Also known as the Box Hill RSL Memorial Hall – 1920 to 1951 and as the Box Hill City Library – 1951 to 1973.
During WW1 there were a number of organisations in Box Hill that assisted returned serviceman with financial support and finding work. These organisations included the Box Hill Ladies Patriotic League, Box Hill Australian Natives Association and the Box Hill Sailors and Soldiers League.
On November 11,1918 the Armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany to end the First World War.
In March 1919 at a meeting of the Nunawading Council the Box Hill Wattle Club suggested that a plan for converting the Box Hill State School on Whitehorse Rd into a technical school include a Memorial Hall. The suggestion was not implemented.
The Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League of Australia (R.S.S.I.L.A) - Box Hill sub branch was formed in September 1919 and was declared open in October by Brigadier General Lloyd.
In October 1919 the renowned Australian architect Harold Desbrowe Annear submitted a proposed design to the Nunawading Shire Council for a combination memorial hall and triumphal arch in Box Hill at a cost of £4000 (equivalent to $332,000 today). This proposal did not get built. In Steven Cooke’s book ‘One Hundred years in the making, Box Hill RSL 1920 -2020’ he mentions: ‘Too triumphalist, and perhaps more importantly, too expensive, the shire would have a separate memorial and more modest meeting spaces’.
It appears that the journey of getting a Memorial Hall built in Box Hill got off to a rocky start. By December 1919 various locations for a Memorial Hall were being discussed by a number of organisations such as the ‘Welcome Home League’ and these included the local M.L.A and a number of Nunawading Shire councillors, but no decision could be reached.
At a council meeting in January 1920 and reported in The Reporter Box Hill, Cr Ellingworth stated ‘Any appeal for a memorial hall to the council would have his strongest opposition’. It appears Cr Ellingworth later changed his mind and was in favour of building the Memorial Hall.
A design for the Memorial Hall was submitted at a Nunawading Council meeting by the Box Hill Memorial Club Rooms Citizens Committee and the local branch of the Returned Soldiers’ League in May 1920 and was reported in an article in The Reporter Box Hill on May 21, 1920 mentioning that:
‘A rough plan had been prepared of a building in brick, and it would look very nice on that particular spot. Erected on an octagonal design, it would not be an eyesore, but an ornament to the place’.
In the book Box Hill by Andrew Lemon in regard to the Memorial Hall mentions: ‘in the meantime, with the consent of the Council, the R.S.L. built a memorial hall and club room in the eastern most reserve in the centre of White Horse Road. It was described as a ‘unique and substantial design’ – an eight-sided red brick building in the shape of a field tent’.
The proposed location was in the central reserve in Whitehorse Rd. to the north of the Box Hill Town Hall and directly south of Court St. Box Hill.
During 1920 there were a number of council and public meetings to discuss the issue of building a Memorial Hall in Box Hill. Eventually at a council meeting in May 1920 the Nunawading Shire Council granted permission to the R.S.L. to use the land on Whitehorse Rd as the site for the Memorial Hall. At the meeting Cnr Young stated ‘They could not get this land as a gift, as it would always belong to the council or the government. The argument had been used that there would be no soldiers in five or ten years’ time, but if they then wished to give the building up it would revert back to the council, which would also have a big say in its management. The league would have no objection to the president and councillors being trustees of the property'.
Cr Ellingworth also stated ‘it was not possible to select a better position for the purpose intended, but they could not possible transfer or sell a portion of the road. Trustees would have to be elected in a satisfactory manner, and the building vested in the shire. The council would then be responsible for its proper upkeep and control’.
In June 1920 the Nunawading Shire Council granted approval for the construction of the Memorial Hall. The Reporter Box Hill on July 9, 1920 that Council continues to deliberate the proposed Memorial ‘That £10001be placed on estimate of expenditure for next municipal year for erection of proposed Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ memorial at Box Hill, and council appoint a committee to consider and report on matter of details for carrying out of work. – The president, and Crs. Young, Husband, Stevens, Hurter and Garrett were appointed’. 1Equivalent to $83,000 today.
On August 28th1920 the foundation stone for the Memorial Hall was laid by Ella Mates ‘on behalf of the Committee of Citizens of Box Hill’. Ella Mates was the daughter of Thomas Mates a prominent Box Hill businessman who donated £2002to the Memorial Hall building fund and had built the ‘New Theatre’ near the corner of Whitehorse Rd and Watts St. Ella later married Councillor William Boyland. 2Equivalent to $16,600 today
Then on September 3, 1920 it is reported ‘The shire solicitors forwarded a draft suggestion for the soldiers’ memorial at Box Hill. Referred to Public Works committee’.
And two weeks later on September 17, 1920 The Reporter Box Hill says ‘That draft of agreement in reference to Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ club-rooms be adopted and sent along to Box Hill sub-branch Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League for consideration’.
In October 1920 in The Argus newspaper states that the Shire of Nunawading ran a competition for ‘Designs for a Sailors and Soldiers Memorial at Box Hill are invited’. The ‘Closing date for submission of designs, 15th November, 1920’. Yet, it is reported on November 12, 1920 ‘The Nunawading (late Box Hill) branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League suggested that a conference be held between the council’s Public Works committee and the branch in connection with a permissive occupancy over certain land for the erection of a memorial hall in Box Hill’. – conference to be held at the next committee meeting, with power to act’.
‘Mr Boyland explained that in the course of a few weeks the Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Hall in Box Hill would be opened’.
The closing date for the design competition for the Memorial Hall was November 15,1920 yet the building seems to be already under construction and nearing completion.
Then on November 26,1920 The Reporter Box Hill announces ‘The erection of the new sailors and soldiers memorial rooms in the ovals in White Horse- road, Box Hill, has been completed’.
Three days later The Reporter Box Hill mentioned on November 29,1920 that ‘The Returned Soldiers’ Memorial Club rooms opened at Box Hill have been handed over to the local branch free of debt, the whole cost of £1200 for the erection of the building having been subscribed by the public. Funds are being raised in order to furnish the hall for the soldiers’
The RSL Memorial Hall was a busy social hub for many years and hosted events including Horticultural Shows, charity fundraising, Billiard’s tournaments and Golf Gymkhana’s during WW2 to assist the war fund, the annual Returned Soldiers Ball and was temporally used as Baby Health Care Centre in the mid 1920’s. The ‘Box Hill Diggers Cricket Club’ and the ‘Box Hill Diggers Football Club’ were also created in the early 1920’s.
For 31 years the Memorial Hall continued to operate from Whitehorse Rd until the RSL purchased Upton House on Thames St, Box Hill in August 1950 after it ‘was passed in at £7,5003 or £1000 short of the reserve’, the RSL then moved to Upton House. In the book ‘One Hundred Years in the Making Box Hill RSL 1920 – 2020’ by Steven Cooke mentions: ‘By August 1951 work on Upton House had commenced supported by £2,500 from the local council in return for quitting the Memorial Hall on Whitehorse Road’. 3 Equivalent to $460,885.71 today.
The Memorial Hall was refurbished and in October 1951 it was reopened as the Box Hill City Library. This highly valued community asset of a unique design, successfully operated as a library for 22 years until in June 1973 the Box Hill Council decided to demolish the Memorial Hall/Box Hill City Library.
The campaign to save the Memorial Hall/Library
There was a public backlash against the council’s decision. A protest petition and many letters of protest were sent to the council and a 150 people attended a council meeting in an attempt to get the decision to demolished the former Memorial Hall/Library overturned.
In an article published in the Box Hill Gazette in May 1973 mentions:
Pupils want a coffee shop
TUG-O-WAR ON LIBRARY
‘Students from seven Box Hill schools have mounted a big campaign to obtain use of the old library building in Whitehorse Road. Last week, students, headed by Louis Vangytenbeek, 17, of the Box Hill High School, and Elisabeth Curtis, submitted a 1,897 signature petition to council.
The students strongly oppose the defeated Chamber of Commerce suggestion that the building be demolished to make way for a car park.
The chamber had described the 53-year-old building as an unaesthetic mass of mortar.
Council has also heard pleas from people who regard the building as one of Box Hill’s historical landmarks.
A Croydon resident Mrs A. B. Ives wrote to council last month that she and other residents of Croydon had been distressed to learn of the chamber’s suggestion, which she described as ‘callous’ and ‘short - sighted’.
‘Mrs Ives suggested the building could continue as a theatre, arts and crafts centre, or a historical gallery.
But pupils have a different role for the building after the library moves to its new $600,000 premises. They want to run a coffee shop “so that the young people of Box Hill will have somewhere to go”.
Another article published in the Box Hill Gazette in August 1973 mentions:
Landmark is going
‘Council decided on demolition after it was told by its consultants, architects Graeme M. McDonald and Associates, that the restoration of the building would cost $14,000’. The architects report points to extensive cracks in footings, inner and outer walls, sagging rafters and the need to rebuild the entire roof’.
In an article published in the Box Hill Gazette on September 12, 1973 mentions:
Bid to save old library
‘Cr Ron Thomson last week gave notice he would move at the next council meeting to rescind a motion to demolish the building’.
‘Cr Stan Dwyer was overseas at the time. Since his return, he told a council meeting he felt the council had decided to demolish an historic building which, “with its unique design, has no equal in Melbourne”.
‘Former councillor Mr Alan Broadhead, who opposed Cr Dewar on the grounds that the building had been certified unsafe, said he would like council to consider building a similar one in another part of Box Hill’.
In an article published in the Whitehorse Standard on September 25, 1973 it mentions:
Library will fall after 11th hour bid
‘An 11th hour bid to save the old Box Hill library on Whitehorse Rd. has failed. In a final council decision, the library will be demolished. This follows the defeat of a motion to rescind council’s previous decision to pull it down. The estimated 150 persons in the gallery and adjoining passages – an unusually large crowd for Box Hill – were obviously disappointed at the result. Three local organisations and six private citizens had asked that the building be retained for use as a museum, for meeting and cultural purposes’.
In October 1973 the Memorial Hall/Library was demolished.
Sources:
©Whitehorse Heritage