- From
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Details
This hall was used by Chinese community organisations for many functions c1910s-1930s. Groups such as the Chinese Progress Association and the Young Chinese League may have held social functions, such as balls, there.
It is believed that this is one of the rooms in the Manchester Unity Oddfellows head office and hall at 339 Swanston Street, Melbourne, which is opposite the State Library of Victoria and close to Melbourne's 'Chinatown' area. This location was originally the site of John Knox School (and Church of Christ, which remains today), MU Hall was constructed in 1863, but its congregation dissolved in 1879.
On 17 July 1923, a grand concert was held in the hall to celebrate the completion of the building and a few days earlier on 5 July an roll of honour board was unveilled to honour the 760 members of the Order in Victoria who had lost their lives in the 1914-1918 war. 4,500 members of the Order in Victoria enlisted.
According to an article in the Argus newspaper, on Saturday, 14 July 1923 the Australian Chinese Progressive Social Club held a 'fancy cap and ziff night' at the Manchester Unity Hall. Mr H.Y. Bow was the honorary organiser and Mr A Chung Hon, the secretary.
In February-March of 1940 the three-storey building was demolished by Whelan's and by 1944 had been replaced by the Art Deco MU Oddfellows Building (later called Jensen House), by architect Marcus Barlow (who had also designed the more well-known Manchester Unity Building at 91 Swanston Street). Today the MU Oddfellows Building is used as student accommodation.
This building was used for Manchester Unity Lodge meetings, by the Widows and Orphans Institution of Port Phillip District, and as a Freemasons' Lodge. The building also played a role in late attempts to establish a federated Australia, and was a polling place during the first referendum on the Federal Bill in June 1898.
A photograph held by the Footscray Historical Society and information provided by the Society suggests the hall may have been located in the Footscray area.
A photograph held in the Ah Yee family collection at the State Library of Victoria indicates the hall was in Carlton, near Trades Hall.
Sources used to compile this entry: State Library of Victoria, Church of Christ and Manchester Unity Oddfellows Hall, photograph, http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/a/1/8/doc/a18428.shtml State Library of Victoria, Ah Yee family collection, LTA 801, f.39. Robyn Annear, A City Lost and Found: Whelan the Wrecker's Melbourne, Black Inc., Melbourne, 2005, pp.101-102. RMIT University website, Modern in Melbourne: Marcus Barlow, http://users.tce.rmit.edu.au/E03159/ModMelb/mm2/lect/30%27s%20&%2040%27s/mb/html/barlow.html. PROV, http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/exhibs/ournation/p_pb.htm. State Library of Victoria, Architects drawing of the proposed Manchester Unity Oddfellows building, Swanston St, photograph, http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/a/4/3/doc/a43829.shtml. Picture Victoria, http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/maribyrnong/miscellaneous/1354.htm. Watt, C.I. & Walmsley, C.J., A Short History of the Manchester Unity 1840-1971, G.M. & Board of Directors: Manchester Unitity IOOF, 1972, p.21-22, Argus, 18 July 1923, p.17. Additional information about the MUIOOF building in Swanston Street provided by Mike Harrison, November 2012.
Prepared by: Steven Elliot, volunteer, Chinese Museum
Related Subjects
Images
-
-
- Title
- Group photo, Carlton, near Trades Hall
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- 1920s
- Place
- Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Carlton
- Details
-
-
- Title
- Portrait of the wedding reception of Florence Sam and Thomas Chong in the Masonic Hall, Melbourne
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- c. 1916
- Place
- Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
- Details
-
-
- Title
- Unidentified fancy dress ball
- Type
- Photograph
- Details
-
-
- Title
- Unidentified group function (probably a dance) at a Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- 1930s - 1940s
- Place
- Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
- Details
-
-
- Title
- Unidentified group function (probably a dance) at a Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- 1930s - 1940s
- Place
- Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
- Details
Created: 26 March 2011, Last modified: 11 November 2012
