Hall’s 100 year history celebrated
Seventy-five people celebrated the centenary of Trafalgar’s RSL hall on October 8, exactly 100 years since it was opened by Australia’s governor-general, Lord Forster in 1922.
The celebration of the hall, now the home of Trafalgar Thorpdale RSL sub-branch was attended by RSL Victoria’s president, Robert Webster, the sub-branch’s remaining World War II veteran Frank Waterton and other sub-branch members and representatives of local RSL sub-branches.
Speeches were made by the sub-branch’s president Jim Crowe, Dr Webster and the sub-branch’s Paul Altamore. The master of ceremonies for the evening was secretary Chris Johnson.
Mr Crowe acknowledged the work of previous sub-branch president Ray Jame, who was ably supported by many volunteers since the reformation of the sub-branch.
Dr Webster spoke of the original formation of the now Returned Services League (RSL) and the issues facing the RSL today.
Paul Altamore gave an outline of the hall’s history.
A booklet on the hall’s history was launched by Mr Crowe at the conclusion of his speech, and will be distributed to every household in Trafalgar and surrounding towns.
History of the hall
The hall’s history began when local returned ex-servicemen in Trafalgar decided in 1919 to build a hall of their own. The association of returned service personnel, at that time, was known as Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA).
It was only after World War II that the name was shortened, and after some changes is now known as Returned & Services League (RSL).Messrs R T (Dick) Rolls and John Holman convened a meeting at Trafalgar Scout Hall on February 18, 1919.
About 30 returned soldiers attended the meeting and voted to form a sub-branch of RSSILA in Trafalgar, there being no sub-branch between Warragul and Traralgon at that time.
In 1921, the scouts offered Trafalgar RSSILA a portion of land on the corner of Contingent and Kitchener Sts for £35 (equivalent to $2955 today) plus the cost of moving the scout hall to the adjoining site facing Kitchener Street, together with any fencing needed. This offer was accepted.
The building committee of 1921 reported that the cost of a brick hall would create too much debt so it was agreed that the lowest bid for a timber construction was accepted at a cost of £1120 ($94,500 today).
Plans for the opening of the hall were made in August 1922, with the building to be opened by the Governor General Lord Forster, who had been invited to attend.
Lord Forster opened the Memorial Hall on October 8, 1922, and his wife, Lady Forster, opened the Friendly Union of Mothers, Wives and Sisters (FUMWS) stall nearby.
Following the departure of their excellencies, the Trafalgar community continued its celebrations into the evening with a ball.
Money was raised entirely by RSSILA members, Dads’ Association and FUMWS, as well as donations from members
of the community.
Sub-branch meetings were held fortnightly, which would have been very difficult, as many would have come in on horseback, or horse drawn vehicles in all types of weather. There was always a good attendance and much business was discussed.
In the mid-1930s, the hall was used to hold parades in the hall grounds. Equipment such as Light Horse gear, pack saddles, Hotchkiss machine guns etc., were stored in a small storeroom on the same site as the present one.
The old storeroom, measuring 3 metres x 3 metres, was formerly the caretaker’s residence. At some stage around that time, the equipment was moved from the storeroom and placed on the west-facing verandah.
When the veterans of World War II started trickling back, the original ex-servicemen, the veterans of World War 1, were in their late forties and early fifties. Within a few years, the World War II veterans were taking increasing responsibility in RSL affairs and the hall.
The sub-branch had trouble finding office bearers in the mid-to late1970s, and after many discussions, the subbranch decided to assimilate with Moe.
Some years previous to the decision to assimilate, the committee had decided to lease the hall, and acting on the original Deed of Trust, the local service clubs were approached to take over the running of the hall on a ‘peppercorn rental’ with RSL still having use of the hall as required.
The Lions Club took up the lease, and it was its home until, with the hall in need of maintenance and uncertainty over continued lease, it decided to relinquish occupancy.
Trafalgar RSL went into recess in 1993, although West Gippsland Health Care Group held the lease on the hall from 1988.
The ‘resurrection’ of the newly named Trafalgar Thorpdale sub-branch came about due to the actions of one former World War II member, Jack Cooper, and a number of Vietnam veterans, led by Ray James, who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2018 in recognition of his service to veterans and their families.
At a meeting on March 7, 2007, the newly named Trafalgar Thorpdale RSL subbranch
came into existence. A new charter was eventually granted four years later on November 18, 2011.
The hall itself has seen significant change since 2007. The old tiled roof was replaced with a colorbond one during 2014, followed by the development of an outside area and blinds installed on the front verandah for those who wish to sit outside. Solar panels were installed on the roof; the first with the financial assistance of Trafalgar and District Community Bank. Further panels were subsequently added from the sub-branch’s funds.
With the formation of Baw Baw shire in 1994, the former Shire of Narracan building, which housed the World War 1 shire Honour Board (also known as the Roll of Honour), was used only periodically for shire business, and in the early days of the shire commissioners in the mid1990s, the shire building was being considered for sale.
Concerned that the building may ultimately be sold and the Honour Board removed, or worse, destroyed, Trafalgar Thorpdale RSL, led by Mr James, approached Baw Baw Shire Council to have it moved to the RSL hall.
This created a chain of events that led to the hall being extensively re-modelled internally during 2015, while keeping its original aesthetic appearance.
Led by project manager and RSL member, Grady Edwards, the eastern section of the building was renewed with upgraded toilets and kitchen; a new shed was erected and concreting laid.
As part of the same works, the building itself was extended to the southern boundary of its land which has enabled the Shire of Narracan’s beautiful honour board to take pride of place.
The cenotaph was relocated to the RSL grounds on October 28, 2014.
It was originally developed on the corner of, at that time, Main and Wellington Sst, and was unveiled by the Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Stradbroke, on December 7, 1921.
Wellington St originally ran from Kitchener St to Main St (Princes Highway), which was to the front of the current community centre fronting Princes Highway.