Soldiers Memorial Institute

Values

The place is rare as an Interwar Art Deco Community Hall.

The place contributes to the streetscape and townscape of Narrogin.

Physical Description

□ Walls are red, fair faced brick laid in stretcher bond above a white painted rendered plinth up to sill height. □ Double hipped galvanised iron roof. □ Symmetrical front wall is tuck-pointed and is topped with a rendered parapet. □ The parapet is decorated with a central semi-circular feature flanked by lower walls with recessed panels suggesting stripped classical balustrading.

History

On the 18th February 1924 delegates from the Narrogin Town Council, the Citizens Welfare Committee, the Public Institute and the Soldiers Memorial Committee asked Council to make provision for an institute building on the vacant land next to the Town Hall. In June 1924, the returned servicemen created the Soldiers Memorial Institute Inc. and appealed to the Council for the land, and when that failed, decided to erect their own building. At the time, W.A. Premier Collier was visiting Narrogin and promised to help. Within a week, a grant of land in Egerton Street was made and was officially signed on the 24th April 1925, granting Lot 113 to be held on trust solely for the purpose of a Soldiers Memorial Hall forever. About a year later, a further Grant of Lot 32 was made on the same terms. The structure was to contain a neat billiard room, a reading room, a main hall, and a kitchen. It was intended for a meeting place and a social club for returned soldiers, sailors and nurses of the Williams-Narrogin electorate and for the parents of deceased men and woman as well as a centre for social activity on behalf of necessitous ex-servicemen. The foundation stone was laid on Armistice Day in 1924 by prominent member of Parliament for the district E.B. Johnston MLA. The building opened on the 14th February 1925, with most of the cost being met by public donations. From that time the facilities were made available for hire and became a popular venue for dances, dinners, bridge, billiards, lodge bowls, the croquet club, hockey club, CWA and the tennis club. Music for functions was supplied by Eric Hurst and his 4 piece band. By 1929, fund raising events were being held to offset a debt of 980 pounds, the main revenue earner being the organisation of billiard tournaments. By 1935, the debt was reduced to 100 pounds and the building was altered to accommodate three billiard tables. In the late 1940s a serious attempt was made to have the Institute vested in the W.A. branch of the R.S.L. either by purchase or by gift, but nothing seems to have come of this. Toward the end of World War II meetings were held to discuss the future of the Institute and in May 1947 extensions were improved to turn the building into a social club. Although the number of social events had lessened during the passing years, the building had been steadily maintained. An important step was taken to preserve the Institute when it went into a trusteeship with the Rotary Club which allows joint use and ensures that the building does not fall into disrepair. The R.S.L. still gathers for a ceremony at 11.00am on Remembrance Day outside the Institute rather than in the Memorial Park.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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