CWA Hall

Statement of Significance

The CWA rest room and meeting place was built as the result of community fund raising and thus gains social and historic significance. Country Women combined in the Association to support development of local facilities, educational, health and social activities for themselves and also for children. The building was a meeting place and remains one. It is and has been used by other community groups and was at one time an infant health centre.
The building materials were manufactured locally thus adding to the social and historic significance the architect, W.G. Pickering, also designed the Road Board building (now the hair dressing saloon and previously the kindergarten and Pre-primary Centre).

Physical Description

A cement brick building, the CWA Hall opened in 1940 and continued in use into the 2000s. Cement bricks were made in the town and the building is in a good state of repair. After the closure of the day branch of the CWA in Dowerin the building passed to the shire of Dowerin.
The building is currently the site of the Lil' Tigers Childcare Centre.

History

The Dowerin branch of the CWA was formed in 1929 and acquired Town Lot 45 three years later. The block had initially been set aside for a Methodist Church Site, then re-gazetted as part of Reserve 14267 (Public Buildings) for twenty years ('Government Gazette' 13 August 1909, p.2695, 2 August 1912, p.3041 & 31 January 1913, p.252) There is evidence that a building belonging to the Methodist Church stood on the block for several years during the early twenties, but this was apparently moved about 1923. (DOLA File 5803/09) In 1932 the 'Public Buildings' reserve over the lot was cancelled in favour of Reserve 20884 for the purpose of 'Rest Room - Country Women's Association'. ('Government Gazette' 8 July 1932, p.955) This new reserve was immediately vested in the CWA and a Crown Grant in trust issued. (DOLA File 999/32)
It was nearly six and a half years before the branch called tenders for the erection of a cement brick building on Lot 45 to be used as headquarters and rest room. According to the local newspaper, this was a facility which had long been wanted in Dowerin, but apparently no tender was accepted at that time. (The Dowerin Guardian 10 December 1938) Tenders were again called the following year when it was stated that plans and specifications could be seen at the residence of the branch secretary, Mrs R. Sargent. (The Dowerin Guardian 11 November 1939) A special committee was appointed to deal with all matters in connection with the building project, a committee consisting of Mesdames Place, Sargent, Harries and Erhardt and Miss Peggy Windsor. (The Dowerin Guardian 6 January 1940) Their architect was W. George Pickering and the successful tenderers were Messrs. Congdon and Hendry, a local firm engaged in making cement bricks and specialising in building baker's ovens, furnaces, chimneys and other cement or concrete work. (The Dowerin Guardian 3 & 24 February 1940)
On 10 January 1940, a crowd of about forty people, presided over by the Rev. V.W. Deakin, witnessed the laying of the foundation stone by Mrs Place, the Branch President. (The Dowerin Guardian 27 January 1940) The building, of cement brick with plastered interior walls and plasterboard ceiling, was completed early in March. (The Dowerin Guardian 9 March 1940) It comprised a meeting room, rest room and kitchen, with the monogram of the Association embossed over the entrance porch. The interior was furnished with a library of books, a piano, pictures, cutlery and crockery etc. (The Dowerin Guardian 13 April 1940)
A grand opening was staged on the afternoon of Wednesday, 3 April. Lunch was served to 150 people in the Dowerin Hall that day, and 200 attended the
•'opening ceremony. After speeches from various dignitaries, the State president of the CWA, Mrs Leslie Craig, opened the doors with a silver key, formally declaring the building open. (The Dowerin Guardian 6 & 13 April 1940) In addition to its uses as a rest room and meeting place, the building was also used for a time as the local baby clinic.

Uses

Historic Themes

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Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.