Shellharbour Temperance Hall

DESCRIPTION

NameShellharbour Temperance HallAlternative NameEmpire Theatre, PictoriumTypeBuildingGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

AddressSE Corner Addison and Sophia Streets , Shellharbour DescriptionIn 1882 an Indenture was made between trustees Henry Hicks the younger, and John Gordon Hicks of Shellharbour, Bacon Factors, one part Richard Hall teacher, John Thomas Shellharbour Butcher, Alfred Smith Agent Shellharbour of the ‘Alowrie Division (No.85) Sons and Daughters of Temperance.

The site s/e cnr. Addison and Sophia Streets for the Hall, was donated by Hicks Bros, bacon curers of Shellharbour to the Alowrie Division Order of Sons and Daughters of Temperance.

James Cawdell, Grand Worthy Patriarch, laid the foundation stone September 1882 enclosing a sealed bottle as a time capsule containing the constitution, newspapers and coins of the era.

The hall was officially opened by Mr. Cawdell March 26, 1883 in the presence of 600 people, and over the years became a great centre of social activity. In the 1920s, the former Temperance Hall became the Pictorium, screening silent moving pictures, and subsequently the Empire Theatre, featuring talking movies until 1960. The Hall was demolished in 1969 for housing development. (researched LTO copy of deeds Tongarra Heritage Society Inc.)

External LinkPublic Temperance Meeting 1878Opening of the New Temperance Hall Shellharbour 1883Temperance Hall at Shellharbour 1884Oddfellow's Social 1902

Photograph