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Library

Magill Institute

Libraries and Reading Rooms commenced in 1838, as part of the Mechanics’ Institute movement and as commercial initiatives. The advertisement below informs the community about the opening of the Adelaide Mechanics’ Institute Reading Room. The Commercial Exchange, Athenaeum Club, coffee shops and stationers were notable examples.1 These libraries and reading rooms were also being established in country areas; for example in Burra a circulating library was ‘talked of’ in 1849.

The Magill Library and Reading Room was located at the Magill School and an inaugural soiree was held on 6 July 1857 with approximately 70 people attending.2 The library was one of only 10 ‘institutes’ established at this time with 51 members and 190 books.3 The Mudie and Auld families were instrumental in establishing and organising lectures and musical and literary events. Subsequently, the committee petitioned The Central Board of Education to provide space for a separate building4 which was opened on 29 July 1858. The event was widely reported in the press.5 The Magill School was a haphazard group of brick, pisé (rammed earth), and concrete of buildings located on the corner of Pepper Street and Magill Road, which were demolished when the new schoolhouse (now Pepper Street Arts Centre) was built in 1882.

The reading room (often referred to as the Magill Institute6) was funded by members’ subscriptions and government grants7 and operated until 1868. By this time, the number of subscribers had slowly diminished and the books remained in the school until 1882 when they were sent to the Kensington and Norwood Institute.8

Magill Institute sketch

Although the reading room was defunct, the residents were keen to build an Institute and attempts were made to raise funds. Land was donated by Mrs Whittling (daughter of Thomas Penfold) and ultimately a tender of £1,007/17/- ($2,000) was accepted and building commenced. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs Margaret Murray on 30 March 19019 and the building opened on August 31.10 The reading room opened on 22 March 1902 and two of the books which had been given to Norwood in 1882 were returned!11 Initially, the reading room was staffed by volunteers, children under 14 were not admitted and the rule about ‘no talking’ was strictly administered. At the opening ceremony, residents were encouraged to bring a book to donate to the library. The library was a popular aspect of the Institute although the number of subscribers fluctuated over the years. It was reported in 1927 that the library was ‘efficiently managed’ by the librarian, Miss Phyllis Simcock, there were 105 subscribers and 2,533 volumes plus magazines.12

The Magill Institute 1910

Fairs and fetes were organised during 1902-1905 to reduce the building loan and to purchase furniture and ‘other accessories’. The subscription was 2/6 (25c) a quarter or 10 shillings ($1) per year. The management of the Institute was vested in the President (or Chairman), supported by a Committee which met monthly. Sir George Murray was the President and Patron of the Institute from 1901 to 1934. Chairmen or Presidents of the Committee included Mr W. P. Hughes (from approximately 1903-1913), Mr R J Cavanagh (approximately 1918 - 1932) and Mr C T Clifford (1932-35). Mens' and Ladies' Social Committees took responsibility for organising dances and social events and the annual fairs to raise funds for the Institute. A copy of the minutes of Committee meetings from 1926-1935 are held in the Local History collection of the Campbelltown Public Library.

Activities included band concerts, girl guides meetings and events, weekly dances, dramas and comedies, community meetings, card evenings were held during the 1930s, particularly as a means of raising sufficient revenue to overcome financial difficulties.  The Institute was a popular venue for 'moving pictures' (films), for example, ‘Hop-along-Cassidy’ was shown on Saturday 26 August 193613 and the Institute (and the previous reading room)are also listed among the venues showing silent films during 1896-1929.14 Dances were held on Saturday evenings following the film shows.Fairs and fetes were also popular events throughout the years, particularly the annual Institute Fairs. The advertisement for the Autumn Fair in April 1910 includes the usual range of stalls selling cakes, clothes etc. Musical and gymnastic events were held15 while the boxing and wrestling exhibition held on 4 October 1928 no doubt attracted a large crowd!16 Mr E. H. Wooley and Miss M. M. Arnold held their wedding reception for 140 guests at the Institute (decorated with pink and white streamers) in 1915.17 Minutes of the Institute Committee record that Mr George Storey paid 7 shillings ($1.40) to also hire the Institute for a wedding on 17 April 1929.The Institute was a popular venue for electoral meetings and the Magill Brass Band used the building regularly for rehearsals and concerts, plus organisations such as the Oddfellows, Druids, Free Gardeners' Lodges and the Rechabite Juvenile Lodge for regular meetings. Over the years, one of the new rooms tended to be referred to as the 'lodge room'.

The Institute Committee raised sufficient funds by 1928 to extend the Institute. The cost was £1,300 ($2,600); opened by Sir George Murray on 30 April 1928, providing extra seating, stage lighting, banquet room and lodge rooms.18 Sir George stated that ‘he remembered the earlier Institute located in the school’.19 Sir George bequeathed £250 ($500) to the Institute in his will in 1942.Miss Jessie Spittal Galt also left money to the Institute - £100 ($200) in 1948. These and other bequests are an indication of the importance of the Institute to the community. Although a significant community centre, the Institute struggled to generate operating funds, particularly during the early 1930s when special public meetings were held in June and July, 1931 in an effort to generate donations. At this time, library subscriptions were raise to 3/6 (35cents) per quarter and afternoon and evening events raised approximately £11 ($22). A Sports Carnival at the Magill Oval on Saturday 10 October 1931 was held with over 800 attending.20 The Institute survived and continued until the late 20th century as a centre of community activities. Many musical concerts, dance exhibitions, private parties and receptions were held on Saturday nights.

During the 1940s Red Cross Balls and Queen contests and functions raised funds to support the Second World War effort, including £120 ($240) raised by a Grandma Queen contest in 1943. On 18 August 1948, eight debutantes were presented to the Mayor and Mayoress of Campbelltown at a ball held by the Magill Institute Committee.21

The 1950s saw regular Square Dances with 'an excellent band engaged' and special flower boxes in the shape of ER to mark the visit by the Queen in 1954 were erected by the Campbelltown Council. The Institute was used frequently for political speeches and as a polling place throughout the years and its use as a cinema continued during the 1950s.

The building was purchased by Campbelltown City Council in 1977.

In 1991 the building was used by the Windsor Theatre Group as the ‘Magill Cinema’ which operated until 2008.

The building was listed on the South Australian Local Heritage List in 2003 and was sold by the council in 2010 after councillors expressed concern about mounting repair bills of nearly $500,000.22

The Institute building has had many purposes during the last 114 years. Looking to the future, the proposed Magill Village development may lead to a regeneration of the building and another 100 years of being an important focus of community activities.

Researched and compiled by Di Booker, a volunteer with the Campbelltown ‘Digital Diggers’ group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History Officer at The Campbelltown Library on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

  1. Mechanics Institute, Southern Australian (Adelaide, SA : 1838 - 1844) Saturday 18 August 1838 p 2, viewed 20 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/73811323
  2. Magill Library and Reading Room, Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) 11 July 1857 p7, viewed 14 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/158118145
  3. Talbot, Michael 1992 A chance to read Adelaide, Libraries Board of South Australia p25
  4. Central Board of Education, South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Wednesday 10 March 1858 p 3, viewed 14 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49778046
  5. No title, The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) Friday 30 July 1858 p 2, viewed 14 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/781712
  6. Notes on the 'Rise and fall of the First Magill Institute' held in the Campbelltown Public Library Local History collection. Section 285 Magill (1840-1900) p49
  7. The Government Grant to Mechanics Institutes, South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Thursday 4 March 1858 p2, viewed 20 August, Talbot 1992 p63 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49771568
  8. South Australian Institute, Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 27 May 1882 p 38, viewed 20 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/160157800
  9. The New Magill Institute, Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 6 April 1901 p 47, viewed 20 August 2015,http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/162404818
  10. Opening the Magill Institute, Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 7 September 1901 p 38, viewed 20 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/161762916
  11. Magill Institute. Opening of Reading Room, The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) Monday 24 March 1902 p 6, viewed 20 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/55663903
  12. Public Libraries: 15-Magill Institute: Efficiently Managed, The News 29 September 1927 p6 (copy held in Campbelltown Public Library, Local History Collection)
  13. Advertising, The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) Saturday 29 August 1936 p7, viewed 24 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/55829851
  14. Walker, Dylan 1996 Adelaide’s silent nights Canberra, National Film and Sound Archive, p127
  15. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Wednesday 23 March 1910 p2, viewed 14 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/5260222
  16. Advertising, News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 4 October 1928 p 2, viewed 24 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/129230466
  17. Family Notices, The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) Saturday 7 August 1915 p 12, viewed 24 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/59391423
  18. Enlarged Magill Library,Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931) Saturday 5 May 1928 p 38,viewed 20 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/164880661
  19. South Australian Institutes Journal May-June 1928 p617 (copy held in Campbelltown Public Library, Local History Collection)
  20. Sports Carnival at Magill, The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) Saturday 10 October 1931 p 15,viewed 27 August 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/61564202
  21. Social Notes,The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Tuesday 17 August 1948 p 5, viewed 3 August, 2015, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/74647924
  22. Plans lodged for 21 student apartments at site of Magill Institute, East Torrens Messenger October 31 2012, viewed 31 August 2015, http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/plans-lodged-for-21-student-apartments-at-site-of-magill-institute/story-fndba8zb-1226507556225