Hibernian Hall, Roma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hibernian Hall, Roma |
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Hibernian Hall, 2010
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| Location | 38-44 Hawthorne Street, Roma, Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1931 - 1932 |
| Architect | Cavanagh & Cavanagh |
| Official name: Hibernian Hall, HACBS Hall | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 27 April 2001 |
| Reference no. | 601689 |
| Significant period | 1931-1932 (fabric) 1932-1976 (historical) 1932-ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | stage/sound shell, proscenium arch, ticket box/office, foyer - entrance, dance floor, projection booth/bio box, dining room, canteen, auditorium |
| Builders | George Power Williams |
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The Hibernian Hall in Roma is a special old building. It's a community hall that has been around since the 1930s. This historic hall is located at 38-44 Hawthorne Street in Roma, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by architects Cavanagh & Cavanagh and built between 1931 and 1932 by George Power Williams. The hall is also known as HACBS Hall. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 April 2001 because of its important history and unique design.
A Look Back: The Hall's Story
The Hibernian Hall in Roma is a large building made mostly of timber. It was built in 1932 for the Roma branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. This society was a group that helped its members. The hall was designed by architects Cavanagh & Cavanagh, who worked in both Perth and Brisbane.
How Roma Grew
Roma became an important town in the Mount Abundance area. This region was developed for farming and raising animals. The town of Roma was officially started in September 1862. This was one of the first towns created in Queensland after it became separate from New South Wales in 1859.
The town was named after Lady Bowen. She was the wife of Queensland's first Governor, Sir George Ferguson Bowen. Roma grew slowly at first. It served as a center for farms and government offices. But then, the Western railway line opened in the 1880s. This connected the Maranoa region to ports on the coast. After that, Roma really started to grow. Also, people found water deep underground from the Great Artesian Basin. This gave a new water supply for cattle and sheep.
The Hibernian Society in Roma
As Roma's population grew in the 1880s, a local group of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society started in April 1886. At its busiest, almost 180 people were members. The word "Hibernian" means "of or belonging to Ireland," or simply "Irish."
In the 1860s, many Irish people were encouraged to move to Queensland. Thousands of Catholic Irish workers came to the colony. They often formed groups in towns and areas, connected by their religion and their societies. Hibernian Associations were very popular in Queensland in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Catholic Church strongly supported them. They were seen as a way for the church to help people in the community.
What Were Benefit Societies?
Benefit societies were very common in Australia in the 1800s. People believed in helping themselves, and the government didn't offer much public support. These societies were like clubs where members paid a small fee. In return, they could get financial help if they got sick. They also helped with funeral costs and supported families if a member passed away.
Some societies even lent money to members to help them build homes. These groups were also important social clubs. They organized events like dances and sports days. These events were a big part of community life, especially in country areas. The Roma Hibernians held sports days, campdrafts, and rodeos until 1946.
Building the Hall
The Roma Hibernian Society bought the land for the hall in late 1899. They built their first hall on this spot in 1900. Later, an outdoor movie theater was set up next to the Hibernian Hall. This was where the first movies were shown in Roma.
The first hall was made bigger in the mid-1920s. The plans were drawn by Cavanagh & Cavanagh, the same architects who designed many Catholic churches and schools. The additions were finished by May 1926. At that time, the hall was described as a two-story timber building with a balcony. It could seat 750 people and was used for many public events.
This first building was sadly destroyed by fire on 22 July 1931. But almost right away, the society asked Cavanagh & Cavanagh to design a new hall. This new building would also be a movie theater. The architects asked for builders to bid on the project in late 1931. The contract was given to George Power Williams, a builder from Roma. The new building cost about £3,120. It officially opened on 28 June 1932.
Hall Design: A Mix of Uses
The front of the new Hibernian Hall looked more like a movie theater than a community hall. It had a two-story front with a stepped roofline and a curved top. There was a special window for the projection room above the entrance.
The building had many features common in "tropical" movie theaters of that time. These included:
- Open timber panels high on the side walls for air to flow through.
- Large folding doors along each side that could be opened in hot weather.
- Decorative metal panels and woodwork in the ceiling for ventilation and good sound.
- A fancy metal arch around the stage.
- A stage area for both live shows and movies.
- A projection booth above the entrance where movies were shown.
Some parts of the building were more like a hall than a movie theater. It had a flat, springy timber floor, perfect for dancing. There was no special seating area for fancy clothes. It also had a supper room under the stage.
Movies and More
The Hibernian Hall showed movies. It competed with Roma's new Capitol Theatre, which could seat 800 people. The Capitol Theatre was built around 1932 and showed movies until it burned down in 1989. The fact that Roma could support two movie theaters in the 1930s shows how popular movies were before television.
But the Hibernian Hall was used for much more than just movies. Its size and facilities made it the top spot for community events in Roma. It hosted dances, parties, school concerts, meetings, political speeches, and touring shows. Everything from ballet and opera to comedy acts happened there. The hall even served as a temporary church and a place for the Supreme Court to meet.
In 1976, the Roma Town Council bought the hall. It is still used today for community and social activities. This includes regular roller-skating! However, it no longer shows movies.
What the Hall Looks Like
The Hibernian Hall is a large building made mostly of timber. It has a rectangular shape and a roof made of corrugated iron. It has an entrance area, a projection booth above it, a big main hall (auditorium), and a stage area. There are also newer additions at the back and a large shed connected by a covered walkway.
The Front of the Hall
The front of the building faces west. It has a two-story decorative gable structure. This is a fancy triangular part of the wall under the roof. On the sides, there are single-story walls. The ground floor and side walls are made of rendered masonry, which is like a smooth concrete finish. The first story's decorative gable is made of pressed metal over timber.
On the ground floor, there's an open entrance in the middle. Above it is a covered area with decorative metal details. There are two windows with fancy frames. The first story's front looks like a "Dutch gable" style. It has a central window that sticks out, called an oriel window. Above this window, you can see the letters "H.A.C.B.S." in raised letters. There's also a single shamrock (a three-leaf clover) on the decorative pillars.
The Sides of the Hall
The sides of the hall look similar. The south side has a single-story covered area, like a verandah. The walls are divided into nine sections. These sections match the inside layout of the building. The walls are made of timber framing.
There are seven concrete supports along each wall. Between these supports, there are five pairs of timber bi-fold doors. These doors can open wide. High up on the walls, just under the roof, there are metal vents for air to flow through. On the south side, under the verandah, you can see the timber frame of the walls. The verandah has a storage room at one end and toilets at the other.
Inside the Hall
When you enter the hall, there's a three-sided ticket booth in the middle. To the south is a storage room, and to the north is a staircase leading to the projection booth upstairs. You enter the main hall (auditorium) through two pairs of folding doors.
The auditorium has a special ceiling with seven sections. Some sections have decorative pressed metal, and others have open timber lattice. The floor is made of timber and is flat, which is great for dancing. The walls are made of vertical timber with a decorative rail running around them.
At the northern end is a raised stage area. The arch around the stage is made of decorative pressed metal. There are doors on either side of the stage. There's also a supper room located beneath the stage area.
Outside, the southern verandah opens onto a large courtyard. This used to be the outdoor movie theater. Today, it's used as a basketball court. At the back of the courtyard, there's a large canteen and shelter shed.
Why Hibernian Hall is Special
The Hibernian Hall was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 April 2001. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
The Hibernian Hall helps us understand Queensland's history. Its large size shows how important Roma was as a center for fun and community in the surrounding farming areas. It also shows how important community groups were in helping people in country towns in the early 1900s. The hall has a strong connection to the Roma branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, from the early 1900s until the 1970s.
A Great Example of Its Kind
The Hibernian Hall is still very much like it was when it was built. It's an excellent example of a large hall that was also designed to be a movie theater from the 1930s. It shows the main features of this type of building, including:
- Its "picture theater" style front.
- The projection booth above the entrance.
- The large main hall with its decorative metal and timber ceiling.
- The use of timber panels high in the side walls for air flow.
- A stage that could be used for both live shows and movies.
- A large, springy timber dance floor that opened onto an outside verandah.
- The supper room.
Beautiful Design
The hall has a special beauty. This comes from its two-story front with its shaped top, pressed metal finish, and the unique window that sticks out. The inside details, like the pressed metal and timber lattice, also add to its beauty. The Hibernian Hall is a big building with a fancy front designed to impress. It stands out on a main street and its shape, materials, size, and design make a strong contribution to the look of Roma town.
Important to the Community
The hall has social value because it has been the place for many different community, social, and fun events for decades. It has brought people together for a very long time.
Connected to Important Groups
The hall has a strong connection to the work of the Roma branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. This group was important in Queensland's history from the early 1900s through the 1970s.
