Bornholm Kronkup District Hall

Statement of Significance

Bornholm-Kronkup Hall has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place has been and continues to be an important social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community since it opened in 1923.
The place is part of a group of halls that were built in the many districts established along the Denmark railway line (or Torbay line) between c1912-1923 which included the original Kronkup Hall (1912), Torbay Hall (1912), Elleker Hall (formerly Torbay Junction Hall 1920) and Young’s Siding Hall (1923). The halls were all constructed of timber reflecting the importance of the timber industry in this area and the Denmark line which was constructed specifically to service the many timber sawmills in between Albany and Denmark.
The place is a typical example of a small district hall made possible through the efforts and resources of a local community, including the West Albany Settlers’ Association formed in 1905 which supported the individual communities and hall committees in establishing their district halls and other facilities and services.
The place represents the resilience of local communities as they experience a downturn in population and services but continue to value the hall which is well maintained and continues to be used for social events, learning and community activities.
The place relates to the former Kronkup Hall which was the first of the district halls opened along the Denmark line by the West Albany Settlers’ Association in 1912.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Timber weatherboard walls
• High pitch gable corrugated metal roof
• Entry door covered by small cantilevered canopy
• War Memorial recognising the service of people from the district during World War I and II

Some obvious modifications include:
• Extensions and additions in the form of extra rooms off the hall on both sides
• Later addition of tennis court

History

Bornholm was originally developed as a railway siding on the Torbay line from Albany to Denmark by the Western Australian Land Company, who built the Great Southern Railway which was completed in 1889. In 1896 the Government purchased the railway. The Torbay line and its many sidings served the many timber sawmills in the area as well as the many farms that had been established in the West Albany area.

At a meeting of residents of Young's Siding held in August 1905 it was resolved to form a Settlers' Association in the district whose purpose was to protect and further the interests of settlers. A public meeting was held at Torbay Junction on Tuesday 15th August 1905 at which a number of representative settlers assembled and elected the following officers: Chairman,. R. Knapp; secretaries A. Burvill and J. D. Smith; treasurer Herbert Hortin, as well as five general committee members. It was decided to call the new Society the West Albany Settlers' Association, the district including all the area under the then Albany Roads Board west of Perth-road (now Albany Highway) with all residents living in this area encouraged to become members of the association.

One of the main remits of the association was to assist in the establishment and construction of local district halls. At a meeting of the West Albany Settlers’ Association in December 1910 the question of providing a hall in the district along the Denmark line was the main item on the agenda:
It was unanimously decided that such a building was necessary, and four different locations along the line were considered which were Kronkup, Torbay, Torbay Junction and Bornholm. In the end it was decided to build the hall at Kronkup - the name newly given to the 7-Mile siding on the Denmark line. (Albany Advertiser 31 December 1910)
Nearly £50 was collected from those present. Thomas Hortin (brother of Herbert Hortin) was appointed chairman of the committee and W. J. Sampson as secretary. Mr. Currer gave 10 acres of his land for the hall site and recreation ground which was then permanently reserved for that purpose. The Kronkup Hall was officially opened on 12 July 1912, triggering the establishment of the other district halls along the line.

The opening of the Kronkup Hall was performed by the chairman of the hall committee, Mr. Hill, and by Mr. E. G. McKenzie who formally opened the hall. The event attracted about 130 people comprised of locals as well as others who travelled by train from Albany or outlying areas. The hall was decorated by the ladies of Kronkup and the formalities followed by dancing. At its opening the hall was described as an elaborate and spacious agricultural hall and erected 60 or 70 yards from the Kronkup siding on the Denmark line.

In November 1919 an honor board was installed in the Kronkup Hall bearing the names of those men from the district who fought in the war. Seventy men were listed on the board, 19 of which marked as deceased. The board donated by Thomas Hortin (brother of Herbert Hortin) and made locally by Mr C Rawlings and was on display in Barnett’s window in Stirling Terrace in the week leading up to the official unveiling.

Although there was a hall already in nearby Kronkup, the decision to build a hall at Bornholm commenced in 1922, born out of a growing desire to have a place of their own in which to meet and discuss matters or enjoy themselves, and as a relief from the long hours farming and pressures of the land. The Bornholm Agricultural Hall as it was originally called, was officially opened on Saturday 24th November 1923. Around 300 settlers as well as visitors from Albany and the surrounding district arrived by train from Albany for the opening. The interior of the hall was decorated with streamers, and contained stalls, side shows and booths organised by the ladies. The chairman of the hall committee (Mr. R. T. Wolfe) introduced Mr. A Burvill, M.L.C., to perform the opening ceremony to fill in for Mr. Scaddan who had been unable to attend It was noted that this hall was the fifth Agricultural Hall along the line built within a radius of 15 miles, signalling not only the prosperity of the district but the stable standing of the farmers. The hall had cost £500; the residents had donated £200 and secured the rest through a loan of £250 from the Agricultural Bank, which now, instead of the old system of subsidies, advanced a loan on mortgage to build halls for a small monthly repayment. Bornholm was one of the first places to take advantage of this new arrangement. Following the formalities, the hall was cleared for dancing, with music supplied by the Albany Melville Orchestra and with even more visitors arriving by train from Albany, taking numbers to around 150 couples. A “Popular Girl Competition” was held, Miss Mary Daly, of Bornholm the winner closely followed by Miss Gladys Wilkinson, of Kronkup, and Miss Gertrude Smith, of Elleker.

An interview with a local resident Bill Cake in 1978 revealed that during the 1920s and 30s and before electricity came to the district, on dance, party or meeting nights you could see lines of lights down the hillsides wending through the bush like fireflies, as the settlers walked or drove with hurricane lamps to the hall.

In the foreground of the hall is a War Memorial in the form of a traditional stone obelisk recognising the service of people from the local community during World War I and II. It was erected by the settlers of the Elleker-Young District.

Later the Kronkup and Bornholm Halls combined at the original Bornholm Hall.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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