1888 Trades Hall Opening

THE NEW TRADES.HALL AT BALLARAT (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT) BALLARAT, SATURDAY 
The new trades hall is now nearly completed, and will be opened at an early date. 
It was hoped that it would have been completed in time for the opening celebration to take place on Eight Hours Day, but some unforeseen delays prevented this. The facade is a very prominent feature of the architecture of Camp street. The front portion of the building is three stories high, and access is gained from the entrance hall by means of a stone staircase leading to both first and second floors, and lighted from the top through a domed lantern glazed with coloured glass. The building is entered from Camp street via a spacious hall 7ft. wide, alongside which are the committee, reading, and smoking rooms. This entrance-hall leads to the large hall, 60ft. by 30ft, which is also lighted from above by a large lantern. Provision has been made for a gallery at the back, and the end wall has been only temporarily filled in, as an extension is to be made to include a stage, dressing rooms, and caretaker's quarters. On the first floors are rooms for offices, library and lavatory, and on the second floor other offices. The facade is treated in the classic style, and has a massive bluestone base, with rusticated work up to the  first floor, crowned with a Doric cornice. The entrance door is flanked with two large pillars supporting a pediment, over which are two tall fluted Corinthian columns running up Me full height of the first and second floors, with a segmental pediment. The whole is finished a handsome cornice balustrade and finials. Provision has been made for ventilation, lighting, and means of egress to the satisfaction of the Central Board of Health. The contractors for the building were Messrs. Leitch and Akins, and the architects were Messrs James and Piper. The building cost altogether about £3,000. 
The Argus, Tuesday 24 April 1888 

BALLARAT May 30. 
The new hall of the Ballarat Trades Labour Council was formally opened to-night. There was a large attendance of the various trades and everything passed off in a satisfactory manner. At the dinner, Mr George Williams, president of the trades Hall and Labour Council occupied the chair, amongst the guests being Mr. H.A. Harwood, president of the Melbourne Trades and Labour Council; and Messrs Sheeran and Greeve, president and vice-president of Me Melbourne Ironworkers' Association; also delegate from the Melbourne Trades Hall and Labour Council. A ball was subsequently held. The new hall, which is situated in Camp street, is a good specimen of architecture, and from its roof a splendid view is obtained of the whole of Ballarat and the surrounding country. The structure cost about £3,000, the ground being granted by the Government 
The Mercury (Hobart, Us. : 1860 - 1954) Saturday 2 June 1888 p3 Article 
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