Pinetown, a small town in KwaZulu-Natal, has a rich history of rugby, and at the heart of it all is the Rugby Hotel, which has been a staple of the community for over 150 years. The hotel, located at 153 Old Main Road, now known as Josiah Gumede Road, has a long and storied past, with many speculating that it got its name due to its popularity with local rugby teams.
According to Graham Nugent, who worked at the hotel in the early 1980s, the original owner may have had connections to Rugby School in the UK, which could have inspired the name. On the Facebook page Durban History and Stories, Nugent shares his experience working at the hotel under Jeff Kaplan.
A Brief History of the Rugby Hotel
The hotel has been on the site since 1871, when Pinetown pioneer Archibald Keith Murray opened his third hotel in the town. Murray, who sailed from Glasgow with his wife and five small children in 1849, bought 1,361 acres of the farm Salt River and built a house for his family. He went on to build several hotels in the area, including the Wayside Inn, which was later sold to Canon John Crompton.
Changes Over the Years
Over the years, the hotel has undergone several name changes, from Turners to the Palmiet Hotel, before finally being renamed the Rugby Hotel in 1947. The hotel was believed to have hosted numerous rugby events, including provincial and national team gatherings, and was a popular spot for locals to gather and socialize.
Unfortunately, the hotel was demolished in the 1980s to make way for development, and today the site is part of Pinetown’s sprawling motor town. However, the legacy of the Rugby Hotel lives on, and many Pinetown residents still remember the good old days at its many bars and the characters that served them.
- The hotel was built in 1871 by Archibald Keith Murray
- It was renamed the Rugby Hotel in 1947
- The hotel was demolished in the 1980s
For more information on the history of Pinetown, visit the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation website, which provides a wealth of information on the region’s history and heritage.
