EMULATION HALL

3 ROCHESTER ROAD CANTERBURY, BOROONDARA CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register

Emulation Hall, Canterbury 2011

Statement of Significance

• Other Records For This Place
  • Emulation Hall - Boroondara City
• Additional Place Information

  • History

    EMULATION HALL - History

    CONTEXTUAL HISTORY

    Freemasonry

    The basic organisation of freemasonry is the masonic lodge and masonic halls were constructed to provide a meeting place for these groups as they were established in Victoria. When individual lodges were first established they often initially met in existing buildings such as recreation halls, and a lodge room was set up within these buildings to suit their needs. A number of different lodges often used the same rooms for their separate meetings. Once finances permitted, often a number of years later, individual lodges purchased either an existing building for their use, or purchased land and constructed a purpose-built hall, or temple. Again a number of individual lodges often met in the same building.

    The first lodge meeting in Victoria was held in 1839. The United Grand Lodge of Victoria was established in 1889, bringing together lodges that had previously worked under separate constitutions. This prompted the formation of additional suburban lodges, although most were formed after World War 1 with a large increase in the popularity of freemasonry in Victoria in the early 1920s. This increase resulted in a need for more meeting places and more than 12 temples were built across Victoria between 1922 and 1925 (Brunswick, Greensborough, Ivanhoe, Oakleigh, Prahran, Avoca, Colac, Kaniva, Maffra, Nagambie, Wycheproof and Yarrawonga).

    The site

    The first land in the Canterbury area was purchased by Elgar in 1841 and in 1853 large tracts of Crown land were sold. The suburb of Canterbury began to develop after the railway station was opened in 1882, and the southern end of Rochester Road where Emulation Hall is located was originally part of Shrublands Estate. By the turn of the century some commercial development had occurred in the vicinity centred on Canterbury Road, and significant development occurred over the next twenty years. By the time Emulation Hall was constructed in Rochester Road in 1927-28, the suburban centre had developed significantly with the addition of both commercial and community facilities.

    The style

    The Egyptian Revival style became popular in the western world from the late 1700s. It reached Australia in the 1820s, remaining popular into the 1840s and was generally reserved for monuments and synagogues. These included an obelisk designed by Francis Greenway and constructed in Macquarie Place, Sydney in 1818 and synagogues in Sydney (1841), Hobart (1843-45), and Launceston (1844-46). As Melbourne was settled largely after this, the style remains highly rare in the State. It was then rare in Australia until its return in the inter-war period when it was generally applied more abstractly in the Art Deco and Free Classical styles. This was after Australian soldiers returned from World War 1 with Egyptian objects incorporating scarab and winged disc motifs, and after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922.

    A strict application of the style however was generally still reserved for monuments or for building types that had a philosophical connection with Egyptian culture, notably masonic temples. The usage and customs of freemasonry have an affinity with those of the ancient Egyptians and it is believed that the ceremonies and rituals have at least in part descended from their religious beliefs and practices. Externally Emulation Hall recalls such ancient temples as that of Isis, Philae and Horus, Edfu and the symbolism of the motifs includes the scarab as a symbol of the sun, regeneration and good fortune; and the winged disc as a symbol of protection. The eye of Horus is a symbol of protection, royal power and good health. The facade at Emulation Hall also bears some similarity to Egyptian Revival buildings of the nineteenth century such as the London Egyptian Hall (1811-12) and the Devonport Library (1823).

    HISTORY OF PLACE

    Emulation Lodge No 141 was one of the first lodges established in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It was established in Box Hill in 1889 and was the only lodge meeting between Hawthorn and Lilydale at this time. The Emulation Lodge of Improvement was a division of freemasonry created in England in 1823 and this Emulation Lodge was the first in Victoria. It remained the only Emulation Lodge in Victoria until No 436 was established in Richmond in the 1930s.

    The Emulation Lodge first met in a lodge room set up in a recreation hall in Whitehorse Road, Box Hill. In 1912 the Emulation Lodge moved to new premises in Maling Road, Canterbury and in 1919 the Trustees of the Lodge purchased Surrey Hall in Union Road, Surrey Hills and moved to their first owned property. The lodge outgrew this hall and in July 1927 Emulation Lodge No 141 sold Surrey Hall and purchased a site at 3 Rochester Road, Canterbury.

    Plans for the new building in Rochester Road, Canterbury were prepared by architects Dunstan Reynolds & Partners. The principal architect Bennet Dunstan Reynolds lived locally in Balwyn, was a Lodge member and had already designed the Ivalda Masonic Temple in Ivanhoe in 1923-24. His first recorded works were residential designs in 1922 and these were followed by designs for residential flats in Brighton (as illustrated in the Argus in 1928) and the Plaza Theatre, Kyabram in 1929. His private practice commenced in 1920, became Dunstan Reynolds and Partners in 1926 and Craig, Reynolds & Garrett by the mid-1930s.

    Tenders for the new masonic temple in Canterbury were called in August 1927 and the contract was awarded to Reginald S Jones. A memorial stone was laid on 12 May 1928 and it was reported at the time that the building in progress 'promises to vie with any of our most imposing Masonic edifices'. The design was clearly Egyptian Revival which related to freemasonry, but was a highly unusual style in Victoria. The building was to house both the Emulation Lodge No 141 and its two sponsored lodges, Canterbury Lodge No 312 and Surrey Hills Lodge No 315.

    As required, existing lodges sponsored the establishment of new lodges in particular areas and the Emulation Lodge No 141 sponsored a number of such lodges in the region. These included Box Hill 221 (1912), Canterbury 312 (1922), Surrey Hill 315 (1922), Chatham 459 (1930), Gratitude 592 (1946) and Wattle Park 624 (1947). These often met in the same building and Emulation Hall built at Rochester Road, Canterbury in 1927-28 provided a temple for 19 lodges in total over a number of years. The hall was also used for monthly meetings by the Canterbury Horticultural Society from 1929, and by 1934 the society had been allocated its own rooms in the building. It was also used for various celebrations, lectures, film screenings, dances and plays and was particularly popular in the 1930s and 1940s for balls and dances. Because it was used for a variety of purposes other than masonic needs, the temple was not consecrated at the time of construction.

    Emulation Lodge disbanded in the 1990s and Chatham Lodge No 459 acquired the temple.

    Plaque Citation

    EMULATION HALL - Plaque Citation

    Designed in a highly unusual Egyptian Revival style, this masonic hall was built for Emulation Lodge in 1927-28. It became the meeting place for a number of masonic lodges and community groups.

    Assessment Against Criteria

    EMULATION HALL - Assessment Against Criteria

    a. Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history

    Emulation Hall, Canterbury clearly demonstrates the role that freemasonry played in Victoria. Emulation Lodge No 141 was one of the first lodges established in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in 1889 and was the first Emulation Lodge in Victoria. It remained the only Emulation Lodge in Victoria until another was established in Richmond in the 1930s.

    b. Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria's cultural history.

    Emulation Hall, Canterbury is a rare and intact example of the Egyptian Revival style in Victoria. It adopts the style in its strictest sense and applies it both externally and internally.

    c. Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria's cultural history.

    d. Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or environments.

    Emulation Hall, Canterbury is of architectural significance as an unusual and fine example of a masonic hall built in the inter-war period. The adoption of the Egyptian Revival style demonstrates the ideological link between freemasonry and ancient Egypt.

    e. Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

    Emulation Hall, Canterbury displays a consistent Egyptian-themed decorative scheme both externally and internally. This includes scarabs; winged sun discs; palmette, lotus and papyrus mouldings; astrological symbols and the eye of Horus.

    f. Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

    g. Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions.

    h. Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria's history.

    Emulation Hall, Canterbury has associations with freemasonry which played an important cultural role in Victoria.

    Permit Exemptions

    EMULATION HALL - Permit Exemptions

    General Exemptions:

    General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

    Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

    Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

    Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

    Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

    Specific Exemptions:

    General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    EMULATION HALL - Permit Exemption Policy

    The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing any proposed works will assist in answering any questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is undertaken to assist with the future management of the cultural significance of the place.

    The significance of Emulation Hall lies in its rarity and intactness as a masonic hall, designed in the unusual Egyptian Revival style. The display of this style both externally and internally is of importance. All of the registered building, with the exception of the rear addition, is integral to the significance of the place and any external or internal alterations that impact on its significance are subject to permit application. The extent of registration protects the whole site. The addition of new buildings to the site may impact upon the cultural heritage significance of the place and requires a permit. The purpose of this requirement is not to prevent any further development on this site, but to enable control of possible adverse impacts on heritage significance during that process.

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