Allied Societies' Trust Building (1924 - 1969)

Summary

On 11 December 1924, "The Allied Societies Trust Limited" was formed by the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects; the Institution of Engineers Australia (Melbourne Division); the Australian Chemical Institute; the Victorian Institute of Engineers; the Victorian Institute of Surveyors; the Victorian Advisory Committee of the Institution of Civil Engineers; and the Victorian Institute of Refrigeration.

Directors of the Trust included: J. N. Reeson (Chairman); Sir John Monash; W Russell Grimwade; Kingsley Anketell Henderson; Thomas Baker [1927]; P. B. Hudson [1927].

The Trust purchased 53-55 Collins Place and invited designs in competition for the building. In addition to providing offices and a combined library for the various professional associations, two floors were to house a permanent exhibition of building materials, the two upper floors were devoted to a men's club, and on the ground floor there was a large meeting room that could seat 300 people and be used for various events and displays.

The design for the seven-storied Allied Societies Building, was won by the architectural firm of Godfrey & Spowers in association with W H Buck, and the contractor of the building works, completed in 1927, was Andrew Douglas.

The large meeting room, better known as "Kelvin Hall", became not only a place for learned lectures, but a major meeting and performance space for Melbourne. Many major conferences, exhibitions, meetings, plays and concerts utilised the hall.

The club and function space, known as "The Kelvin Club", became a popular venue for social gatherings and functions before and after meetings.

The Allied Societies Trust continued to manage the building, and the Trust often came together, not just for the betterment of their professions, but of the betterment of Melbourne generally. Together they lobbied for improved building regulations, better standards, and for improved town planning measures.

By the late 1960s, the facilities had become outdated, many of the organisations had outgrown the building, and the meeting room lacked modern sound and projection amenities. In 1969, after the National Science Centre, Clunies Ross House, was established at 191 Royal Parade, Parkville, most of the technical societies that had their offices in the Allied Societies' Trust Building, moved into its new offices and meeting spaces.

In 1969, the former Kelvin Hall was converted into the Playbox Theatre, and in 1978 it was split into two smaller theatres. It operated successfully until 1984, when fire destroyed the theatres and ended what had been a major cultural venue for Melbourne for nearly 60 years.

Today the façade of the former Allied Societies' Trust building remains, and together with adjacent buildings, it forms part of a fine collection of inter-war commercial architecture on the southwest corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets.

Related entries

Timeline

 1924 - 1969 Allied Societies' Trust Building
       1967 - 1992 National Science Centre

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

• John Monash - Records, 1876 - 1934, MS 1884; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details