Series 02: Alan Gibson Stewart papers, 1987-1989 - Page 711
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to mark distance to far flung parts of the new colony.
The bars of the little pub were crowded by a mixture of humanity which typified the Australian ethos. Money managers in dark blue suits rubbed shoulders with wharf labourers in dark blue singlets and shorts. All could be seen having a few beers with their mates. Many a financial deal was sealed with a round of drinks. In the back bar Charles Kingsford-Smith and his friends were said to have planned their epic flights across the Pacific.
A newer generation brought more civilized drinking habits. Men and women mixed freely, spilling out of the pub, and enjoing their drinks and sandwiches under the tree in the Place. Workers spent their lunchtimes there, or called in for refreshments on their way down through the trees. The little green triangle was a haven from the bustle of the crowded city.
Kevin Grimm leased the Customs House hotel from the Joint Coal Board, which owned it and several adjoining buildings forming the western side of Macquarie Place. They had also aquired buildings in adjacent Pitt Street and Bulletin Place, so that a large site could be formed by amalgamation of lots.
The Premier had just visited Tokyo, where he had