The People's Palace

Built by the Salvation Army in 1912, the People’s Palace in Townsville was designed to provide low cost accommodation for working class travellers.  In particular, it offered the travelling public an alternative to staying in a hotel, whilst at the same time, shielding them from the temptations associated with ordinary hotels.

The People's Palace, 1965.  Photograph by Alex Trotter, held in CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

By building the People’s Palace in Townsville, the Salvation Army was hoping to make up for the lack of a temperance hotel or “Coffee Palace” in the city. 

First built in Australia in the late 1800s, Coffee Palaces in cities such as Melbourne and Sydney were grand, elaborate buildings.  Multi-storeyed, with heavily ornamented, Victorian style architecture, Coffee Palaces provided additional facilities over mainstream hotels. 

As well as providing accommodation and meals, the larger Coffee Palaces often included ballrooms, smoking rooms, chess and billiard rooms, and reading rooms - where newspapers where provided free of charge.  Most importantly, Coffee Palaces were alcohol-free zones. 

 

The “palace” concept in the Salvation Army’s People’s Palaces grew out of the Coffee Palaces, and in conjunction with, the temperance movement that was widespread at the time. 

Queensland’s first People’s Palace was built for the Salvation Army in Brisbane in 1910, as a temperance hotel.  Designed by the Salvation Army’s architect, Colonel Saunders, it provided three floors of accommodation, and included a rooftop garden.  Situated close to the Central Railway Station, it was well placed to provide working class travellers with a wholesome accommodation alternative.  Neither alcohol nor gambling was permitted on the premises.
 

Townsville was only the second Queensland city to have a “People’s Palace”. It was conveniently located on the corner of Sturt and Blackwood Streets, next to the block housing the Salvation Army’s barracks.  It was also within walking distance of the railway station. 

When it opened in October 1912, the Townsville Daily Bulletin described the building enthusiastically as “a substantial addition to the architecture of the city”.  



The People's Palace, corner Sturt & Blackwood Streets, Townsville, 1922.
Photo:  CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

The People’s Palace could accommodate 50 people in its 36 bedrooms, which included 10 double rooms.  The Bulletin reported that each room was “neatly furnished and fitted with dressing tables, linoleum on the floor and mats beside the beds, whilst gas is laid on in every room”.  

Meals cost 1 shilling and beds were 2 shillings, but according to the Bulletin, those who patronised the People’s Palace “could be sure that every penny of their money would be put to the best use”.


Profits from Townsville’s People’s Palace were to be devoted to furthering the Salvation Army’s program of social welfare, which included both religious teaching, and rescue work.



In his opening speech, the Salvation Army’s Major Suttor, explained that “whatever profit was made from the People’s Palace, or any other institution of the Army, did not go to enrich any individual, but went to assist the needy”. 

The new People's Palace, Townsville, 1967.
Photo:  CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

In August 1965, the front section of the People’s Palace was sold at auction for removal.  The two-storeyed timber building only fetched £5 at auction, with the winning bidder - a Mr A. Lawson - a demolition expert.  The building was sold to make way for a new, modern brick People’s Palace (pictured above), which still stands today.

 
Sources:
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 29 October 1912.
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 21 August 1965.
Cairns Post, 28 October 1912.

Townsville South State School: 130 Years Old

Townsville South State School is about to celebrate its 130th birthday. The school opened on 26th February 1884 and was originally called the Ross Island State School. A building committee to establish the school had been set up in May 1882 and consisted of the following elected members: Murdo Cameron*, John Reardon, Harry Hack, Alfred Wales, Thomas Page, Thomas Pearce and William Martin (Secretary).

Ross Island pyramid, Townsville South State School.
Photo: CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection

By sheer virtue of its geography, Ross Island was isolated from the main part of Townsville, so the need for a school seemed obvious. But the feelings of isolation went deeper. At the same time as the school was being built, the ratepayers of Ross Island signed a petition proposing that Ross Island be excised from the municipal district of Townsville. The petition, with more than 120 signatures, asked for the suburb to be declared a separate municipality, with the suggested name to be either Musgrave or South Townsville.  The petition was addressed to Sir Anthony Musgrave, who was the governor of Queensland at the time, hence the suggestion to call the new municipality 'Musgrave'.  The appeal to Musgrave's vanity failed though, and Ross Island remained a part of Townsville.

Class photo, Grade III.I, Ross Island State School, 1920.
Photo:  CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

The first building at the school was described as being of the 'best Maryborough hardwood' and could accommodate 120 students. It was 50 feet long and 25 feet wide, with wide verandahs on both the back and front of the building.  The teacher's residence was a house of six rooms which included a kitchen.

Population growth in the suburb ensured that the school prospered, and new wings had to be added to the main building in 1885 and 1892. Further additions were made to the school between 1898 and in 1919 the school was raised. By 1920 there were 599 pupils enrolled at the school. In 1936 the school changed its named from Ross Island to Townsville South State School.

Flooding in Tully Street, outside the Townsville South State School.
Photo:  CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

* Murdo Cameron built the first hotel in South Townsville, known as the Bridge Hotel, on the site of what is now the Metropole Hotel. He was also Mayor of Townsville on three occasions.