OUR HISTORY:

The Land Of Promise was built in 1840.

The first Licensee of the Land Of Promise was George Roberts Senior.  He owned the hotel from 19/03/1840 until 23/03/1854 after which time his son succeeded him.

The hotel was known as the Land Of Promise Hotel  From 19/03/1840 to 31/03/1868. However, a name change by the new Licensee William J Foreman on the  1st of April 1868  saw the Land of Promise Hotel  become the Land Of Promise Inn.

The Land Of Promise Inn remained the registered name until  the ninth of December 1889 when the new Licensee Alexander Hosie changed the name back to The Land Of Promise Hotel.

The name has remained unchanged ever since.

There have been many frequent changes to the registered licensees over the years partly due to the licensing laws. The old liquor licensing laws necessitated a change in licence holder to allow the Licensee to have time off. 
The current law allows the licensee to retain the licence as long as an approved person is in charge of the premises when they are away from the premises. The final responsibility still however rests with the licensee.
Liquor Licensing laws have been evolving since their inception in 1836. For further information on the history of the Office of Liquor and Gambling  Commission go to www.olgc.sa.gov.au or click here for their history page.
During the 1800s hotels played an integral part in the early history of the settlement. They provided a focal point for social activity and were often looked upon as semi-official establishments.
 The Land Of Promise Hotel was one of those establishments where the first public meetings were held resulting in the formation of the district of Hindmarsh. The City of Hindmarsh existed until its amalgamation with Woodville Council with the consequent result being the formation of The City of Charles Sturt.
Upon the dissolution of the  city of Hindmarsh the final council meeting was again held at the Land Of Promise Hotel out of respect to its historical significance.

Court hearings and other events were also catered for at The Land Of Promise Hotel. One such event recorded in the register reads as follows.

In the Australian colonies no provision was made for the dissolution of marriage. This was apparently a deliberate British policy, partly designed to keep colonial marriages intact and colonial society stable. Naturally, men and women sought informal solutions to unsatisfactory marriages in Australia, just as they did in England. One of these, peculiar to rural England and occasionally adopted in South Australia, was wife sale, such as that of a Mrs. Jamieson in 1847.

She was 'a smart and comely dame, apparently of the age of five-and-twenty' in July 1847 when she accompanied her husband to the back parlour of the Land of Promise Inn on Port Road. Jamieson had earlier advertised the sale of his wife by word of mouth, attracting a 'numerous and motley' crowd of women and a 'sprinkling of contemplative bachelors'. At half-past seven a bell was rung to start proceedings.

All things being ready, the heroine was led by a halter tied round her waist, the tether-end being held by her 'worser' half, into the midst of the assembled throng.

The onlookers may have jested, but this was no hoax as some had believed!

An amateur auctioneer officiated; the bidding began briskly, and when Mr.Charles Goble bid £1.7s.6d. the vendor was satisfied. Cash exchanged hands, the transaction was recorded, dated and signed in duplicate by all parties and Mrs.Jamieson was delivered to her purchaser. All three sealed the bargain with 'deep and potent libations of port wine'. The Register judged this event 'A novel and happy event in the annuals of South Australia.. and unexampled occurrence.. an occasion unprecedented!

The longest serving publican of The Land Of Promise is the current Licensee, Leanne Cox who has been at the Land Of Promise since  April 24th 1991. Assisted by  husband Leighton and older children Sam and Kelly  we rely on the fresh ideas of the youth in the family whilst guiding them through the learning phases.