel place.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180764)
• United States
19 Sep 18
Yes, it almost looks like something from the old West. What a disgusting job...pan man!
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
19 Sep 18
It looks really lovely and old hotels have their character apart from this mishaps that can happen.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
19 Sep 18
@JudyEv
Has a posh look about it.
I like it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
It may not be air-conditioned as it is such a big, old building. It has very high ceilings and plenty of windows but it is only cold in winter. In summer, it would be very hot.
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep 18
@compslick It isn't but @SIMPLYD thought it was. We have very hot summers.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
19 Sep 18
grreat building hopefully with better en-suite facilities now
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
21 Sep 18
@JudyEv almost certainly - not sure if guests would like to be literally put in 19th century living conditions
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Sep 18
@arthurchappell I can't imagine anyone taking on the job of emptying toilet pans nowadays.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
24 Sep 18
A beautiful vintage structure. Very Aussie.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
19 Sep 18
Indeed it is still a beautiful building though very quiet around it, no activity, few people and few cars.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
There were more people down the street waiting for a parade which was coming. But it is never very busy.
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
@ilocosboy Yes, there was a Spring Festival and Wildflower Show.
@allknowing (136446)
• India
20 Sep 18
You could have kept that pan story under wraps while talking about this beautiful hotel
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
19 Sep 18
Yeah it's a good looking building, I wonder how much the night cart man got paid lol!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121586)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Sep 18
We still have a few buildings like that in our historic downtown area. Most of those buildings are now bars and restaurants.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Sep 18
Yes I do. The toilet deal i something nasty, I would hate to have done that job.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Sep 18
Yes, I hope they got paid adequately for their trouble but I don't suppose they did.
