Birdwood House, Geraldton

Child Places

• 12422 Geraldton District Honour Roll, Birdwood Hse
• 12516 Moonyoonooka State School Roll of Honour, Birdwood Hse

Statement of Significance

• The building has high aesthetic significance for its style, rarity and contribution to the Geraldton townscape.

• The place is significant as part of the history of the RSL in Geraldton and Western Australia.

• It has a significant association with the social and cultural values of the Geraldton community as the meeting place and focal point for the RSL and the Anzac Services.

• The condition of the building and the War Memorial is excellent and they are well maintained by the owner, whose values will sustain the integrity of the building. and keep the fabric in its original state.

Physical Description

Birdwood House stands, in association with the War Memorial, at a prominent intersection in the town centre. It is a simple, rectangular brick building with a gable end and corrugated asbestos roof. The front facade has rendered mouldings, parapet and entablature supported on precast concrete columns forming a classical entry porch. The lower section of the front wall remains in unrendered red brickwork as are the side walls except for rendered lintels over windows. The front facade provides a dignified entry and good mannered contribution to the streetscape in the style of the Inter-war Georgian Revival or Free Classical period. There are some elements of Art Deco about the detailing in leadlight glass to the entry doors (and formerly the front windows now replaced with plain glass), internal cornices and ceiling decoration. The plan is relatively simple with administration , meeting rooms and ladies retiring room at the front. Behind these is the large function room. Further extensions for kitchens and toilets have been carried out at the rear.

History

Assessment 2000
Construction 1935
Architect/designer: Tom Roberts
Builder: A Cruthers
On the 25th April 1917 a branch of the Returned Soldiers Association (later the Returned Services League) was formed in Geraldton with Captain W. C. Robinson of the 10th Light Horse as the first President. The RSA held its first Anzac Day Service on 25th April 1918. Before Birdwood House was built services were held in the Town Hall and later on in Lester Square, then subsequently in the grounds of Birdwood House.1 The Association was housed in the old Institute in Marine Terrace for several years but the League wanted more suitable accommodation and a fitting memorial for those who died in the First World War. A site was selected on the corner of Eleanor (now Chapman Road) and Forrest Street. Built in 1935 Birdwood House was designed by Mr. Tom Roberts and erected by the builder Mr. A.
E. Crothers. The War Memorial located in the forecourt of Birdwood House was also built in 1935, by Wilson, Gray & Co., of polished granite with stone crosses and banding and brass memorial plaques and inscriptions2 They were funded by the RSL members and the Institute Trust and much of the fittings and furniture were donated by the residents of Geraldton. The building is constructed from Cardup pressed bricks from the Bootenal Brickworks and was named after Field Marshall Sir William Birdwood.3 The design for the laying out of the grounds was prepared by Mr. W. P. Edwards and included plantings and a fountain. A seed from a lone pine at Gallipoli was planted but did not survive.4 On Sunday 1st September 1935 the War Memorial was unveiled by his Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Sir James Mitchell, while the State President of the RSL, Mr. A. Yeates, performed the official opening of Birdwood House.5

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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.