Alexandra Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexandra Building |
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Building facade, 2014
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| Location | 451-455 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1902 |
| Architect | Henry James (Harry) Marks |
| Official name: Alexandra Building | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 16 October 2008 |
| Reference no. | 601317 |
| Significant period | 1900s |
| Builders | James Renwick |
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The Alexandra Building is a special old building in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it is an important historical place. The building was designed by a famous local architect, Harry Marks. It was built in 1902 by James Renwick.
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The Story of the Alexandra Building
The Alexandra Building is a two-storey building made of stone. It was built in 1902 for a local businessman named Thomas Kelsall Lamb. Harry Marks, the architect, also designed an extension for the back of the building in 1905.
When it first opened, the building had two shops on the ground floor. The top floor was a large hall for parties and concerts.
Toowoomba's Growth
By the late 1800s, Toowoomba was a very important town. It was the main business centre for the Darling Downs region. This area was one of the first parts of Queensland to be settled. Toowoomba became a key stop for goods travelling to and from Brisbane. By 1891, many people in the Darling Downs lived in Toowoomba.
Ruthven Street became the main shopping and business area. Many new stone buildings were built there. The new Toowoomba City Hall was also built on Ruthven Street in 1900. The Alexandra Building helped make Ruthven Street the heart of the city.
TK Lamb & Co.
The Alexandra Building was built for TK Lamb and Co. This company was well-known in Toowoomba for making sweets and pastries. Since 1885, Mr. Lamb had run his business from different places on Ruthven Street. He sold cakes, sweets, and even meats by mail order to people all over Queensland. He also had a drapery (fabric and clothing) business.
In 1901, TK Lamb bought the land for the Alexandra Building. He hired Harry Marks to design a building with shops. It also needed a large hall for events. Mr. Lamb also planned to build a new, modern bakery at the back.
The Architect: Harry Marks
Harry Marks (1871-1939) was part of a family of architects. They designed many important buildings in Toowoomba. Harry worked with his father, James Marks, from 1892. Together, as James Marks and Son, they were very important architects for over 50 years.
Harry Marks was known for being very creative. He was especially good at making sure his buildings had lots of fresh air and natural light. He even invented and patented special windows and ways to build walls.
Building the Alexandra Building
The Alexandra Building was finished in 1902 by James Renwick. Other local businesses helped with painting and fittings. Building it showed that people believed Toowoomba would continue to grow.
The building was named after Queen Alexandra. She was the wife of King Edward VII of Britain. They were crowned in August 1902, around the time the building opened.
The building had a striking front with a verandah on the top floor. It also had a decorative roofline with the words "Alexandra Hall" on it.
Inside the Building
The ground floor had two large shops. Each was about 30 metres long and 9 metres wide. They had big display windows at the front. The northern shop was first used by GP Merry's Drapery. The southern shop was TK Lamb and Co.'s Cafe Alexandra. This cafe had a dining room that could seat up to 200 people. Kitchens and storage areas were behind the dining room.
The Alexandra Hall was on the entire first floor. You could reach it by a wide staircase from Ruthven Street. It was a huge space, about 30 metres long and 18 metres wide. It had windows at the front and back, plus six large skylights in the roof. The hall could seat 900 people. It had cloakrooms and dressing rooms.
The hall also had staircases leading to verandahs at the front and back. Another staircase led directly to the Cafe Alexandra below. This meant the cafe could be used as a supper room during events.
A Popular Place
The Alexandra Hall was very popular. Toowoomba needed a large public hall, and this one was right in the city centre. It was used almost constantly for dances, concerts, and banquets. The City Hall, built in 1900, had a sloped floor, so it wasn't good for dances or banquets.
The Cafe Alexandra was also very successful. In 1905, TK Lamb & Co. added more rooms to the back of the building. This included a pavilion that could be used as a supper room or meeting room. It had a beautiful pressed metal ceiling.
Changes Over Time
After Thomas Kelsall Lamb died in 1913, his family continued to own the building. Over the years, different businesses rented the shops. For example, a drapery store was in the northern shop for many years. Later, a radio service and broadcasting station moved in. The upstairs hall was divided into offices by the late 1930s. However, the Cafe Alexandra continued to operate downstairs.
Around the 1930s or 1940s, the front verandah was removed. It was replaced with a modern street awning. The front of the building was also painted. The name on the building changed from "Alexandra Hall" to "Alexandra Building."
In 1976, an architect named Brian Hodgen bought the building. He moved his architectural office to the first floor.
What Does the Alexandra Building Look Like?
The Alexandra Building is a two-storey building with a beautiful front facing Ruthven Street. It has shops on the ground floor and offices upstairs. The building has two long roofs hidden behind a brick wall at the front. These roofs have special skylights that let in light.
The Front of the Building
The front of the Alexandra Building is made of red brick. It has fancy decorations made of painted brickwork around the windows. The very top of the building is the most decorated part. It has three pointed sections called pediments. The words "Alexandra Building" are on the middle one.
The upper floor has arched steel-framed windows. Below the street awning, there are rectangular windows that let light into the ground floor shops. The shop fronts have been updated recently.
The Rest of the Building
You can only see small parts of the outside of the original 1902 building. At the back, you can see the ends of the two gabled roofs. They have smooth brick walls with high windows, just like the front.
The skylights on the roof are like boxes with curved corrugated iron roofs. They have special windows that can be reversed to let in air.
The 1905 addition at the back is called the former pavilion. It's a large room with high ceilings. It has smooth brick walls and some walls covered in corrugated iron. It also has high windows that let in lots of light. A small balcony is at the back of this pavilion.
Inside the Building
The ground floor is now divided into several shops. One of the shops has a colourful stained-glass window above the street awning. It has a large letter "A" in it. A central wooden staircase leads from the street to the first floor offices.
Some of the original parts of the Cafe Alexandra are still visible on the ground floor. These include old wallpaper, wooden stairs, and decorative details.
The first floor, which used to be the large hall, is now divided into offices. Each office space has a high, arched ceiling. The skylights still run along the middle of the northern space. The ceilings and upper walls are lined with wooden boards. Metal braces help support the roof.
The former pavilion is a large, open room. Its ceiling is covered with beautiful pressed metal sheeting and decorative borders. It also has round metal vents in the ceiling. Wooden floors and window frames are also visible.
There are also other buildings and structures at the back of the site. These include extensions to the shops and an old amenities block. There's also a modern courtyard and driveway.
Why is the Alexandra Building Important?
The Alexandra Building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008. This means it is important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed. The building was built in 1902 and extended in 1905. It shows how Ruthven Street became the main business and social centre of Toowoomba. The Alexandra Hall was also one of the first large public halls in Toowoomba. It was used for many social events like concerts, dances, and weddings.
- It shows the main features of its type of building. The Alexandra Building is a great example of an early 20th-century commercial building with a large hall. It has a grand front, shops on the ground floor, and a big hall upstairs with its own entrance. The hall has a high, arched ceiling and special windows. The attached supper room also has decorative pressed metal ceilings.
- It is beautiful. The Alexandra Building has a very decorated and striking front. It stands out on Ruthven Street. Its impressive brickwork makes it a landmark in Toowoomba. It is one of many buildings designed by the Marks family that add to Toowoomba's unique look. The inside spaces are also very well designed, letting in lots of natural light and air.
See Also
- List of Queensland Heritage Register properties in Toowoomba
