New Library Premises in ANZAC House

The Library has now moved upstairs in ANZAC House.  We now have a dedicated space for people wanting to research our archive collection or simply wanting to catch up on some reading in our Library.  The Library is open on Thursdays and by appointment and is run by a dedicated team of volunteers.  The archive is available by appointment please contact ANZAC House for details.

South East Metropolitan Sub Branches - Buildings

To date, the project has visited the Armadale Sub Branch, Gosnells Sub Branch and the Canning Districts and Victoria Park Sub Branch.  All of the sub branches have their own premises which were largely built by voluntary labour within the sub branch itself.

Armadale Sub Branch was opened in 1935.  Smaller than originally intended, the sub branch was offered the space by the Road Board for the building of a hall.  The back section of the building was donated by Mr L Thorpe and a donation of 6000 bricks by the Metropolitan Brick Company meant that the structure could be extended by sub branch members.  Using voluntary labour and a loan from the Road Board, the sub branch was able to complete the premises for opening in December 1935.  

With the start of WWII, it became evident that the sub branch would outgrow their premises.  In 1941 the sub branch proposed the building of a new hall for 11 thousand pounds on land held by the sub branch in Jull Street.  With non essential building paused during the war, the sub branch was unable to proceed at this time with their plans.

In 1958 the sub branch abandoned these plans and decided to extend their existing premises.  The Hall was extended most recently in 2000, again using voluntary labour as much as possible.  The Armadale Sub Branch Hall in a municipal heritage report by the City of Armadale was quoted as being 

"a part of the social activities of the community, monthly socials, weddings, birthday parties, meetings and many other family orientated occasions.   The social heritage to the people of the Armadale district and Returned services League members from 1919 to 1994 is of immense value to the heritage of Armadale". 
    

Gosnells Sub Branch Hall, like Armadale, was built by voluntary labour.  The Hall opened in 1956 and was reported to fill a need within the community for a smaller district hall.  The Hall was built on memorial land, co-located with the Gosnells District War Memorial.  


With the resumption of land by the Road Board for the extension of the road, the Memorial was moved to its current location in the gardens of the council.  It also meant that any extension to the Hall was now limited.  The Hall was extended in 1966 at a cost of 1200 pounds.  The costs were kept down by using voluntary labour and expertise existing within the sub branch.  


Canning Districts and Victoria Park Sub Branch was formed through the amalgamation of Canning Districts and Victoria Park in 1989.  The Sub Branch meets in the Canning District Hall which was built in 1955 and extended over the years to deal with the needs of the community and its members.  Within the grounds of the Sub Branch are the tablets from the original Victoria Park memorial.  The original memorial was designed by Pietro Porcelli and featured a soldier standing on guard with the names of service personnel printed from the community carved into tablets below.  


Within the area was also the Kenwick Sub Branch, Maddington Sub Branch and the Victoria Park Sub Branch.  Maddington was the only sub branch without a Hall, holding meetings in the Maddington Centennial Hall which is no longer standing.  

ANZAC Day Identities - Miss Mary Meares

As ANZAC Day is fast approaching, I thought it an opportunity to focus on an individual who not only provided support for ANZAC Day in Western Australia but worked tirelessly for the welfare of the veteran community.  Miss Mary Meares (1889 - 1964) served on a number of committees in WA, devoting her time to the welfare of wounded and blinded servicemen.  

Awarded a certificate of merit by the RSL in 1921, Mary was involved in fundraising, visiting hospitals and organising social events to support the veteran community.  Mary served with the British Army in WWII as a welfare officer attaining the rank of captain and was the foundation president of the returned ex-servicewomen sub-branch of the RSL in 1948.

Mary Meares was involved with arranging transport for ANZAC Day services for 41 years.  Being asked by the first president of the League in WA Colonel Mansbridge to arrange transport for veterans requiring it for the march. She went on to fill the roll of Secretary of the transport committee which operated independently of the League with transport being extended to football and cricket games, royal visits and other official events.

The transport for ANZAC Day continues to be provided by volunteers, as it was for the first march in Perth and remains an important part of the organising of the event.  It continues to be run independently of the League and provides many veterans with the opportunity to participate in the march.            

How does your community commemorate ANZAC Day?

ANZAC Day is commemorated on the 25th of April and marks the anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli in 1915 which was a baptism by fire for Australian and New Zealand troops.  

Beginning in 1916, Australia and New Zealand have paused on the 25th of April, to commemorate the sacrifice of all service personnel throughout all conflicts and peacekeeping operations Australia and New Zealand have been involved in.

In Perth, ANZAC Day is run by the RSL with the generous support of Lotterywest.  The day starts with a dawn service at Kings Park War Memorial and then a march through town.  Historically, the RSL in WA has considered its role in the commemoration of ANZAC Day as one of the most important functions of the League and this commitment continues today.

Do you have any stories on how ANZAC Day is celebrated in your community?  

The Listening Post

The RSL WA Branch Publication of the Listening Post has now been microfilmed.  The collation and microfilming of the collection was done by the State Library of WA.  The microfilm will now be digitised in house, a task which is expected to take six months.  By microfilming and digitising the Listening Post, we are preserving the collection and improving access.

The Listening Post was first published in December 1921, and was sent to every member of the League in WA.  The period of publication changed over the years from Monthly to quarterly and every second month as did the format from small newspaper to magazine to large newspaper. 

The Listening Post contains detailed accounts of sub branch activities and RSL Policy in WA over the years.  To check out the current publications of the Listening Post click here.

The Listening Post microfilm 

South East Metropolitan Sub-Branches - Upcoming Visits - Darling Range Sub Branch

The Darling Range Sub Branch was formed through the amalgamation of Kalamunda and Maida Vale in 1924.  We don't know too much about the activities that the sub branch was involved in but we do know they also used to have an active Womens Auxiliary group.  The Sub Branch Hall and land was donated to the sub branch by Mr and Mrs Ken Lowden in the late 1940s and used to be a home up until this point.  If you have a story to tell about Darling Range or any other sub branch please contact Naomi at ANZAC House.

Darling Range Sub Branch Charter

South East Metropolitan Sub-Branches - Upcoming Visits

For the next few months we are concentrating on the South East Metropolitan Sub Branches of the League.  Our first scheduled visit is to the Armadale Sub Branch which was chartered on the 22/10/1919.  

We have a bit of information on Armadale, having done some research on Trove.  What we do know is that in 1935 the sub branch opened its club rooms, the construction of the facilities marked a rejuvenation in the community after the depression with the focus being investment in construction to. The sub branch also actively sought funding for amelioration hosting a gymkhana in 1940 which included a programme of mounted, pedestrian and cycle events.  Opened by the Governor Sir James Mitchell the event finished with a Ball which was open to all members of the community.

If anyone has any stories or pictures they would like to share then please do contact us at ANZAC House.  The current schedule for visits to sub branches is available on the blog.