The Victoria Hotel has a proud tradition of being a workers' pub in working class East Orange.
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But its heritage extends far beyond the current building opened in 1922 next to the railway on Summer Street.
Orange and District Historical Society historian Ross Maroney said 'The Vic' has links to Orange's first hotel.
Mr Maroney said the first hotel was built on the other side of town near the Greengate corner and backed onto the Duntryleague property.
Known as the Coach and Horses Inn it was set up by John Peisley about 1844 but later moved to Bathurst Road.
"For some reason he moved over to where the Vic is," Mr Maroney said.
There was no railway line then. It was almost fronting Peisley Street
- Ross Maroney, historian
"The original hotel was set further back off the road. There was no railway line then. It was almost fronting Peisley Street," he said.
It was known as Peisley's Inn and the Coach and Horses and it is believed to have changed its name to the Victoria Hotel around 1880.
However the single-storey timber structure was past its prime by the 1920s when the current brick building was constructed.
Early photos taken by Tooths Brewery travelling inspectors and now part of the ANU/Noel Butlin Archives collection show the building had elaborate verandahs fronting Summer Street and the railway line.
The inspectors recorded details of their visits on yellow cards.
They show trade doubled in the first three years.
M.J. Buckley was the first licensee before J.J. Ryan took it over in 1925 to begin a long family association with the pub.
An inspector gave a brief description of it in 1925.
"Brick, good appearance, just over railway crossing on Sydney Road, out of business centre of town," he wrote.
In 1930 it was noted there were seven hotels within 400 metres.
Eliza Agnes Ryan took over as licensee in 1948 with J.J. Ryan listed as deceased.
She continued as licensee through the 1950s, including when 10pm closing was introduced in 1955 and the lifting of restricted free house trading in 1956.
The next big change was in 1961 when it was recorded 150,000 pounds had been spent on renovating the hotel, including removing the verandahs.
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