The Centennial Hotel - Then and Now by onewing

The Centennial Hotel - Then and Now

During May, while I was doing the half and half theme photos, I still took photos on our various outings and this week I will be posting photos taken on a walk with our walking group in Newcastle on the 18 May.

We car pooled to Stockton and then took the ferry over to Newcastle and walked around the centre checking out various buildings of interest.

Here you see the Centennial Hotel then and now.

The Centennial was built in 1888 by Walter Sidney. I was pleased that I found the old photo of it on the Internet and also it shows how the transport has changed too in the last 130 years.
What a difference, and not for the good. The original building has so much character, I wonder what happened to the balcony.
June 6th, 2017  
Such lovely lattice work around the balcony of the older version of the hotel. I wonder if the balcony was removed for safety reasons.
June 6th, 2017  
I actually like different things about both these buildings, both lovely in their own right
June 6th, 2017  
Lovely comparison. I like the vehicle comparison as well....
June 6th, 2017  
I like the 'then' wonderful ironwork!
June 6th, 2017  
Wonderful building, great composition.
June 6th, 2017  
Lovely comparison. I was wondering what had happened to the balcony.
June 6th, 2017  
Great architecture shot.. pity all the fancy fretwork has gone...
June 6th, 2017  
Wonderful comparison Babs, for me its a pity the wrought iron has gone as it would have retained this beautiful buildings character:)
June 6th, 2017  
What a great idea. Makes me think about doing something similar for my local area
June 6th, 2017  
Terrific photo, always interesting looking at old buildings
June 6th, 2017  
Love these old buildings
June 6th, 2017  
What an absolute shame the balcony was removed. i must admit to a preference for the old style - classy..
Great looking diptych..
June 6th, 2017  
Lovely details and great history!!!
June 6th, 2017  
I really love the charm of the original building, it now looks rather bland :)
June 6th, 2017  
The original looks great, as others have said, so much character. The modern day is rather bland looking :/
June 6th, 2017  
A lovely comparison, Babs. It is a shame that the balconies and that beautiful ironwork have been removed, but at least the rest of the building has been preserved :)
June 6th, 2017  
@deborah63 @littleconnie @kjarn @cherrymartina @quietpurplehaze @tonygig @carole_sandford @julzmaioro @pcoulson @sarahlth @shellee @dawnee @jorlam @olenadole @hermann Thanks everyone. a few of you mentioned the balcony in the old photo and it missing in the new one. I don't know for sure, but it could be that the balcony was damaged in the 1989 earthquake in Newcastle and it could have been removed for safety reasons. A lot of the buildings in the centre of Newcastle were demolished and many restored. Can't find any reference to the Centennial though so my theory is just speculation.
June 6th, 2017  
A beautiful building. So glad it has been kept up and not torn down! I know the preservationists there are pleased.
June 6th, 2017  
It is a shame that the verandah has been removed. It was a beautiful building in its hay day,
June 6th, 2017  
Interesting reading what the others have said - it may be that earthquake that damaged the lovely ironwork on the balcony!
June 6th, 2017  
Great then and now shots...I like seeing the historical building without the iron balconies because all of the windows and architectural details are exposed.
June 6th, 2017  
Great idea and comparison capture Babs. :)
June 6th, 2017  
Love it
June 6th, 2017  
Great comparison, from what I can see it's only change is loosing the balconies, it's still a great bit of architecture!
June 6th, 2017  
Nice to see the facade has been mainly preserved
June 6th, 2017  
What a lovely building it was before the revamped. I am sure the new one is very nice inside but, in my opinion, it has lost some of its character on the outside.
June 6th, 2017  
lovely comparison!
June 6th, 2017  
Such a great idea to show 'then and now' shots. So interesting to view the changes in the building but also, as you mention in your description, the changes in transportation in the last 130 years. :-)
June 6th, 2017  
Great pic.`s to show the past and pressent.
June 6th, 2017  
The nice thing is that it looks substantially unaltered. I bet it's a bit different inside (well, one would hope so, anyway!!!)? Nice contrasting shot.
June 6th, 2017  
Great comparison shots!!
June 6th, 2017  
I really like the then and now photographs that you are positing.
June 6th, 2017  
What a beautiful old building, interesting to see the differences and indeed how much remains the same!
June 6th, 2017  
What a shame it lost that beautiful balcony and all that wonderful ironwork, you have an interesting theory as to how that might have happened Babs... The modern version is quite plain really by comparison, but it is great that it exists at all. The horse driven carriage is so wonderful to see. So interesting to see these comparative shots.
June 6th, 2017  
While I'm glad that it is still standing, it seems a pity that the wrought iron and the balcony have been renovated.
June 6th, 2017  
Wow what a change .
June 7th, 2017  
Wonderful comparison shots of this amazing building.
June 7th, 2017  
Fun shot!
June 7th, 2017  
Wow great comparison Babs!
June 7th, 2017  
What a big difference from then and now. Great comparison.
June 7th, 2017  
Pam
Great then and now comparison.
June 7th, 2017  
@nicolecampbell I hope not too many of the old buildings disappear with the revamping of Newcastle.
June 7th, 2017  
@louannwarren I suspect that a few of the old buildings will disappear over the next couple of years as Newcastle is being revamped with really boring modern high rise buildings.
June 7th, 2017  
@888rachel Health and safety probably got the better of the building. It wouldn't have been too solid after the earthquake.
June 7th, 2017  
@stephanies It is sad to see the balconies go, but I guess that is progress.
June 7th, 2017  
Great contrast of how time changed the architecture and overall look.
June 7th, 2017  
Great idea Babs, so interesting to see the two eras together.
June 7th, 2017  
I'm glad the building has survived but what a shame so many of the features didn't.
June 7th, 2017  
ok..I went backwards...I can see it is Newcastle. I like the before and after format
June 7th, 2017  
Wonderful Babs, such different times ....
June 7th, 2017  
What an interesting project you embarked upon. I do rather like the railings and detail in the earlier photo - a shame not to see them any more.
June 7th, 2017  
@golftragic @inthecloud5 @helenhall Health and safety probably caused to the balcony to be removed after the earthquake in 1989.
June 8th, 2017  
@hrs Ha ha, I went backwards too Helen.
June 8th, 2017  
@onewing That'd be right, but I guess no-one wants to be sued. I'm right with you re boring high-rise buildings, aka vertical bird-houses. The Melbourne I grew up in was full of interesting buildings. Kids today wouldn't recognise the same place/s. Progress???? I think not.
June 8th, 2017  
Great shots f the horse and buggy era to the present!
June 9th, 2017  
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