Sir John Franklin Hotel, Kapunda

The local pub has long been the logical place for the community to celebrate a great victory and to mourn a painful loss. And here at the Sir John Franklin Hotel in the main street of Kapunda they've done both for a very long time. Built by an ex-convict, James Whittaker one hundred and fifty years ago this pub has played a part in some of the nation's most fascinating sagas, including the maritime disaster which claimed the life of its first owner. "In 1859, James decided he'd like to attend the Spring Racing Festival in Melbourne and he decided he would take the trip over on the steamship the Admella and he came into the hotel here because by that stage he had licensed it out to somebody else and he decided that because he was going by sea he would read out a copy of his will in the bar here. Which he promptly did." "So he stood on the bar here and read his will?" "Well a lot of people had pestered him about he fact that he was travelling by sea. Has he made a will which he promptly said yes I have. Everyone pestered him to read it which he promptly did and then he ripped it up." Not a smart move, as Postcards explained earlier this year the Admella was at the centre of one of the country's most harrowing maritime tales. " Laden with copper bars from Kapunda she was in one of the worst storms and was thrown by the storm on to the reef." James Whittaker was to drown on the third day without a will. So began an eighteen year legal battle, taken up by a young lawyer named Samuel Way, later to become Chief Justice of South Australia. The estate finally went to Whittaker's brother in America and now descendants of his family have commissioned this memorial plaque to be mounted on the front of the Sir John Franklin pub. But the plaque tells only a part of the Sir John Franklin story.

It was also associated with another hear rending saga that of the explorers Burke and Wills. "McKinlay's expedition came through Kapunda, stayed here at the Sir John Franklin Hotel went onto Coopers Creek and their job was to recover the bones of Burke and Wills. They relocated the bones of Burke and Wills packed them in boxes, brought them back on camels and brought them here to the Sir John Franklin Hotel." It's a pub which has also played it's part in the State's political life and the development of a particular turn of phrase. "The very first time that the Riot Act was read here in South Australia it was read from the he balcony of the Sir John Franklin Hotel." Late last century Kapunda was a fairly rough and ready place with a volatile mix of nationalities. One day that ethic cocktail exploded into violence in the town's main street following the declaration of a local poll. "It was the police superintendent Mr Quelly at the time who actually came up to Kapunda and read the Riot Act probably to four to five hundred people who were mulling out in the street out there." The Sir John Franklin Hotel is in the main street of Kapunda about ninety kilometres from Adelaide.

Meals are available 7 days a week in the dining room or front bar. Facilities include SKY Channel, TAB, EFTPOS and a gaming room featuring 26 Poker Machines. Accomodation is also available with single, double and twin rooms available at very reasonable rates. You can contact the Sir John Franklin Hotel on (08) 8566 3233.

For more information you can email info@postcards-sa.com.au