Brighton Town Hall, South Australia facts for kids
The former Brighton Town Hall is an important old building located in Hove, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. You can find it at 388 Brighton Road. It has a long history of serving the community.
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A Historic Building
The Brighton Town Hall was built way back in 1869. It was one of the very first town halls in the whole colony of South Australia. Only three others were built before it!
The person who designed and built it was named George William Highet. He came to South Australia in 1836. Mr. Highet was also involved in local government. He worked as a town clerk and a Councillor. He lived to be 80 years old and passed away in Brighton.
The hall was made from strong stone. This stone came from Ayliffe's quarry in the Adelaide Hills. It was laid on solid concrete foundations. The people who built it, called pioneers, wanted it to be more than just a place for government business. They wanted it to be a place for the community to use for many different activities.
Laying the Foundation Stone
On May 10, 1869, a special ceremony took place. The Hon John Hodgkiss laid the foundation stone. He was a member of the Legislative Council of South Australia. Many important pioneers of South Australia attended this event.
Underneath this stone, they placed a time capsule. This capsule held copies of the newspapers from that very day. It was like a message to the future!
Growing with the Community
As the City of Brighton grew bigger, so did its population. The Brighton Town Hall also needed to expand. In the early 1900s, new parts were added to the original building. This allowed the library to hold more books. It also created a larger reading room for people to enjoy.
New Uses for the Hall
In 1936, the Brighton Council moved to a new building. The Brighton Town Hall then found a new purpose. In 1937, it was leased to the RSL. The RSL is a group that supports people who have served in the military.
The RSL used the building for 70 years. Then, in 2008, the RSL moved to a different location.
Since 2008, the building has been empty. It had been used by the community for almost 150 years! It is now a heritage-listed building. This means it is protected because it is an important part of South Australia's history. It still stands tall as a landmark in the area.
