Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1897, Wellington

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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Commercial Hotel (Thomas Taylor, proprietors corner of Mulgrave and Main Streets, Ashurst. Bankers, [gap — reason: illegible] Bank of New Zealand. The Commercial Hotel was erected and established by Mr. Thomas Nelson in 1890. It was built from plans by Mr. Beard, architect, Messrs. Rimmer and Craven being the builders. It is a two-stall structure of wood and iron, con taining twenty-two rooms, of which thirteen are bedrooms, there being four sitting-rooms, besides a commercial and dining-room. Behind the hotel is a good six-stall stable and two loose boxes. Mr Taylor is a native of Wiltshire. He was brought up to farming from eight to seventeen years of age, and subsequently learned brewing in Reading, Berkshire. Leaving the brewing trade after eighteen months, he entered the service of the Great Western Railway at Reading, and was transferred to the Paddington Station, London, as porter. He came to New Zealand per ship “E. P. Bouverie,” arriving in Wellington in 1873. Mr. Taylor has had varied experiences on the West Coast goldfields, also in Wellington in various capacities. For eight years he was farming at Mount Albert, Newtown. Before settling in Ashurst, host Taylor had the Panama Hotel, Wellington, for about eighteen months. Mr. Taylor is very solicitous for the comfort of all travellers who patronise the “Commercial.”