SOLDIERS' AND CITIZENS' MEMORIAL HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL CHAMBERS
10-12 ROY STREET JEPARIT, HINDMARSH SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The municipal building at Jeparit was a combined effort of the Mechanics Institute, the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (later known as the Returned & Services League of Australia), local citizens and the shire council. After the First World War the Mechanics Institute needed new premises for a library and reading room, the RSSILA wanted clubrooms and the citizens of Jeparit needed a public hall. A committee made up of "soldiers and citizens" approached the shire council, who were planning to build new offices and chambers, with the idea of a combined building. The administrative centre of the Dimboola Shire had shifted from Dimboola to Jeparit in 1914 after years of increasing discontent in the northern section of the shire.
The committee raised the equivalent of approximately £4000 in cash and land and the shire council provided the remainder of the funds. The Ballarat firm of architects Clegg and Morrow designed the building and the local firm Lovell Dudden and Jones were the builders. The contract price was £7700 with about £400 for extras. On 5 February 1924 the foundation stone was laid by the Hon. Arthur Rodgers, former Minister for Trade and Customs and former assistant Minister for Repatriation. The building, a memorial to those who fought in the war, was opened on 2 June 1925. It is a two-storey red brick building with rendered front facade, Ionic order columns to the recessed porch and trabeated treatment to the facade. The ground floor comprised a library and reading room, soldiers' lounge and meeting room, billiard room, public hall with stage (later used as a cinema), dressing room and supper room. Upstairs was occupied by the shire offices and chambers. The local furniture maker Chaplin made chairs and a large timber table for the municipal chambers which was assembled in the room.
How is it significant?
The Jeparit Soldiers' and Citizens' Memorial Hall and former Municipal Chambers is of historical, social and architectural significance to the state of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The building is of historical and social significance as one of a small group of shire buildings dedicated as World War I memorials. Other memorial halls include those at Boort, Kerang, Donald and Leongatha, regions with extensive soldier settlement. The dedication of a key building in the town as a war memorial is a tangible reminder of the profound impact the First World War had on Australian communities, made more poignant in this context as the shire included many people of German origin.
The building has historical significance as a rare example of a municipal building designed for a multi-purpose use as municipal offices and a community facility. Although there are a number of examples with multiple public uses such as the Buninyong Town Hall which combines a town hall and courthouse, the mix of civic and community use is more unusual.
The building has social significance for the high value placed in it by the local and surrounding community. It has long played an important role in community life and, more widely, in the former Shire of Dimboola as a place of decision making, entertainment, learning and meeting. The impetus for the building came from the local "soldiers and citizens", highlighting the importance of such a facility for an isolated rural community.
The building has architectural significance as a fine, essentially intact example of an Inter-War Free Classical style building. It has classical elements but also references to the Moderne style with the stylised keystone detailing around the windows. The building retains original furniture and fixtures including the fine timber staircase, strong room in the former rate collector's office, the large board room table and chairs in the municipal chambers built at Chaplin's furniture factory in Jeparit and assembled in the room, purpose-built chairs with rising sun motif in the RSL room, scenery back drop to the stage painted by Edgar Finlay, plaques and honour boards throughout the building.
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SOLDIERS' AND CITIZENS' MEMORIAL HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL CHAMBERS - History
Contextual History:
History of Place:
John Scott Peterson, a partner in Peterson, Pole and Company merchants and importers of Melbourne, had bought a section of the old Pine Hills station and had a township surveyed in 1889. Roy, Charles, Edith and John Streets were named after his children. He granted land for church and public use. A general store, Pearce Brothers was opened and township lots put up for sale. By 1890 a school had also been established and, as settlers had to cart wheat 25 to 50 miles, a railway league was formed to lobby for a direct line from Dimboola. The construction of the railway, 1893-94, gave a big impetus to the growth of the town. The town was described in the contemporary press as: "built on a perfect plain with a gradual rise towards the north - here and there - ridges of pine trees surrounded by cornfields and pasture lands." (Quoted in Blake, p. 66) By this time Jeparit had more stores, two churches, a sawmill, a brick kiln and a mechanics institute.
As the shire of Dimboola pushed further northward and the towns of Jeparit and Rainbow grew, agitation increased for Jeparit to become the administrative centre of the shire. Finally in November 1914 Council voted, despite opposition from the south and west ridings of the shire, to remove the shire office from Dimboola to Jeparit.
The citizens of Jeparit sought assistance from the shire to build new muncipal chambers combined with a mechanics institute library, Returned Services League clubrooms, billiard room, hall and supper room. The shire agreed to provide funds, despite some opposition from the south and west ridings, and the Memorial Hall committee raised 4000 pounds.
The Ballarat architect Morrow designed the building and local builders Lovell Dudden and Jones were the successful contractors with their quote of 7700 pounds.SOLDIERS' AND CITIZENS' MEMORIAL HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL CHAMBERS - Assessment Against Criteria
Criterion A
The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object.
The building has historical importance as one of a small group of shire buildings dedicated as World War I memorials. Other memorial halls include those at Boort, Kerang and Donald, regions with extensive soldier settlement and Leongatha. As a war memorial with associations with the newly-established Returned Services League, the building demonstrates the profound impact the First World War had on Australian communities, made more poignant in this context as the shire included many people of German origin.
The building has historical significance as a rare example of a municipal hall and chambers having a multi-purpose use as a community facility. Although there are a number of examples with multiple public uses, the mix of civic and community use is more unusual.Criterion B
The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness.Criterion C
The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage.Criterion D
The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects.Criterion E
The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features.
The building has aesthetic significance as a fine, essentially intact example of an Inter-War Free Classical style building. The building retains original furniture and fixtures including the large board room table and chairs in the municipal chambers, built at Chaplin's Furniture factory in Jeparit and assembled in the room, purpose-built chairs in the RSL room, scenery back drop to the stage, plaques and honour boards.Criterion F
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements.Criterion G
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations.
The building has social associations for the local and surrounding community. It has long played a vital role in the community and, more widely, in the former Shire of Dimboola as a place of decision making, entertainment, and meeting.Criterion H
Any other matter which the Council considers relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significanceSOLDIERS' AND CITIZENS' MEMORIAL HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL CHAMBERS - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
* Minor repairs to fence.
* Regular garden maintenance.
Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms and toilets including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors and exit signs.SOLDIERS' AND CITIZENS' MEMORIAL HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL CHAMBERS - Permit Exemption Policy
The cultural heritage significance of the Soldiers and Citizens Memorial Hall and Municipal Chambers, Jeparit is principally due to its historical and social associations.
The exemptions policy recognises that although some alterations have occurred, the building retains a high level of integrity. Important elements include original furniture and fittings, in particular the table and chairs in the municipal chambers, the RSL furniture and the scenery backdrop on the stage. Further upgrading of service spaces will take place in the future. The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Alterations that impact on the significance of the exterior and interior are subject to permit applications.
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Jeparit Soldiers' And Citizens' Memorial Hall and Former Municipal ChambersVic. War Heritage Inventory H1905
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