Toodyay Memorial Hall history
Shire of ToodyayThe front section of the Toodyay Memorial Hall was built in 1899 as the Newcastle Municipal Chambers. In 1910 a town hall was built adjoining the existing municipal chambers with a contract price of ₤850. In that year Newcastle (Western Australia) officially changed its name to Toodyay, and the building became known as the Toodyay Town Hall.
By the 1950s the hall had become run-down. Plans for improvement were commissioned from Edgar le Blond Henderson of the firm E. le B. Henderson and Thompson, Architects, of Perth. They called for the removal of the existing stage and the lean-to kitchen and storeroom at the rear. The main hall would be extended 20ft and a new stage (30ft by 33ft), proscenium arch, storage room, kitchen and toilet would be added at the rear.
In March 1956 the Toodyay RSL Sub-branch sent a deputation to meet the Toodyay Town Hall Committee, with a proposal relating to the funding and use of the Town Hall. The Sub-branch was concerned there was no adequate memorial for World War II, and suggested the RSL donate £1,000 to the Road Board towards the planned Town Hall extension and refurbishment, with the provisos that the Hall be renamed the Memorial Hall and the Sub-branch have the use of the Hall rent free for its monthly meetings. In April the Toodyay Road Board accepted the proposal and an agreement was drafted.
In May a tender for £ 8,000 from contractors FL (Lester) & TE (Ted) Oliver of Northam was agreed upon for the project.
In December 1956 the Toodyay Road Board declared that the name of the Toodyay Town Hall was officially changed to the Toodyay Memorial Hall. A plaque was to be added to the Hall’s exterior to record this. On 14 January 1957 the Toodyay RSL Sub-Branch donated its entire Building Fund of £956 4s 6d to the Toodyay Road Board to enable it to carry out repairs and renovations to the renamed Toodyay Memorial Hall. Most of the refurbishment was completed by October 1957.
In 1990–92 major renovations were carried out to the entire building, including addition of a new kitchen and bar.
- Beth Frayne (2011). The Long Toodyay Chronology: Events in Toodyay's history: … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9806517-2-0
