Historical information

The Kew Recreation Hall was opened in 1880. For eighty years it was a major venue for concerts, performances, dances and civic events. It was demolished in 1960.

Significance

This work forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers (1905-1973), donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand. The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian from the 1960s to the 1970s.

Physical description

Oblique view, from Wellington Street, of the former Kew Recreation Hall. The 1880 weatherboard building has a long covered entrance leading to the gabled facade. A smaller gabled room protrudes from one side of the facade. At this stage, the decorative features: gables, brackets, finials, etc were still preserved. The triple window would have been a major source of light for the interior. It appears to have an upper balcony in front of the window.

Inscriptions & markings

Annotation verso: "Kew Recreation Hall. Built ca. 1880 (Photo prior to demolition in 1960".