Island Bay Town Hall

The historic hall on Humber Street in Island Bay carries a rich and surprising past. Built in 1907 as an assembly hall, it quickly became the heart of community life; hosting dances, concerts, bazaars, theatre nights and even the famed Island Bay Bachelors’ Fancy Dress Ball. Local historian the late Patricia Hutchison, QSM, traces its many transformations: from community hall to skating rink, billiard saloon, Salvation Army venue and eventually a picture theatre under names such as the Universal Theatre and New Quality Theatre. Purchased by the young Catholic parish of St Francis de Sales in 1920, it was later converted into the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus until earthquake damage in 1942 forced its closure. The former ‘Island Bay Town Hall’ remains an intriguing landmark whose weathered exterior belies its colourful social and cultural history.

Not really the town hall - A Humber Street Story

First published in Ngā Ākau ki te Tonga Southern Bays number 3 2007

Not really the town hall - A Humber Street Story

First published in Ngā Ākau ki te Tonga Southern Bays number 3 2007

The Hall in Humber Street stands today with little to indicate its past. Patricia Hutchison, QSM,, the author of two substantial histories of Island Bay's Catholic Parish finds the hall has been a community centre, a theatre, a billiard hall, and a church – sometimes all at once!

On 6 August 1906, the Wellington City Council issued a permit to a Mr J. Reid, timber merchant, and a Mr R. Keene, builder, for the erection of an “assembly hall” on the large front section at 33 Humber Street. The hall was to comprise an auditorium with a stage, and a dressing room at each side. In September a further permit allowed the addition of a supper room to the back of the hall and two outside toilets.

The right-of-way to the left of the property was to be retained giving access to the land at the back where a bowling green was planned. The hall was to be lit by gas, and for fire protection eight buckets were to be kept continuously filled with water and placed on brackets around the interior of the hall. It was completed in 1907 at an estimated cost was £1,000.

The hall, which the locals fondly referred to as the 'Island Bay Town Hall', became the centre of social life – for 21st birthday celebrations, school concerts and bazaars. One particularly grand occasion was the Island Bay Bachelors’ Fancy Dress Ball, as reported in the “Women in Print” column in The Evening Post, 23 September 1912:

Assembly hall nearing completion, 33 Humber Street, Island Bay, Wellington. Photograph taken in 1907 by Sydney Charles Smith 1907 1/1-024919-G

The Island Bay Town hall was the scene of a pleasant gathering on Friday evening, when the Island Bay bachelors held their plain and fancy dress ball. The hall was decorated with palms and foliage, and the supper tables with spring flowers. About one hundred couples were present. Their Excellencies, Lord and Lady Islington, expressed regret at being unable to attend. The committee consisted of Messrs Purvis, Collins, Bowen, Howe, Wilkenning, Hindmarsh, Nees and T. Glover. Mr L. Keene was secretary. The Masters of Ceremonies were Messrs LAS Howe and CJ Lockwood, and the chaperones Mesdames JP Luke and Dawson. Mrs Lockwood came as “Gretchen”; Miss Pratt “: Spanish Dancer”; Miss Wilkenning, “Pierrot”; Miss Laurenson, “Cowgirl”; Miss Oliver, “Gypsy”; Miss Reed, “Harem Lady”; Miss Pearson, “Dutch Girl”; Miss Hill, “Watteau Shepherdess”; Miss Drury, “Japanese”; Miss Badley, “Grecian”; Miss Croll, “Nurse”; Miss Harper, “Spring-green Baby”; Miss Lockwood, “Powder Puff”; Miss Williams, “Roman Maid”; Messrs Grey, “Dick Turpin”, Hanson, “Turk”; O.Banfield, “Gunner”; L. Banfield, “Midshipman”; Watson, “Red Indian”; Nees, “Cowboy”; Trim, “Admiral”; Keen, “Yachtsman”; Peek, “Persian”.

Unfortunately the good times were not to last, and at the end of the decade, 1920, the hall was closed and the building placed on the market. The ‘For Sale’ notice caught the eye of an enterprising businessman [NAME?] who was a member of the newly established Catholic parish of St Francis de Sales. Thinking it would be a good investment for the young parish, he paid a deposit on the hall then approached the parish priest, Archdeacon Devoy, advised him of his action, and persuaded him to call a meeting of other businessmen in the parish to consider the proposition. In this way the parish became the new owners of the building. A hall committee was immediately appointed to take responsibility for its upkeep, letting, and any other matters which would arise. And arise they did.

Prior to the hall being leased six months later, the committee was obliged to have a number of alterations carried out, which included the installation of electric light and water hydrants. The hall now took on a very different life. For a time it was used as a skating rink with a billiard saloon in the back room, while the Salvation Army leased it for services on Sundays. Over the next ten years a Mr Power, then a Mr Beck leased the building as a picture theatre, with the parish reserving the right to use it for such purposes as school concerts, an annual week-long bazaar, and social functions. The hall now became the 'Universal Theatre', then following a change of tenant it was renamed the 'Quality Theatre', and with the arrival of 'talkie' movies it changed to the 'New Quality Theatre'. Despite the floor having been raised and the entrance improved to make the theatre more attractive, it was no more successful financially than its predecessor, neither tenant being able to meet their responsibilities regarding rent.

The drain on the parish finances became untenable, as the finance committee was obliged to meet the rates, upkeep and other expenses of the hall from the lean parish income. So mid-way through 1931, the then parish priest, Father Moloney decided that enough was enough and closed the hall. Following some alterations, the building was reopened in November of that year as the Church of The Holy Name of Jesus, giving the parish another church in addition to the exisiting church on the Parade, which is now the Serbian Orthodox Church of St Sava. Despite the money spent and the dedicated work that went into its conversion, the new church bore many rough reminders of its past uses: the freshly painted walls scarcely disguising the signs on the walls indicating the stalls from the better seating. A choir loft was added, access to which was up a narrow, steep spiral staircase reputed to have come from an old double-decker tram car. This second parish church was particularly welcomed by those living in the southern end of the suburb. But fate had one more hand to play.

Wedding of Luigi Noaro and Maria Barnao, early June, 1939, at a Catholic church (possibly the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus), Humber Street, Island Bay, Wellington. Interior view of the church, during the church service. Photographer unidentified.

During the late evening of 1942, Wellington was shaken by a severe earthquake which damaged the structure of the Humber Street building to such an extent that it was declared unsafe for use by large gatherings. Its use as a church ended and the firm of Rotowax took it over for storage and subsequently bought it in 1952. It is now used by a film company producing TV commercials. It remains, despite its dilapidated state, a notable part of Island Bay's streetscape, and the source of much speculation by passers-by as to its age and origins.

Sources:The Evening PostArchives of St Francis de Sales ParishCouncil Archives