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Albert Hall
Albert Hall, 3 Pearse St (formerly Mason Street), North Fremantle, 1900
I had thought that this hall, Albert Hall, was identical with Mason's Hall, until I was informed by a descendant of Frederick Mason (formerly May) that Mason's Hall was elsewhere in North Fremantle, in fact just around the corner, in John Street (Tydeman Road).
Albert Hall was first used as the venue for events (a ball and a concert) in July 1899 - see the newspaper article below.
Heritage Council entry for this building:
The limestone, brick and iron hall at 3 Pearse Street was built in 1900 as Albert Hall. It is speculated that it was named after Queen Victoria's husband, Albert the Prince Consort. It has not been identified who owned the building at the time of construction although sources suggest that it was built by local landowner, Frederick Mason, for community purposes. The hall was used for a variety of purposes including; balls, boxing matches, church social activities, and the Scots Church also held services in the hall. It has also been claimed that it was used as a 'Druid's Church'. It also accommodated St Mary's Church activities until 1904, when the Church built their own hall in Jewell Street.
In 1921, Vulcan Engineering Co. occupied the building and the following year, it was vacant. From 1923 to at least 1949 the place was used as a billiard room. In 1940, the place had a rear verandah and a galvanised iron addition at the rear of the building. The owners of the place from 1955 to 1961 were Unmack and Cullen and the occupier was Leonard H Arnott. During this period, the building was recorded in the Rate Books as a shed and dwelling. The building was connected to the mains sewerage system in 1958.
Between 1964 and 1968, the property was owned by Ivy and Leonard Arnott and occupied by Hugh O'Brien. In later years, the place was described as a storeroom (not a dwelling). From 1972 to 1986, Barry and Patricia Martin owned the place. In 1987, the place became known as the Pearse Street Pottery and was owned by Robert Cripwell. In 1993, new owners Paula and Walter Tolley undertook major additions to create a home, studio and gallery. works included the addition of a mezzanine floor, family dining room and laundry. The material used in the addition included salvage items from Fremantle buildings. In 2004, the place is used as a residence.
This place was included in the 'North Fremantle Heritage Study' (1994) as a place contributing to the development and heritage of North Fremantle. It was also included in the list of heritage places in the City of Fremantle identified by the Fremantle Society (1979/80) - PURPLE - of architectural and historic significance in its own right.
Two storey stone, brick and iron former hall, now studio, with symmetrical facade designed with elements of the Federation Warehouse style of architecture. Walls are limestone with face brick quoins and reveals. Roof is gabled corrugated iron with no eaves. Front elevation is symmetrical with two semi circular windows and a central front door. There is a high level circular window with a circular and an arched contrasting rendered bands surrounding it. This elevation is a parapet gable end with timber louvres to the top section of the gable. The former hall is set forward with the edge of the building set on the front boundary line. The side elevation has arched openings with face brick quoining, reveals and shallow buttresses. There is a dormer window to the north. A brick and lattice is located to the north of the former hall set back from the front elevation. Heritage Council.
West Australian, 1899:
ALBERT HALL, NORTH FREMANTLE.
This handsome and commodious structure, which has been erected in Mason-street, North Fremantle, will be used for the first time on Monday evening next, when the opening ceremony will take the form of a select ball, which will be held under the patronage of the Mayor of that suburb. On the following night a concert will be given in the hall. The West Australian Saturday 8 July 1899 p. 5.
References and Links
Many thanks to Ros May for links to various articles about this and Mason's Hall.
Heritage Council page
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 11 July, 2016 and hosted at freotopia.org/buildings/alberthall.html (it was last updated on 18 March, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.