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Oddfellows Hall, 390-394 Russell Street & 35 Victoria Street, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Oddfellows Hall, 390-394 Russell Street & 35 Victoria Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Butler, Graeme (Name details)
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 108560
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1886;ASSOCIATIONS: Independent Order of Oddfellows;DESIGNER: Ravenscroft, G 1886; Ravenscroft & Freeman (1888);BUILDER: Wilson, James & Watson, - Alexdra Pde Fitzroy___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 77, p38___________________________Victorian Heritage Inventory H7822-21611880 Panorama shows hall building.1905 - 1 & 2 storey buildings (Oddfellows Hall & Offices)SOURCE: FILE NOTESSignificanceFRIENDLY SOCIETIES WERE AN IMPORTANT AID TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL COHESION IN NINETEENTH CENTURY BRITAIN AND IMMIGRANT SOCIETIES LIKE AUSTRALIA. FOUNDED IN ENGLAND EARLY IN THE CENTURY, THE MANCHESTER UNITED INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS WAS ESTABLISHED IN MELBOURNE BY 1840 AND MEMBERSHIP EXPLODED FOLLOWING THE GOLD RUSH DECADE. IN 1872 THE SOCIETY OBTAINED A RESERVATION OF LAND AT THE WESTERN END OF THE TRIANGLE BOUNDED BY MACKENZIE, VICTORIA AND RUSSELL STREETS AND IN 1876-77 CONTRIBUTED A BRICK WALL AND COTTAGE. THE ORIGINAL BUILDING HAD FOUR BAYS TO VICTORIA STREET AND WAS FIRST OCCUPIED IN 1877. THE DESIGN IS DESCRIBED IN THE NATIONAL TRUST CITATION AS BEING IN THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE STYLE.IN 1888 THE ARCHITECTS RAVENSCROFT AND FREEMAN CALLED TENDERS FOR THE ERECTION OF A FIFTH AND WIDER BAY TO THE WEST OF THE BUILDING. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE COMPLEX HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY RENOVATED IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. THE ODDFELLOWS OCCUPIED THE BUILDING FROM 1877. THE OFFICES (KNOWN AS ODDFELLOWS CHAMBERS) HAD MANY PROFESSIONAL TENANTS, INCLUDING THE ARCHITECT NORMAN HITCHCOCK. THE COMMONWEALTH BANK HAS OCCUPIED THE OFFICES SINCE 1931. UP UNTIL 1927 THE SITE COMPRISED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING TWO COTTAGES FOR 'POOR AND NEEDY' MEMBERS OF THE ORDER. THE IOOF HALL AND OFFICES MAY BE REGARDED AS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY SUCH SOCIETIES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WHEN WELFARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BY LODGES, CHURCHES AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS RATHER THAN BY GOVERNMENT. THE HALL MAY BE VIEWED AS HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT AS ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVING PUBLIC STRUCTURES BUILT FOR WORKING MEN IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY RATHER THAN THEIR EMPLOYERS. THE IOOF HALL COMPLEMENTS THE HORTICULTURAL HALL AND OTHER NEARBY HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS INCLUDING THE EIGHT HOURS MONUMENT AND TRADE HALL.___________________________NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC) B5915Statement of SignificanceLast Updated: 11/06/2008Designed in the Italian Renaissance style in 1876-77 as a four bay hall it was extended to the corner of Lygon Street with architects Ravenscroft and Freeman using matching details but a larger bay size. The IOOF Hall is a product of the pre-1890s property boom. It complements the Horticultural Hall and other nearby historic buildings including the Trades Hall.It has historical importance as a reminder of the time when welfare services were provided by lodges, churches and other community organisations, rather than by government. The main function of lodges such as the IOOF was to provide sick pay, medical attendance and funeral benefits for members. The hall is historically important, also, as one of the few surviving public structures built for working men of the nineteenth century, rather than their employers.Classified: 21/09/1989___________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX75416 Ravenscroft, G; Independent Order of Oddfellows Melbourne VIC Halls Wilson, James & Watson, - Alexdra Pde Fitzroy 1885 11 6 1833-MCC registration no 1833 [Burchett Index]. Fee 3.10.0Oddfellows Hall- Victoria St- opp. Trades Hall73075 A I O Oddfellows Trustees Melbourne VIC Halls; Houses Carrell, S W - Swan St Richmond 1873 06 30 5458-MCC registration no 5458 [Burchett Index]. Fee 1.10.0hall & cottage, Russell near cnr Russell & Victoria___________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE):1886On the motion of P G M Gidley, seconded by Trustee Ralston, it was resolved that the formal opening of the new hall take place at the next meeting of the Grand Lodge if held in Melbourne, and that the Standing Committee be empowered to expend a sum not excelling £100 in a public demonstration on the occasionsee also https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/6084978.
Related material link:
35 Victoria Street, Melbourne (Butler14611\\)35 Victoria Street, Melbourne (Butler14612\\)Oddfellows Hall, 35 Victoria Street, Melbourne (BIF-CITY 109560 1\\)
Names:
City of Melbourne
Topics:
Central Activities District Conservation Study 1985Conservation studies
Places:
Melbourne (Vic.)
Form/Genre:
Building Identification Forms (BIFs)
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1272335
Bookmark link:
https://librarysearch.melbourne.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/OPAC/ARCENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=1272335
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