Queen's Hall, Melbourne Explained

Queen's Hall was a little theatre in Collins Street, Melbourne, situated between Russell and Swanston streets. It operated from 1920 to 1937, when its building was demolished.-37.8152°N 144.9677°W

History

In late 1920 the Melbourne lodge of the Theosophical Society (TS) purchased from the Sir Samuel Gillott estate a property at 181–187 Collins Street, at the rear of which was an old warehouse which, after some modifications, they named Queen's Hall, to be used for Society meetings[1] and by August 1920 were hiring it out to various organisations.[2]

One notable user of the hall was J. Beresford Fowler and his "Little Art Theatre" players,[3] presenting modern plays on its "absurdly small" stage[4] 1925[5] to 1936,[6] when they were obliged to quit due to forthcoming building work.Minnie Hooper's ballet school used the hall for some concerts, and perhaps for classes.

The two buildings were demolished in 1937, to be replaced by a five-storey office block for the Theosophical Society,[7] completed in October of that year.[8] Nothing has yet been found of its history after 1940, except that sometime before 1946 Federal government offices renting space in the TS building were vacated.[9] It still stands, in something like its 1930s condition and is on the National Trust database as File no. B4116.[10] [11]

The Theosophical Society building was adjacent the Auditorium building[12] and is not to be confused with the Society's five-storey building at 124–130 Russell Street, which TS purchased in 1972 and sold in 2017.

Notes and References

  1. News: Growth of Theosophy . . 14,372 . Victoria, Australia . 8 April 1922 . 19 September 2022 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Tomorrow's Church Services . . 13,855 . Victoria, Australia . 7 August 1920 . 19 September 2022 . 22 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Art Theatre Players . . 20,909 . Victoria, Australia . 23 May 1944 . 19 September 2022 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: The Little Art Theatre . Thespia . . 15,686 . Victoria, Australia . 27 August 1927 . 24 September 2022 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Season of Ibsen Drama . . 24,585 . Victoria, Australia . 26 May 1925 . 19 September 2022 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Around the Shows . . 28,186 . Victoria, Australia . 21 December 1936 . 19 September 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: Theosophical Society . . 25,340 . Victoria, Australia . 3 July 1936 . 19 September 2022 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: The New Theosophical Society Building . . 25,744 . Victoria, Australia . 20 October 1937 . 19 September 2022 . 19 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Plan to Acquire City Sites for Federal Use — Already Vacated . . 21,531 . Victoria, Australia . 23 May 1946 . 19 September 2022 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  10. Web site: Former Theosophical Society Building . 19 September 2022.
  11. Web site: 181 Collins Street . Melbourne CBD Building Database . 19 September 2022.
  12. News: Real Property . . 12,447 . Victoria, Australia . 20 January 1916 . 19 September 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.

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