Alex Smith (builder) explained

Alex Smith (1899–1973), or Alexander Patterson Blakie Smith,[1] [2] [3] was a noted designer-builder on the Redcliffe Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. His work is now widely recognised as being of heritage significance. All the extant construction by Alex Smith on the Redcliffe Peninsula either has heritage listing or otherwise has official recognition as being of significance.

Seabrae Guest House

This was built by Alex Smith around 1928[4] [5] and represents a specific era on the history of Redcliffe as a seaside resort. The guest house was popular with visitors from Brisbane and interstate, and was also popular with service personnel stationed in Redcliffe during World War II. This building has since been demolished.

Dumbarton House

This is believed to have been constructed by Alex Smith in the 1930s. Dumbarton House was listed in the Moreton Bay Regional Council (formerly Redcliffe City Council) Local Heritage Register simply on two grounds: a) it represented a modern house, and b) it represented a construction by Alex Smith.

CWA Hall

The CWA Hall, or the Country Women's Association Hall,[6] was constructed by Alex Smith in the 1930s. The Hall is listed of being of heritage value with the Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Heritage Register,[7] and one of the stated reasons for the listing is association with Alex Smith as builder.[7]

Redcliffe Rollerdrome

The Redcliffe Rollerdrome, built by Alex Smith, was opened by in 1938.[8] The Rollerdrome was a roller-skating rink on the beachfront at Redcliffe, and was representative of a number of such venues popular around Queensland in that era.[9] The Rollerdrome was demolished in 1985.[10]

Renown Theatre

Initially known as the Margate Theatre, this was constructed by Alex Smith in 1940.[11] [12] [13] The Theatre served as a cinema, concert hall and ballroom, and was especially popular with service personnel stationed in Redcliffe during World War II [13] It was during World War II that the Theatre was renamed the Renown Theatre, as part of a plan to avoid locality names which might assist invading Japanese forces.[14] The building was demolished in 1971.[15]

Redcliffe Fire Station

The Redcliffe Fire Station was constructed by Alex Smith and opened by the then Opposition Leader Sir Frank Nicklin on 1 November 1949.[7] [16] The construction of the Fire Station was part of a concerted action at the time by the then Redcliffe Town Council to develop its infrastructure. In 2005 the structure was placed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Waltzing Matilda Motel

This is an example of modern early 1960s motel design and was constructed by Alex Smith in 1963–64[17] [18] [19] [20] The official opening was on 1 April 1964 as the venue of a Rotary Convention.[21] The motel features the ample use of brick which typified the era, as well as an angled design to give guests a sea view. The Waltzing Matilda Motel is featured in the Queensland Places Directory, published by the University of Queensland, as one of the landmarks for the seaside suburb of Margate[22] and is recognised locally as an important part of the history of Margate and the Redcliffe Peninsula.[23]

Notes and References

  1. Hawes, Iris. 1999. "Iris Hawes: Oral History Interview”. [Record of Oral History Interview of Irish Hawes, by Pat Gee. May 1999]. Redcliffe: Redcliffe City Library Local History Section.
  2. Moreton Bay Regional Council (1999) ‘Alex P. Smith with Car’. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp. Reference #000/000300. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  3. Redcliffe City Council. 2004. Redcliffe: Built by Hand. [DVD, part of the Redcliffe Historical Video Collection]. Lawnton: Bluegum Media.
  4. University of Queensland, Centre for the Government of Queensland. 2011. Queensland Places Directory: Margate. Brisbane: University of Queensland. http://queenslandplaces.com.au/exhibit/postcard/pc0642
  5. Moreton Bay Regional Council (c1935) ‘Seabrae’. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp. Reference #000/000301. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  6. Picture of CWA Hall: http://brisbanecavyfanciers.webs.com/CWA%20Hall.jpg
  7. Redcliffe City Council [now Moreton Bay Regional Council]. 2005. Redcliffe City Council Planning Scheme. Redcliffe: Redcliffe City Council. http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/uploadedFiles/moretonbay/development/planning/redcliffe/Section%205%20-%20Overlay%20Codes.pdf
  8. Moreton Bay Regional Council (c1950) ‘Redcliffe Rollerdrome’. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp Reference #001/001549 and others. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  9. Nine MSN (2010) ‘Bruce Paige Remembers: The Redcliffe Rollerdrome’ [Historical Video Footage on TV Programme]. Broadcast 5 September 2010. https://archive.today/20120716102122/http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/bruce-paige-remembers/xs371wy
  10. Moreton Bay Regional Council. Redcliffe Historical Timeline. Web site: Archived copy . 15 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120215045857/http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/uploadedFiles/moretonbay/discover/arts-culture/redcliffe-museum/Clubs%20sport%20and%20recreation%20fact%20sheet.pdf . 15 February 2012 .
  11. Moreton Bay Regional Council (c1950) 'Margate Theatre'. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp. Reference #001/001541 and others. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  12. Picture of Margate Theatre: http://www.bonzle.com/h/9/y/r/3idpi.jpg.
  13. University of Queensland, Centre for the Government of Queensland. 2011. Queensland Places Directory: Margate. Brisbane: University of Queensland. http://queenslandplaces.com.au/search/results/Margate
  14. Humpybong and After (Newsletter of the Redcliffe Historical Society). Vol25, No10. November 2009. p.6
  15. Moreton Bay Regional Council. Redcliffe Historical Time-Line: http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/uploadedFiles/moretonbay/discover/arts-culture/redcliffe-museum/Buildings%20Structures%20and%20Memorials%20Timeline.pdf/2.
  16. Moreton Bay Regional Council (1995) 'Redcliffe Fire Station'. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp Reference #000/000604, and see also #000/605, #100/100153 and 100/100187. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  17. Moreton Bay Regional Council (1999) 'Waltzing Matilda Motel'. Redcliffe City Library – Historical Photos [Historical photographs published online]: http://www.photosau.com.au/RedcliffeLibrary/scripts/home.asp Reference #001/001326, and see also #001/326. Available also through National Library of Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
  18. Hawes, Iris. 1999. “Iris Hawes: Oral History Interview”. [Record of Oral History Interview of Iris Hawes, by Pat Gee. May 1999]. Redcliffe: Redcliffe City Library Local History Section, p.6,7.
  19. Gee, Pat. (no date) ‘Alex P. Smith’ [File on Alex Smith in Redcliffe City Library Local History Section]
  20. Hutchinson, Amy. 2013. 'Fire station future a burning issue'. Redcliffe and Bayside Herald. 3/7/13. p.11.
  21. Hawes, Iris. 1999. "Iris Hawes: Oral History Interview”. [Record of Oral History Interview of Irish Hawes, by Pat Gee. May 1999]. Redcliffe: Redcliffe City Library Local History Section, p.7.
  22. University of Queensland, Centre for the Government of Queensland. 2011. Queensland Places Directory: Margate. Brisbane: University of Queensland. http://queenslandplaces.com.au/search/results/Margate; see also http://queenslandplaces.com.au/node/9622
  23. Mason, Jamie-Leigh. 2013. 'Old school is part of the charm; Peninsular's past: Margate'. Redcliffe and Bayside Herald. 10 July 2013. p.15.

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