Oddfellows Hall, 35 Victoria Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Oddfellows Hall, 35 Victoria Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109560 1
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
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Graphic materialsTextual material
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Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
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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 FitzroyPeriod: Victorian___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of Significance extractHistoryJoining the Royal and Horticultural Societies' Hall (1874), the Oddfellows added yet another hall to what appears to have been an early concentration along Victoria Street. It was adjacent to the nearby public offices and Police compound and presumably on cheaper ground than that closer to the city centre. The triangular site was shown as vacant in the Melbourne isometric of 1866. First listed in the directories of 1878, it was attended by hall keeper (later Grand Secretary) William Judge, under the leadership of J H B Curtis, Grand Secretary for that year. As pictured c1880, the hall was single storied, pilastraded and accompanied by detached offices on the west. The hall was rebuilt Wilson & Watson in 1886, to designs by Ravenscroft (and Freeman) executed late in 1885. Offices and hall were joined by two shops which were presumably at the corner, (shown in c1910 as offices), to be extended again in 1888, presumably to complete the original design. J C Smith was secretary in that period. George Ravenscroft and Freeman designed many row houses in Simpson and Powlett Streets, East Melbourne, in this era, (13 - 15, 51 - 57 Simpson Street, i.e.. Victoria Terrace, 10 - 14 Powlett Street), but more relevant was his design for the ornate Foresters Hall, La Trobe Street, 1887 - 8. The Oddfellows were one of the many British friendly societies which came with increasing urbanisation, commencing in Melbourne as the Australia Felix Lodge, in 1840. It was devoted to brotherhood, mutual assistance and the provision of sickness and funeral benefits for its members. Aimed at the working classes, the voluntary benefits scheme was lauded by J C Smith (to a Royal Commission into Victorian Charities, 1890 - 2): 'they save a large amount to the State, and it gives (the working men) a great feeling of self-reliance'. By the mid-1860s, the society had 106 lodges in Victoria, 46 in Sydney and 64 in Adelaide, comprising some 20,000 members. They distributed around 10,000 pounds yearly inDescription/Notable Features Plans of c1910 show offices at the corner entered from Russell Street, and the hall from Victoria Street. Externally, this has changed with that of the new Commonwealth Bank occupancy initiated in the c1930s. Now modified in detail, the two storey facades are pilastraded (Corinthian and Doric) with a traditional graduation of both the Order and opening form, with increasing height (arched to segment-arched). Emphasis is given to the hall entrance by application of a segment-arched pediment over the door, a possible remnant (with the adjoining ground level pilaster bays) from the 1870s structure. (Interior not inspected)Statement of SignificanceAlthough altered, this was the Grand Lodge of the IOOF from the 1870s (part) and 1886 (most), an important lodge in the popular Oddfellows Friendly Society which started in Melbourne and became a nationally prominent benefit to the labouring and artisan classes.___________________________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.
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109560 1 | 1 PDF : 1,409 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |