Memorial House and Coronation Rose Garden, Bruce Rock

Parent Place or Precinct

24442 Hospital Precinct

Condition

In good condition due to regular maintenance.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The place repesents associations with the establishment and continued development of the hospital, medical and health facilities and persons involved in those services. The place is a fine example of a regional hospital of the period and makes a significant contribution to the townscape and character of Bruce Rock.

Physical Description

The brick construction is surrounded by verandahs. The brick walls are face brick to dado height, with roughcast render for the remainder walls. The corrugated iron roof is hipped. In 1852 a verandah between wards to the theatre, ward to the kitchen and ablutions was enclosed as a ward.

History

Since the First World War, the idea of a memorial in the form of a hospital was mooted by the Roads Board Memberswho donated 65 pounds and called for community subscriptions, with the Government donating 750 pounds. The first nurses were posted to Bruce Rock in 1918, followed by Dr Noel Brown in 1920. On the 19th August 1922 the former Colonial Secretary, WT Broun, laid the foundation stone.The hospital was opened by the Premier Sir James Mitchell on the 18th November 1922. A Hospital Board was appointed and Dr A Bean was the resident doctor from 1921 until 1930. By 1940 Dr H Illingworth was at loggerheads with the hospital staff and the board, patronage disappeared and in 1941 the hospital closed. A new Board re-opened the hospital. By 1952 a new operating theatre and general ward were constructed and in 1953 a coronation rose garden of 9 dozen roses commemorated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1968 a new hospital facility was built and the Medical Department proposed demolition of the original hospital, which has since been converted into an aged care hostel.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact or Redeemable Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Good

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Bruce Rock Shire Offices

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The place demonstrates the evolution of the Bruc Rock Roads Board. It represents associations with the early settlers, civic leaders and generations of communities in Bruce Rock. It is integral within the mainstreet streetscape adn charcter of the townscape of Bruce Rock. It is a fine example of rural civic architecture of the period.

Physical Description

Double storey brick rendered construction with a hipped corrugated iron roof. The classical frontage has a central recessed entry with an arched pediment and a centrally positioned window either side. The upper level has three sets of 2 double hung windows, with the central set closer together. The parapet, the induvidual window pediments and the pediment in the centre of the parapet, were removed in the 1971 alterations. The face brick work was painted during those alterations. At either side of the building is a covered entry porch into side entrances of the building. The hipped roof and the brick and timbe pillars were removed and replaced with a flat roof and brick rendered columns (same as Shire Hall) in 1971. The entire hall behind the double storey section was demolished in 1971 and administration offices and a libraray were constructed. The former offices were converted into a Council meeting room, herbarium and rooms for community meetings.

History

The first Roads Board office in Bruce Rock was a small wooden building in Bath Street where the shire carpark is now located. The East Avon Roads Board, as it was at that time, had no east representation and dissatisfaction remained until late 1915 when moves were made to form a Roads Board for Kwolyin and the surrounding area. A Progress Society had formed in 1914 to look after Bruce Rock town interests and one aim was to erect an Agricultural Hall. Until that time, socials and dances in the town had to be held at Hynam's Boarding House or McDonalds. In 1916, when there was no hall in which to show pictures in Bruce Rock, a public meeting was held on Easter Monday in 1917. Subsequently the 40ft by 30ft hall constructed by ES Gillard was opened on 25th July 1917. WN Hedges was to performt the opening ceremony, but the roads were too bad for him to get to Bruce Rock, the Chairman of the Roads Board Alfred Butcher was then to officiated, but was thrown from his sulky on the way. Mr WJ Butler, the Chairman of the Hall Committee ultimately had the priveledge of opeing the hall, which was followed by a concert featuring the Kumminin Kiwis. Almost immediately the hall was proved to be inadequate for the needs of the prospering town and district of Bruce Rock and the roads Board applied for a loan for a larger hall with brick offices in front. In June 1918, the East Avon Roads Board became the Bruce Rock Roads Board with the first meeting taking place on 6th July with the inaugural Chairman JH Yelland. The Roads Board Office was lined and stables built at that time. In 1920 the New Roads Board Hall was constructed (Gillard- builder & WJ Thorne-Architect) and opened by WJ Butler, the Chairman of the Roads Board, on 28th July 1920. A footbal match and sports programme on the day was followed by the "greatest function Bruce Rock had ever seen". In 1926, the hall was lined and ceiled and the original Roads Board Office (hall) was added to the rear of the hall to function as a stage and dressing rooms. In 1924, the Narembeen Roads Board was formed and areas previously in the Bruce Rock District were seceded. In 1928, the brick offices were constructed at the front of the hall. FD Farrell, formerly of Midland, was the Chairperson of the Roads Board during this period and laid the foundation stone. The offices were opened on 5th January 1929. During that year the Bruce Rock Roads Board increased it's area from Merredin in the north. By the end of 1929, the Repertory Club was formed and a series of play readings took place in 1930, assisting in the charitable services they provided to the hospital and unemployment relief funds. In 1933, a literary and debate society was formed and in 1939, a competition was conducted for Bruce Rock and Narembeen communitites to write a play. The hall was a social focus of the community with family, community and civic gatherings and eents taking place. During the 1940's and 1950's a consulting dentist had rooms upstairs when he visited town. In 1953, the hall (now demolished) underwent refurbishements to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Green velvet stage curtains replaced the former roll down stage curtain depicting yachts on the ocean in colours of cream, browns and pinks. In 1956 the Clerk of Courts vacated an office in the administraion building when he moved to the new Courthouse. In 1961 Road Boards throughout the state became Shire Councils and along with the change of name came an increased responsibility which included the provision of community facilities as well as the infrastructure within it's boundaries. By the late 1960's it was again apparent that the community required a larger venue. In 1970 the hall was dimantled by Gordon Pericles who purchased it. The new shire hall was constructed and whenthe former hall was demolished, new administration offices were constructed behind the existing double storey civic office block.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact or Redeemable Authenticity: Medium Degree

Condition

Good

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Bruce Rock Hotel

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The place demonstrates a way of life. It is integral within the streetscape and the character of the town of Bruce Rock. The place demonstrates associations with pioneers of the area and is representative of an era of development.

Physical Description

Two storey brick construction. The First Floor verandahs extend around the two street frontages and form a colonnade at street level. The entry is located at the truncated corner. The corrugated iron roof is hipped with a verandah under the main roof and gable features. The verandah balustrade has been replaced with metal sheeting, c1970's and wasrestored to the original in 1997. The original 12 bedrooms were added to in the 1920's, extending the hotel frontage along Johnson Street.

History

As early as 1912, Hubert Robins applied for a liquor license in Nunagin (now Bruce Rock). That application was withdrawn due to a technical ommission of exact locality and later presented to the Northam Licensing Court in 1913, by which time the Premier (Scadden) had sought approval for a state hotel at Nunagin. The Railway Line through from Quairading had opened in Bruce Rock in March 1913 and connected through to Merredin by December that year. On the 17th June 1913, the town of Bruce Rock was gazetted and on 24th June approval was granted for a State Hotel at Nunagin (Bruce Rock) and Kwolyin. By August the plans for the then Bruce Rock State Hotel had been submitted and both the Kwolyin and Bruce Rock Hotels were built simutaneously, with the Kwolyin Hotel opening a few days before the Bruce Rock Hotel which opened on 27th May 1914. The hotel opened the year of a bad drought throughout the district and the onset of the First World War. With no hall in town, Hazell's Pictures showed the first cinema in Bruce Rock in the open air behind the hotel. From the outset, the hotel accommodation was inadequate and more rooms were added in 1921, which only relieved the situation for a short while. Many managers have been at the hotel, with AE Baxter from the 1920's and various other periods before being a popular "mine host". The early settlers worked constantly to establish their properties and social interaction was a welcome relief from the toil. Dances were a popular event, with a dance taking place on any floor, even before a building was finished, such was the case at the hotel, with a dance taking place at the bar before the hotel building was complete. As with most towns, with the advent of the hotel, the presence of the law was required. There was no lock-up in Bruce Rock when the hotel opened, so the drunks were chained to a log. In 1945, a local Town Planning Committee was formed and applied to purchase the "State Hotel" from the Government to convert it to a community hotel. The application was rejected. The hotel still operates, providing a social venue in the town and accommodation for travellers and tourists.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact or Redeemable Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Good

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Prisoner of War Hut

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The place demonstrates a way of life that is no longer practised. It has significant associations with Australia during wartime and prisoners of war.

Physical Description

Timber framed and clad with flat sheets of fibro cement with a skillion corrugated iron roof. A front verandah across the one room dwelling is partially enclosed at one end to provide privacy for a wash area. The floor is tongue and groove timber on milled timber stumps with ant caps. A built in fireplace has a metal clad chimney with the top portion missing.

History

During World War II, manpower was a problem on the farms in the agricultural regions and a scheme was established where-by European Prisoners of War who had been transferred to Australia, were employed on farms to provide labour. Living facilities such as they were constructed by the farmer and in some cases by the prisoners, to provide assommodation. Very few example remain in such authentic and good condition.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact or Redeemable Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Good

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