Established in

1841

The Lord is Sydney’s oldest continually licensed hotel still trading within its original fabric

On 29th June 1831 a man named Richard Phillips obtained a liquor licence for the Shipwright Arms on the north-east corner of Kent and Argyle streets. The next year, because of the support of the seafarers and the workers on Observatory Hill, he changed the name to The Sailor's Return. In 1838 Phillips sold to a plasterer, William Wells, who lived on the opposite corner in a two - storey colonial home he built in 1836 using sandstone blocks quarried from the area at the base of Observatory Hill. Wells continued to operate the pub opposite his home firstly as the Sailors Return, and in 1840 as the Quarryman's Arms.

In 1841 he sold The Quarrymans Arms and on 1st May 1841 he obtained a liquor licence for his home, which he had been slowly converting to a Hotel since March 1840. He called the hotel The Lord Nelson. The Wells family operated the pub for the next 30 years and the property stayed in family ownership for a further 18.

A photograph of the hotel taken in 1852, during the tenure of the Wells family, was used to complete a restoration of the building to its former grandeur in 1986. The Brewery was then added (including the addition of the word Brewery to the façade) and a significant upgrade to the Accommodation was undertaken in the 1990’s, giving us the pub as it is today.

Brewing for almost half a century

In 1986, The Lord was taken over by its current custodians, including Managing Director Blair Hayden. With the aid of an 1852 photograph the new custodians took a beautiful old pub and completed its restoration it to its former Colonial glory. A stunning sandstone façade was revealed along with many convict made chisel marks on the locally quarried stone.

In keeping with the ambience of the architecture the new custodians were inspired to create beers in the style of the traditional English style ale with no added sugar and extremely full flavoured – instead of lager as made by the big Brewers dominating the market.

A microbrewery or 'craft' brewery was built in the back area of the bar and cellar and the rest is history. Almost half a century in fact.

175 years of the lord - ‘made by hand’

175 years of the lord -
‘made by hand’

175 years
of the lord - ‘made by hand’

William Wells

Original Licensee

Raconteur, highway robber and reformed bootlegger, convict turned gentleman publican, William Wells, built The Lord as his primary residence (what a home!), after running his first pub, the Kings Rams in George Street, Parramatta, upon being granted a ticket of leave in 1827. In 1836, he cancelled his license for the Kings Rams, and moved to The Rocks to construct a 2 storey colonial home, using sandstone blocks quarried from the area at the base of Observatory Hill.

In 1838, he purchased a pub licence for the Quarryman’s Arms Hotel (originally the Sailors Return), opposite his home, before in 1841 selling The Quarrymans Arms and on May 1st of that year, obtaining a liquor licence for his home, which he had been slowly converting to a Hotel since March 1840. On June 6 1842 this stately Georgian home became The Lord Nelson Hotel.

Named for the famous British Admiral, hero to many of the age, the Wells family remained operating The Lord until 1888 and the rest as they say, is history… Continually licensed since that day in May 1841, The Lord has been a home and a comfort to many ever since!

What a vision. We wouldn't be here today without it.