29 March 2019

Caulfield Town Hall is an amalgam of an 1884 design by Sydney Smith, built but not rendered and without the tower, then a partial first floor was added in 1890. It was finally finished off in 1931 with more first floor, rendering, and the portico and the hall itself added, all in a nice #StrippedClassical style, designed by Goldsmith and Jenkin. The hall foyer is lined with bronze tablets forming a WWI memorial. The hall was horizontally subdivided in 1987 with that rather nice stair that looks maybe earlier but isn’t. Great leadlight ceiling in the hall, should’ve taken a closeup.

12 April 2025

At Caulfield Town Hall, I discovered a side door that led to a lovely wood panelled hall, then to a rather grand stair, flanked by torchere, and with a wild curly balustrade. It led up to the Council chamber, which looked all original, though not sure what date that would be. But probably 1931, when what had been a small unfinished Victorian design was greatly extended and rebuilt, designed by Jenkin & Goldsmith. Heritage listings say the work was undertaken then to alleviate unemployment in the depths of the depression, but many contemporary news articles suggest it was planned just before. Council then worked to go ahead but on a lower budget, against some misgivings, acting as their own builder, but using day labour to ensure locals were employed – which didn’t seem to work out exactly, since there was a protest by the local unemployed. But they did use Australian materials, but I can’t find which wood it might be, possibly Blackwood ? Anyway, lots of nice woodwork.

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