Victoria Hall (Fremantle) Explained

Image Alt:Photograph of the front of Victoria Hall.
Address:179 High Street
Location Town:Fremantle
Location Country:Australia
Coordinates:-32.0536°N 115.7499°W
Opened Date:28 September 1897
Embedded:
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Designation1:State Register of Heritage Places
Designation1 Type:State Registered Place
Designation1 Date:7 April 1998

Victoria Hall located on High Street, Fremantle designed by Talbot Hobbs was built between 1896 and 1897 as St John's Parish Hall,[1] and renamed for the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.[2] It was opened by Governor Smith and his wife on 28 September 1897.

After the Second World War, Bob Wrightson leased the hall for use as a dance studio; some years later he bought it.[3]

Victoria Hall, one of few goldrush buildings remaining in the east end of High Street, sits in a predominantly 1960s streetscape. In 1974 a plan to widen High Street meant that Victoria Hall would be demolished, but a green ban put in place by the Builders Labourers Federation prevented this from happening.[4] Wrightson still owned the building at this time.

The building is listed on the Register of the National Estate.[5]

It housed the Deckchair Theatre for many years prior to its closure in 2012. The building sat vacant from 2012 to 2015, then was the second and final home for the Fly by Night Club from 2015 to 2018 after their eviction from the Artillery Drill Hall.[6] [7] It is now a multi-use arts venue housing organisations Fremantle Theatre Company, Spacemarket and the Fremantle Biennale as well as a regular events' venue with a separate events bar.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: The Parish Hall recently erected by the vestry of St. John's. Church, Fremantle, to be known as the Victoria Hall, will be formally opened by His Excellency the Governor and Lady Smith on September 28. The Hall is built on an excellent site in High-street; it is well proportioned and lofty, while the elevation is particularly striking and effective. We understand that it will be used primarily for Church of England purposes, but that it will also be available as a public hall. A strong committee is now busily engaged in organising a series of inaugural entertainments which will extend over five evenings, commencing the 28th prox. . Victoria Hall, Fremantle . . 11 August 1897 . 27 November 2012.
  2. Web site: Heritage Council. Victoria Hall. Heritage Council. 20 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140318184047/http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Content/PdfLoader.aspx?id=a76574b1-f06f-46b3-8fca-eb9cffccf2b4&type=assessment. 18 March 2014. dead. dmy-all.
  3. Victoria Hall Conservation Plan . Palassis Architects . November 2002.
  4. Web site: Battle to save Freo's heritage celebrated . 2012-11-20 . Malcolm . Quekett . 2012-11-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140318182626/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/news/8334232/battle-to-save-freos-heritage-celebrated/ . 18 March 2014 . live . dmy-all .
  5. Web site: Victoria Hall, 179 High St, Fremantle, WA, Australia. Australian Heritage Database. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 2012-12-02.
  6. News: Perth’s Fly By Night gets new home . The Music Network . 27 October 2015 . 21 May 2022.
  7. News: Fly by Night Musicians Club’s lease at Victoria Hall to end in August . The West Australian . 6 June 2018 . 21 May 2022.
  8. Web site: Victoria Hall . 21 May 2022.

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