Looking Back history feature: Corrimal’s celebrated barmaid

Corrimal Family Hotel C1905

By MICK ROBERTS ©.

ABOUT the same time as the Corrimal Hotel opened for business over 110 years ago, quite a lot of excitement was being created by “a small coterie of feminine busybodies” to abolish the barmaid, according to the Australian Brewers Journal of 1902.

Barmaids have been an institution in Australian pubs since the early days of colonisation with publicans always eager to employ good-looking women behind their bars for various reasons. Some were engaged simply for their ability to arouse more than a thirst, but the ones that lasted were hard working down to earth women, that could handle most treatment dished out by fouled-mouthed drunken customers. These women were (and continue to be) special people, whom often were under-appreciated, underestimated, underpaid and overworked.

A year after the Corrimal Family Hotel was licensed on the corner of Railway Street and Princes…