On the 9 June 1900 a well attended meeting was held in Mr Minett’s Hall to discuss the erection of a School of Arts at Upper Lansdowne. Mr M Crittenden was voted to chair. The Secretary read the subscription list which totalled the sum of £35 13s 6d and stated that a Government subsidy had been applied for.
The original site of the proposed building site in Mr R Crittenden’s paddock was no longer available. However Mr W H Minett came to the assistance of the committee and offered a site on his property which was half a mile from the site first chosen.
Messrs WH Minett, B Phillips, AJ Payne, D McKell and R Crittenden jnr were appointed trustees.
The building was 40ft x 20 ft of weatherboard and roofed with iron. Tenders were invited in August 1900, the successful contractor being Mr R Crittenden, senr and builders Messrs Tonkin & Son of Taree.
An inaugural ball was held on 29 November 1900 with over 50 couples in attendance, visitors coming from Cundle, Taree, Wingham and Cedar Party.
In October 1902 a Ball was held to raise funds in aid of ceiling the School of Arts. Music was supplied by Mr D McDonell (piano) and the Crittenden brothers (violins).
In 1904 the Ladies Piano Committee was formed to purchase a piano at a cost of £10. A number of socials were held to help raise the funds. A fence was also erected around the hall in 1904 along with alterations and additions to the hall.
On 19 and 20 May 1905 the School of Arts held their first bazaar. A full report appeared in the Manning River Times on 27 May 1905.
In November 1905 the hall was painted and ceiling installed.
The School of Arts Hall contained a library of books for community use. New books would be added to the library on a regular basis.
The hall was used by many community groups including the Literary and Debating Society, school concerts, batchelor balls, cricketers balls, socials, church services, sunday school, public meetings, cinderella dances, catholic balls, euchre parties, progress association meetings, GUOOF meetings to name a few.
By 1920 the School of Arts building was in need of repair. The Department required the premises be brought up to an acceptable standard to continue to be licensed. After a number of community meetings it was decided to build a new hall closer to the village. In the interim minor repairs were made to the old hall to help retain the licence until the new hall was finished. The new hall was opened in August 1925.
On 10 September 1925 a meeting was held to discuss the winding up of the Old Hall. A full report of the meeting appeared in the Northern Champion on 19 September 1925.
On 13 March 1926 the Upper Lansdowne School of Arts building and contents (including table and seats, also Gloria Light Plant) was sold under instructions from the trustees by Mr J B Bulley.
As reported in the Northern Champion on 17 April 1926, “a meeting of members of the Upper Lansdowne School of Arts will be held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 6 May at 8 pm to confirm the resolution carried previously approving of the transfer of the hall land back to Mr W H Minnett, the original donor.”
Compiled by Gloria Crittenden – February 2021