Hotham (North Melbourne) Town Hall

The North Melbourne Town Hall (known today as the Arts House) was officially opened on June 27, 1876.

The closest the Hotham History Project came (unknowingly) to acknowledging its birthday was the Winter Solstice celebration, held recently on June 20. It was organised by the Courthouse Hotel and volunteers from the Hotham History Project ran tours of the bell tower.

Pride of Hotham, A tale of North Melbourne and a red-headed architect was written by local identity Bill Hannan and launched by Barry Jones on June 27, 2006, the 130th anniversary the day of the opening of the Hotham Town Hall.

The book is wide ranging. It covers the geographical, historical, and social contexts in which the building was constructed. It provides studies of Victorian architecture, the shenanigans of the Hotham councillors who were responsible for raising the money for the construction of the building, and, in particular, George Johnson, the red-headed architect, who also designed the Meat Market and several other town halls throughout Victoria, including Daylesford, Maryborough and Fitzroy.

The grand opening ball took place that same evening. Bill writes that “there was no stage yet, and the band is on a raised platform where the stage now is. The entrance door is on the right. The essential architecture of the hall is as it is today, but the gaslights on the walls and ceiling have been supplanted. The number of dancers has been variously estimated. The Argus estimated about 300 while the Weekly Times and The Illustrated Australian News made it between 400 and 500. Tickets, apart from invited guests, cost 20 shillings for men and 10 shillings for women.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Bill’s friend and well-known Melbourne identity Gil Freeman who sadly died on March 25 of this year.

The book is available on the Hotham History Project website for the amazing cost of $45. It’s worth every cent! •

Photo: State Library of Victoria.