Australian Mutual Provident Society Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australian Mutual Provident Society Building |
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Australian Mutual Provident Society Building, Townsville
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| Location | 416-418 Flinders Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1937 - 1938 |
| Architect | Hall and Cook |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Australian Mutual Provident Society Building (former), AMP Building (former), Connolly Suthers Lawyers | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 1 August 2005 |
| Reference no. | 602159 |
| Significant period | 1930s (fabric) 1938-1990s (historical use) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - caretaker's quarters, statue, basement / sub-floor, furniture/fittings, flagpole/flagstaff |
| Builders | Stuart Brothers |
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The Australian Mutual Provident Society Building in Townsville, Queensland, is a special heritage-listed building. It was designed by Hall and Cook and built between 1937 and 1938. This building was once the office for a big company called the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP). Today, it is also known as the former AMP Building or Connolly Suthers Lawyers. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 1, 2005, because of its important history and design.
Contents
A Look Back: The AMP Building's Story
The Australian Mutual Provident Society, or AMP, was started in 1849. Its main goal was to offer life insurance to people in New South Wales. This meant people could pay a small amount regularly to protect their families financially in the future.
How AMP Began
In 1848, a group of people in Sydney met to plan this new company. They wanted to create a way for people to save money and protect their families. At first, not many people joined. But by 1856, they needed a special law to help the company grow. This law was passed in 1857. It was very important because it protected the money from life insurance policies from being taken by creditors. This was a new idea for its time!
Growing Across Australia
As AMP grew, it opened offices all over Australia and even in New Zealand and England. In April 1883, a small office opened in Townsville. It was in a simple wooden building with a tin roof. This office helped people in many parts of North Queensland, from Cooktown to Mackay. People could get loans from AMP using their policies or property.
Townsville's First AMP Building
The Townsville office became very successful. So, in 1885, AMP bought land on Flinders Street East, which was a busy business area. They built an impressive two-storey brick building. It was designed by famous architects from Sydney. This first AMP building in Townsville opened in January 1888.
Building the New AMP Office
By 1937, North Queensland was growing fast. AMP decided they needed an even bigger office. They chose a new spot on Flinders Street, further west, where more businesses were now located. The new building was designed by Brisbane architects Francis Hall and Harold Cook. It was built by Stuart Bros Pty Ltd. They tried to use local workers and materials as much as possible. For example, the pink granite on the building came from the nearby Hervey Range. Local stonemasons helped to mine and install it.
The new three-storey brick building was officially opened on February 21, 1938. It was the first building in Townsville to have air-conditioning! AMP used the ground floor, and they rented out offices on the other floors. There was even a small apartment for a caretaker.
AMP's Role in Townsville
AMP also helped Townsville's economy. For example, they loaned money to the Harbour Board to extend the Townsville wharf in 1929. This helped ships to load and unload goods more easily. The AMP building's design, with its classic look, was typical for insurance companies during the 1920s and 1930s. It showed strength and reliability.
The Amicus Statue
Above the main entrance, there was a special marble statue called the Amicus tableau. It showed a female figure with a "horn of plenty" (a symbol of wealth) and a palm of victory. She was standing over a seated woman and child. This statue represented AMP's motto: "Amicus certus in re incerta," which means "a certain friend in an uncertain event." This statue was on all AMP buildings until 1988. The one in Townsville was actually moved from the first AMP building to the new one in 1938.
The idea for the Amicus statues came from AMP's first official seal in 1857. A sculptor named J Summers created the first statue for AMP's main office in Sydney. Soon, the Amicus statue became a well-known symbol on all AMP buildings.
In 1978, the 1938 building was renovated. The inside wood panels and ceiling were restored. The outside granite was cleaned, and the building was painted. In the mid-1990s, a law firm called Connolly & Suthers bought the building.
What the Building Looks Like
The former AMP Society Building is on the corner of Flinders and Stanley Streets. It's a five-storey building made with a steel frame and concrete floors. The outside walls are brick covered with cement. It has three main floors, a basement, and a smaller top floor with a former caretaker's apartment and a roof deck.
Outside Features
The building has a simple rectangular shape. Its street sides are decorated in a classic style. The bottom part of the building and the decorations around the main entrance are made of red granite. There's a decorative band (called a frieze) with medallions above the first floor. Another frieze at the top has the AMP name written on it. Above that, a wall with alternating blank panels and classical balusters (small pillars) forms a railing around the roof deck.
Along Stanley Street, the ground slopes down, showing the basement level. The basement windows have decorative wrought iron grilles. The Stanley Street side has many large timber windows.
Flinders Street Entrance
The Flinders Street side is the front of the building and is more decorated. The main entrance is in the middle, with a window on each side. The entrance has a fancy red granite frame. Above the entrance, there's a decorative piece called a cartouche. The window right above the entrance has a special broken pediment (a triangular top). The other windows on this level have projecting cornices (decorative ledges). The Amicus statue and a flagpole are located above the entrance at the roof deck level, making the center of the Flinders Street side stand out.
Inside the Building
Three granite steps lead up to the main entrance doors. These doors have a metal grille above them that looks like fish scales. The entrance area inside is lined with reddish marble. Glass doors open into the main business room. A terrazzo staircase goes all the way to the roof. It has a timber handrail and a decorative wrought iron railing. The walls in the stairwell are covered with black and yellow tiles.
The main business room is very tall and still has many of its original features. These include timber paneling, timber counters with marble tops, and timber and glass screens. The ceiling is decorated with recessed panels (coffered) and large cornices. It is supported by decorative pillars (pilasters) with Corinthian capitals (fancy tops).
Why It's Important: Heritage Listing
The former Australian Mutual Provident Society Building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 1, 2005, for several reasons:
- Showing History: This building shows how business grew in North Queensland and how Townsville became an important regional center. Its new location also shows how the main business area on Flinders Street shifted over time.
- Great Example of its Type: The Townsville AMP Building is a well-preserved example of a commercial building from the time between the two World Wars. It still has many of its original features. Its classic design and organized inside spaces make it an excellent example of an insurance company building from that period.
- Beautiful Design: The AMP building is a landmark where Flinders and Stanley Streets meet. Its important location and carefully designed outside walls make Flinders Street look even better. It is a key part of the historic streetscape of Flinders Street, which has always been Townsville's main street.
- Connected to Important Groups: The building, with its special statue and the AMP name on its front, is clearly linked to the AMP society. This company was, and still is, very important in Queensland's history. The building's prominent location and strong design show how powerful the company was in many towns and cities across Queensland. The building was designed by famous architects Hall and Cook, who also designed AMP's main Queensland office in Brisbane.
