London Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids London Court |
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Hay Street entrance and clock
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| General information | |
| Type | Shopping arcade |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°57′17″S 115°51′32″E / 31.954693°S 115.8589894°E |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 8 October 1996 |
| Reference no. | 1998 |
London Court is a special shopping area in Perth, Western Australia. It has an open roof and is three or four levels high. A wealthy businessman named Claude de Bernales built it in 1937. He planned it for both homes and shops.
This unique arcade connects the Hay Street Mall and St Georges Terrace. It is a very popular place for visitors in Perth. London Court has been recognized as an important heritage site since the 1970s.
Exploring London Court's Design
London Court looks like something from old England! It has a unique mock-Tudor and Elizabethan style. You'll see fancy entrances with big wrought-iron gates at both ends.
At the Hay Street entrance, there's a large clock. It chimes every 15 minutes, every half-hour, and on the hour. When it chimes, four moving knights come out from a castle door. They move in a circle, looking like they are jousting with each other.
At the St Georges Terrace end, another clock has a window above it. Inside, a small moving figure of Saint George fights a dragon. These special clocks were made in London and cost a lot of money back then.
Inside the arcade, you'll find statues of famous figures. At the north end, there's Dick Whittington and his cat. At the south end, you'll see Sir Walter Raleigh. Both statues are in tall towers, looking down at the people below.
Other cool features include gargoyles, masks, shields, and fancy wrought-iron signs. The roofs have pointed gables, and there are weather vanes and leaded glass windows. The floor is covered with terracotta tiles.
When it first opened, London Court had 24 apartments on the upper levels. It also had 53 shops and 55 offices. Today, most of the apartments are used for businesses. The arcade now has many small, unique shops and cafes.
Building London Court
London Court was built on land that used to be a group of narrow paths. One of these paths was called Gun Alley. Claude de Bernales bought these properties in 1935. He paid £75,000, which would be about A$7.4 million today!
De Bernales wanted London Court to be an important connection. He imagined it linking Perth Railway Station to The Esplanade.
He hired Bernard Evans, an architect from Melbourne, to design the arcade. Local firms also helped with the plans. Construction began in August 1936 and took less than a year to finish. It cost £80,000 to build.
The building used very modern construction methods for its time. It had an air-conditioning system, which was new for Western Australia. There was also a large restaurant in the basement for people working or visiting there. It even had its own postal and laundry services.
Grand Opening Ceremony
Lieutenant Governor Sir James Mitchell officially opened London Court. This grand event took place on 29 July 1937. Sir James Mitchell had also been the Premier before.
He said the arcade was "unique in Australia" and would be "an ornament to the city."
The opening was celebrated with a three-day event called 'Ye Olde English Fayre'. Thousands of people came to see it. The event raised £2,000 for the new Perth Hospital. Volunteers dressed in old Elizabethan-style costumes. There were plays, madrigal singing, and folk singing performances.
