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21. CENTENARY OF UNION HALL - ASCOT VALE 1890-1 990 by Ted Smith

Recently, whilst driving along Union Road, I passed the old hall on the comer of Roxburgh Street and Union
Road. This hall has pleasant memories for me as it was here that I met the girl who eventually became my
wife.

The Essendon Gazette of September 25th, 1890, published an article stating that the hall would be opened
'shortly' by the Hon. Alfred Deakin, M.L.A., who later, in 1902, became Prime Minister of Australia. The main
hall was 63 feet x 47 feet with two shops fronting Union Road. Between the shops was the entrance foyer from
which ten septs brought you to the main floor level. There was also a stage at the rear of the building.

Union Hall building was designed by Mr. R.J. Rankin, the builder being Thakways of South Melbourne. The
contract was signed on 16th July, 1890, and was to be completed in three months. It was eventually opened
three months later on October 24th, 1890 by the Hon. Alfred Deakin and was named Union Hall. The Mayor of
Essendon, Cr. Edwin Dangerfield, was also present. The hall proved to be a popular rendezvous for church
concerts, dances, etc.

Perhaps the first moving picture show in Essendon was at this hall where, on 26th June, 1909, Godfrey Pic-
tures screened Alexander Dumas' "Monte Cristo".

Mr. Tom Sangston was said to have opened the Union Hall as a picture theatre in 1911 which coincided with the
coronation of King George V and the hall was re-named St. George's Hall.
Mr. Sangston also had an open-air picture show in Maribymong Road, near the bridge and opposite Maribymong
Park. Occasionally, on a warm summer night, he would erect a screen close to where the present band rotunda
is.

The projector was situated at the top of the slope toward the rotunda and the patrons would sit or recline on the
grassy slope. The power for the projector was supplied by a petrol engine. But I have digressed, so back to the
hall.

On either side of ten steps there were two scenes painted on the wall, one depicted Queen's Park with the lake
as the centrepiece, the other was of the old wooden bridge over the Maribymong River with a couple of motor
boats on their way up river. These paintings were in oil and extended from the foyer to the main floor level.
A rather plump lady played the piano during the films. slow tempo for sad scenes and quickly when Tom Mix
came galloping on screen. She always had a glass of ale on the piano. The glass was kept topped up by a
gentleman in the front row.

I well remember when the First World War ended on November 11th, 1918. The news was flashed on the
screen; men shouted, women screamed and the pianist played the national anthem.
Paramount Pictures acquired the lease on October 9th, 1919, and the name was changed once again, to the
Paramount Theatre.

Mr. Percy Jones was manager, all spruced up with black bow tie, etc., Mick Bramley (brother of Nellie Bramley,
a well known singer) was the projectionist and Mick Klemm, with his Harley Davidson motor cycle and side car
was the film runner; exchanging films from the Loco Theatre in North Melbourne, the Newmarket Theatre in
Racecourse Road, Flemington and the Paramount in Union Road, Ascot Vale.
The opening of the New Ascot Theatre on the corner of Union Road and the Parade, Ascot Vale, on 16th
October, 1924, saw the demise of the old building as a picture theatre. Today the area above the shops is used
as an Aerobic and Fitness Centre.
(Editor's note: My recollection is that after the Paramount ceased to be a cinema it was, for many years, used
as a dance hall. Then, during the 1940's, it became part of the Eagley Knitting Mills, a subsidiary of Foy and
Gibson Limited.
After that it was back to the entertainment business but in different roles. The Paramount first became a
workshop producing scenery and other stage props for the now vanished Tivoli Circuit of Australia and, follow-
ing that, it became a store for its owners Hoyts Theatres Limited, until it was sold in the late 1950's following the
advent of television. A very interesting building indeed. Has anyone else got information on the various uses
of this historic structure?).