234
CLUBS (30)
3
It is built of brick and is of Gothic design covering an area of 116 feet, 10 inches (Wyndham Street front) by 100 ft. It contains the following rooms on the ground floor: One billiard room 40 by 25 feet containing two tables, and one 30 by 26 feet 6 inches with one table; a reading room 40 by 25 feet; with a bar room, lavatories, etc. The height of the floor is 19 feet; and the entrance hall, which is paved with marble tiles in two colours measures 30 by 25 feet. Upstairs there are: a drawing room 30 by 26 feet, a dining room 40 by 23 feet, a concert hall or theatre 75 by 35 feet, 30 feet in height and giving ample accommodation for 275 persons with room for gangways, etc. The stage in this room (the acoustic properties of which are very superior) is 22 feet wide and 26 feet high. The scenery is from Germany, the stage being 27 feet in depth by 35 feet in width.
The gas fittings of the building are from England.
The verandah on the North front is 12 feet wide paved with marble tiles. Attached to the club is a bowling saloon 30 feet wide by 113 feet long, giving room for 4 alleys; the pins and balls have been obtained from the United States.
The building rests on a stone foundation on piles and concrete with a dressed stone plinth. The superstructure is of brick, and hardwood alone is used in the beams and fittings. The staircase is lighted with a sunlight and brackets; the concert hall having one 40-light corona, two 27-point starlights and 12 brackets. The roof has iron ridging.
The furniture in the reading room has been presented by Mr. Melchers. The whole building has been completed in 16 months at a cost of about $20,000. "We may heartily congratulate both the architects and the future occupants of the club on this very elegant addition to our public buildings."
It is further recorded that the new club house was to be formally opened the following day, February 2, 1872.
Page 235
Page 236