About
The Bendigo Trades Hall has a long history in Bendigo. Our building, originally the Mining Wardens Court established to hear Mining disputes, was constructed as a meeting place for local labour organisations affiliated as the Bendigo Trades and Labour Council of Bendigo, on land granted to them in View Street. Labour organisations received strong support in Bendigo from the earliest days of the township, when the poor working conditions of the miners led to the creation of, firstly the Miners' Eight Hours Association in the 1860s and then the Bendigo Miners' Association in the 1870s. With the development of the town and the influx of variously skilled workers, other labour organisations were formed and, in 1885, the Bendigo Trades and Labour Council was established as an umbrella body. The Council were granted the use of an early mining warden's court in View Street, to which additions were made in 1896 enabling the use of the building as a trades hall. In 1913 a large two storeyed section fronting View Street was added to the Bendigo Trades Hall, designed by architect, JH Hurley. In the 1930s and 1940s the early hall is thought to have been demolished and a replacement hall constructed. This building is still in use today and is supported by 24 affiliated unions. Our collection contains approximately 1000 items.
Our collection
Themes: Building Victoria's industries and workforce
