| Historical notes: | Statement of Country:
Moore Park is on the lands of the Gadigal or Cadigal (Barani 2013). The surrounding area once contained sand dunes and swamps which would have provided a rich environment for the Gadigal, but over the last 200 years the dunes have been flattened, and the swamps have been drained. A campsite and stone tools have been previously identified in the Moore Park area, providing further evidence of use of the area by Aboriginal people (Barani 2013).
Despite the impacts of colonisation, Aboriginal people express an ongoing connection to Gadigal Country. Aboriginal people are also directly connected to the Precinct through historical and contemporary entertainment, recreation and sporting activities. This is specifically recognised with reference to First Nations players and staff associated with the Sydney Swans and their current use of the Royal Hall of Industries.
Sydney Common:
Governor Macquarie proclaimed a 4,046,856 square metre (1,000 acre) area as Sydney's second Common on 5 October 1811, 2km south of Sydney Harbour. The original intended use for the area was for cattle, pig and goat grazing, as these animals were found to be roaming the streets of Sydney and potentially polluting the water supply (Tank Stream). In 1820 Governor Macquarie set aside a large swamp, half of which lay within the boundaries of the Common, as a Water Reserve to commemorate Macquarie's actions. Water was stored in buckets, carted to Sydney Town and sold to replace the polluted waters of the Tank Stream. Busby's Bore was constructed between 1827 and 1837, tapping into the water supply of the swamp and conveying it through a tunnel to Hyde Park. In the years to come various developments took place such as a racecourse, barracks, military garden and cricket ground. The boundaries of these developments formed part of the Agricultural Society's Land in 1881 and influenced the form of the fabric of the former Showground development. (Conybeare Morrison and Partners 1988).
Royal Agricultural Society:
The Agricultural Society of NSW, the precursor to the Royal Agricultural Society, was formed in 1822 with the objective of showcasing and promoting 'the development of New South Wales', particularly its rural industries. The Agricultural Society of NSW held regular agricultural exhibitions until it was disbanded in 1836. The Agricultural Society of NSW was reformed in 1857. It was briefly referred to as the Cumberland Agricultural Society between 1857 and 1859 but was renamed as the Agricultural Society of NSW from 1860 onwards. The Society held intermittent agricultural exhibitions at grounds within the Parramatta Domain from 1859 to 1867; thereafter the Society resolved to hold its exhibitions in Sydney. In 1869, the Society held its first exhibition at Prince Alfred Park near Central Station. The Society's lease at Prince Alfred Park was terminated ten years later to make way for the Inter-colonial Exhibition held there in 1879.
In 1881, the Agricultural Society of NSW secured a lease for ten hectares of land at Moore Park to hold exhibitions, and by January 1883, the Society had acquired another six hectares in the vicinity. The Agricultural Society's lease at Moore Park included part of the former Sydney Common. The inaugural Royal Easter Show on the Agricultural Society's new grounds was held during Easter 1882. In 1891, the name of the Agricultural Society of NSW was changed to the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS), by royal assent from Queen Victoria. By 1894, the RAS had a 'secure lease on the Showgrounds site'. (Government Architect's Office 2007).
Moore Park:
Moore Park was dedicated on 5 October 1866, on land split off from the western side of Sydney Common. Various plantings were incorporated in and around Moore Park. A new focus on recreation and leisure facilities followed, including the establishment of the Sydney Cricket Ground. In 1879, the Zoological Society Garden was located in Moore Park in the land formed by the junction of Cleveland Street and Randwick Road. The grounds were laid out by Charles Moore, the director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, who was a member of the Zoological Society of NSW. Mr. Walter Bradley, the Mayor of Randwick, was also a member of the Zoological Society and of the Council and Grounds Committee of the Agricultural Society of NSW. The park was ultimately named after another Charles Moore, the Mayor of Sydney from 1867 to 1869. All of these people played an important role in the formation of the layout and treatment of the Agricultural Society's land at Moore Park in 1881.
Access to the former showground was made possible by the presence of a tram loop and a road leading from Randwick Road (now MacArthur Avenue). Moore Park lands were progressively reduced from 1,982,959 square metres to 1,064,323 square metres by the provision of the recreation facilities and some land sold for residential development to meet the costs of the formation of Moore Park (Conybeare Morrison and Partners 1988).
Royal Hall of Industries:
Prior to its construction, the site of the Royal Hall of Industries remained relatively vacant.
The architect for the Royal Hall of Industries was J B Sanders, who was the RAS's honorary architect at that time. The minutes of the RAS Council meeting on 19 January 1912 report that 'sketches showing the outline of the proposed Main Pavilion will be presented at this meeting by Mr Sanders'. Further, the RAS Council noted that: 'It will be remembered that the Council practically decided to erect this hall and carry out the improvements in the section where it will be placed next year. In order that this can be managed, it would be necessary to call for tenders not later than April'. The estimated cost for construction of the new hall was (Pounds)20,000 (which later increased by (Pounds)3,000), with a projected revenue of 'between (Pounds)2,500 and (Pounds)3,000 per annum' from leasing the building throughout the year. The RAS Council minutes record that the new hall would 'practically create a new section in the Show Ground and provide a considerable exhibition in itself'.
The RAS Council formally approved construction of the new hall in April 1912. It was anticipated to be the largest hall in the southern hemisphere. It was proposed to be put in a place where it would be visible to everyone, for the display of manufactured goods.
Construction work was undertaken by builder, H T Seymour. Works to build the new hall began soon after the contract was let. By mid-June 1912, the site had been cleared and the contractor had begun to lay the foundations. The following month, the foundations had been completed and excavations were underway for the lavatories. Throughout the following months, work was delayed due to 'continuous wet weather' and also due to shortages in building materials including bricks, cement and steel. The most pressing delay was in the supply of the steel construction elements, which were being imported from England. The steel, imported and supplied by R L Scrutter and Co Ltd, was assembled in Australia. The RAS Council Minutes of 23 October 1912 note that representatives from the RAS Council had visited the factory of R L Scrutter, where the principals and girders were being fabricated.
On 18 July 1912, it was proposed to name this new building the John See Hall of Manufacturers, to commemorate John See (1845-1907) who was a former Premier of NSW. Two weeks later, on 30 July 1912, there was an amendment to this motion to name the hall the Royal Hall of Industry; thereafter the building was referred to as the Royal Hall of Industries.
The Governor, the Rt. Hon. Frederick Napier, Baron Chelmsford, laid the foundation stone for the Royal Hall of Industries on 29 October 1912. It was completed in time for the 1913 Royal Easter Show, which opened on 31 March.
The siting of the Royal Hall of Industries in the southwest corner of the former showground, adjacent to the perimeter wall along Driver Avenue, was significant. The RAS Council wished to erect the hall at this location because it would be accessible to transport, particularly trams, and also because it afforded high visibility to people outside the former showground, even beyond the two weeks set aside for the show. The Royal Hall of Industries had always been intended as an entertainment venue and exhibition space outside of show times. To this end, the RAS Council had specified during construction that the stalls should be temporary and able to be easily removed, in order that the hall could be used for alternative purposes outside the two weeks of the show.
As the Royal Hall of Industries was intended to be used as a roller skating rink from the outset, the RAS Council proposed to light the Royal Hall of Industries with electricity. In order to provide electricity to the Royal Hall of Industries, the City Council had to erect a substation on the former showground site. It appears that the Royal Hall of Industries was used as a roller skating rink from late 1913. During the First World War, the RAS leased part of the former showground to the Defence Forces as a camping ground. The building also played a special role in two notable events in Australia's history, as an emergency hospital during the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1919-20 and as a military administrative centre during the Second World War.
Canadian-born entrepreneur Jimmy Bendrodt (1891-1973) took over the lease of the Royal Hall of Industries in the early 1920s, and from this time through to the late 1930s the building was used as a dance hall in the months between the Royal Easter Shows. The Palais Royal became one of Sydney's most popular dancing and jazz venues in the 1920s and 30s. Bendrodt, variously described as a 'roller skater and restaurateur' and 'actor, boxer, lumberjack and all-round athlete', was responsible for importing a range of popular American dance and jazz acts to Australia from 1923, many who performed at the Palais Royal. Bendrodt had been a popular fixture on the Sydney entertainment circuit prior to joining the armed services in the First World War. When he demobilised in 1919, he returned to Australia via the United States.
During his stay in America, Bendrodt made contact with American dance band acts including Frank Ellis, Bert Ralton and Ray Tellier, paving the way for bringing them to Australia. Bendrodt was later involved in the use of the Royal Hall of Industries as an ice skating rink.
In 1938 Centennial Manufacturers Hall (also referred to as the 150th Anniversary Manufacturing Hall) was completed. This new hall was intended for the exhibition of 'various sections of Australia's manufacturing including iron and steel, electricity, gas, sugar, munitions and arms, aviation, technical colleges and printing'. The completion of this new building on the former showground site effectively made the Royal Hall of Industries obsolete but meant that it could be used permanently as an entertainment venue. In the same year, the Royal Hall of Industries was modified for use year-round as an ice skating rink until the early years of the Second World War.
The Royal Easter Show was cancelled from 1942 to 1946 to aid the war effort. The first post war show held was held in 1947, during which the Royal Hall of Industries was used as the showbag pavilion, a use that would continue until the RAS moved to Homebush in the mid 1990s.
In the period from the 1950s to the 1990s, the Royal Hall of Industries continued to be leased in the off-season as an exhibition hall and entertainment venue. The former showground was Sydney's main conference venue until the State Government plans for the Darling Harbour Convention Centre were underway in the 1980s.
The architects for the 1980s works to the Royal Hall of Industries were Peddle Thorp & Walker, and the contractor to carry out the works was Jennings Industries Ltd, at a cost of $1.6 million. Air conditioning and ventilation were installed to the small amenities block in the centre of the eastern bay of the building by Norman Disney and Young Pty Ltd. The Royal Hall of Industries was officially reopened on 14 May 1981. From 1981 onwards, the Royal Hall of Industries was used for conventions and exhibitions, including craft shows, motor shows and antique fairs. During the two weeks of the Royal Easter Show each year, the Royal Hall of Industries continued to be used as the showbag pavilion. (Urbis, 2019).
Hordern Pavilion:
Plans for the erection of the Hordern Pavilion were considered by the Council of the RAS in 1922. By the following year preliminary sketches were prepared by Trenchard, Smith and Maisy architects. Its initial purpose was to expand the display space from the existing Royal Hall of Industries and a sum of (Pounds)75,000 was raised to build it. In July of 1923 work commenced on the foundation of the Hordern Pavilion, which was named in honour of Anthony Hordern & Sons, and Sir Samuel Hordern, the Society's President from 1915 to 1941. It was designed by Trenchard, Smith and Maisey, architects. Its intended use was as an industrial display hall. It was opened to the public during the 1924 Royal Easter Show.
Apart from hosting the annual Royal Easter Shows, the Hordern Pavilion hosted a variety of entertainment events, such as Sydney's Australian International Motor Show from 1925 to 1987, the first covered tennis courts were constructed inside the pavilion in 1925 and the Australian model aeroplane contest in 1932. In 1934 the Hordern became sleeping quarters for a national gathering of the Youth Australia League, and during WWII it was occupied by the Army and used as a bulk store.
Hordern Pavilion was remodelled in 1972 as an entertainment venue for popular music concerts and other indoor events. Most of the internal columns were removed and replaced with a new truss system and false ceilings. A mezzanine corporate box area, a bar and ticketing boxes were constructed. The Hordern Pavilion was the primary venue in NSW to host large events until the Entertainment Centre opened early in 1983 (demolished in 2016). The Hordern was renovated in 1999 and refurbished in 2023 to enable it to continue hosting entertainment events. (Urbis 2019).
Anthony Hordern & Sons:
The Hordern family were prominent members of the RAS, with Samuel Hordern serving as President from 1915 to 1941
Anthony Hordern (1788-1869) was born in Staffordshire, England to a banking family. He married Ann Woodhead in 1817 and they had four children by the time they immigrated to Australia aboard the ship 'Phoenix' arriving in Sydney in March 1825. Anthony Hordern brought with him a letter from Henry Lord Goulburn, directed by Lord Bathurst to Governor Macquarie, recommending him as a free settler. (Redmond 1938).
The origin of the firm Anthony Hordern & Sons began with the drapery business of Anthony Hordern's wife Ann at King Street Sydney. It was established in 1823 and it proved to be a very successful venture. The pair moved to Melbourne in 1839 but in 1844, their sons, Anthony II and Lebbeus returned to Sydney to set up their own drapery firm in George Street. The site is now occupied by World Square.
Anthony Hordern & Sons became the largest department store in Sydney and one of the largest in the world. During the 1870s, the company expanded and built the Palace Emporium in 1879 with a staff of over 300. After the Palace Emporium burned down in 1901, they built the New Palace Emporium in 1906. By the 1920s it had a staff of 3000 and offered services such as tea rooms, a post and parcels office, rest rooms, public phone booths, and a branch of the Commonwealth Bank (Museums of History 2022).
Fox Studios:
By the late 1980s the Royal Easter Show had outgrown its facilities in Moore Park. The NSW Government approved the move of the RAS to Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush in 1994, where the first Royal Easter Show took place in 1998 and continues to do so.
The entire vacant former showground site at Moore Park, apart from the Royal Hall of Industries and Hordern Pavilion, was taken over in 1998 by Fox Studios Australia Pty Ltd. |