Samuel Smale Craig
Samuel Smale Craig | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1802 Nether-Garrel, Kirkmichael, Scotland |
| Died | 1864 |
| Occupation(s) | Hotelier, early settler |
| Known for | Founder of the Castle Hotel in York, Western Australia |
Samuel Smale Craig (1802–1864) and his spouse Mary were among the early settlers in York, Western Australia, arriving in 1850. They founded the Castle Hotel, which remained under the management of the Craig family for 137 years.
Early life
Craig was born on a farm located in Nether-Garrel, Kirkmichael, Scotland, prior to 10 October 1802. He was the second son of John Craig and Henrietta Bell. At the age of 40, in 1842, he married Mary Anne Morton. According to family stories, Craig invented a mechanism that allowed street lamps to be lit and extinguished from the ground; however, no official patent documentation supports this claim.
Emigration
Having saved enough resources, Craig emigrated to the Swan River Colony, arriving aboard the ship Sophia on 27 July 1850. Upon settling, his middle name was altered from Smail to Smale. The Craigs quickly gained prominence within the community, demonstrated by their contribution of two guineas toward establishing an independent chapel in Fremantle. Their initial public engagement included a letter published in the Independent Journal criticizing the conduct of the ship’s Surgeon Superintendent.
York Hotel
On 25 November 1851, Craig took out a lease on the York Hotel from John Henry Monger Snr. Early conflicts involved a dispute over a horse sale used as payment for liquor debts. By May 1852, he obtained a liquor licence for the Agricultural and Commercial Hotel—believed to be the York Hotel—and announced planned enhancements later that year. In August 1853, Monger advertised the York Hotel for lease, implying that Craig had vacated the premises.
Castle Hotel
Craig constructed the Castle Hotel on land he purchased from Monger but encountered difficulties transferring the liquor licence. Magistrates (Meares and Cowan) held strong biases against him due to previous infractions, branding him "the most lawless man in the district" and unfit to hold a licence.
On 26 August 1854, Craig was penalized £10 for selling alcohol without a licence. Despite ongoing conflicts, he eventually obtained his licence. In October 1854, an incident involving Sunday alcohol sales triggered a riot that caused substantial damage. Although fined and at risk of losing his licence, Mary Craig’s intervention and community backing helped retain it.
In 1859, Craig provided bricks for constructing the York courthouse. By October 1862, he expanded his hotel but soon announced plans to retire due to health reasons and intended to lease and subsequently sell the establishment.
In 1863, following a £5 fine for violating the Publican's Ordinance, authorities in Perth initially declined to renew his licence despite acknowledging that the hotel was "the best appointed inn in the Colony." Opposition from locals centered on legal violations rather than the quality of the hotel itself, allowing Craig to keep his licence.
In 1864, Craig lost his liquor licence amid public debate concerning the hotel's standing. Joseph Monger—who had married Craig's daughter Mary Jane—temporarily assumed control of the licence.
A reported stabbing at “Craig’s public house” in September 1866 was later corrected after Craig objected, clarifying that it occurred elsewhere.
Craig and Mary continued managing the prosperous Castle Hotel until his death on 12 December 1869. The hotel represented a significant asset in their enterprise, with contemporaries such as William Marwick recognizing Craig as a notable financial figure.