Liberty Cinema

Statement of Significance

The place has historical value as Perth's first art house cinema established in 1954 that screened foreign language films for the Post-War migrant community.
It is representative of a commercial building constructed in Perth c. 1895 during the period of expansion and development that followed the gold rush of the 1890s that has been adapted for different uses over time. It has aesthetic significance for its association with Krantz and Sheldon architects who refurbished the 1890s building into the cinema in 1954.

Physical Description

Two storey commercial building with parapet, ornate cornice and classically derived pilasters. Loss of detail to original first floor openings. Various accretions to first floor facade. Loss of detail to one shop front. Intact detail including re-entrant door to other shop front. Awning is not original.

History

Barrack Street was so named because it is located adjacent to the parade ground and barracks set aside for the original planning of Perth for offices and soldiers. This area extended from St. Georges Terrace to Hay Street and from Barrack Street to Pier Street. The barrack ground formed the buffer in the original plan for Perth between the western commercial area and the eastern administrative part of town. The area became the site for various government buildings including the Town Hall in 1867. Barrack Street was subdivided in the 1890s. A number of lots with narrow frontages were created but a number of investors bought adjacent lots to develop larger buildings. Numerous businesses have occupied the multiple outlets within the building over the course of its history. It is difficult to determine the date of construction without deeper research, as there have been shops in this location since before 1893. It was typical in the late 1890s economic boom for buildings to be demolished and rebuilt, and also refurbished with a modern style in the Inter-War years. Backtracking through Post Office Directories, it can be deduced that buildings in some form was erected on this location by 1897, including one called Chancery Chambers (off 121). Numbering changed in 1908 from 115-121 to No. 77-85, and the occupants include a cigar manufacturer (No. 77), dentist (79), Chancery Chambers (81) with a decorator/contractor and carpenter, Levison & Sons, jewellers (83) and Greenham and Evans, photographers (85). From c. 1915, No. 79 was ‘Lafeyette Studios’. Levison and Sons, jewellers expanded into the adjacent building and occupied up to No. 89, until 1925.In 1927 the building is reinvented as Lafayette Chambers, occupied by Lafayette Studios (photographers), and numerous other outlets such as a dentist, tailor, tea rooms, bookseller, silk merchant, dress maker, accountant and a billiard saloon. The Metropolitan Water Supply Survey plan dated 1930 shows it is a large brick building with a basement. Lafayette Studio photographers remained in the building until at least 1949.The Post-War migration of many Europeans to Western Australia created a demand for connections to their home land. In 1954, the architectural firm Krantz and Sheldon was engaged to transform 81 Barrack Street into an intimate, contemporary cinema with the express purpose of screening foreign language, primarily European, films. Liberty Cinema was Perth’s first art house cinema, opening on 4 March with a charity screening of ‘Rigoletto.’ The building was gutted by fire in February 1961. It reopened in June 1961 with a garden lounge added.
As a speciality art house cinema Liberty lasted less than a decade but continued as a cinema. In 1967 the film, ‘To Sir With Love’ screened for well over two years. By the 1990s the cinema was called Kimberley Theatre and showed martial arts films. The cinema closed in October 1997 and is currently mostly vacant, with some ground floor outlets used for retail.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low integrity.
Medium authenticity. Original form but has lost original detail to first floor windows and one of ground floor shopfronts.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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