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The Lyric Theatre Throughout 1913
and 1914, The
In 1913 the hall was purchased by A S Lyric advertised as
Henderson and renamed The Lyric. The being available for
intention was to bring first grade artists from entertainments,
Melbourne. The first of Mr Henderson’s concerts, dances,
drawing-room concerts was on 30 April and 1 etc. However, by
May with Melbourne soprano Miss Evelyn 1914, no actual
Ashley and violinist Mr Ernest Toy. Mr activities were
Henderson gave the other items on the advertised in the
programme with various humorous songs and local newspaper.
sketches. The hall had room for 200 chairs.
In December 1916,
“The new Lyric Hall (hardly recognisable as The Lyric was for
the Langtree Hall) with its tasteful and sale. There is no
artistic decorations will probably prove a further mention in Working on the roof of the rebuilt hall c. 1992. (Image: Barbara Cornell).
welcome asset not only for concerts and the local paper of the
entertainments, but also for receptions, social Lyric or Langtree Hall. In 1936, Mr Jack Cornell came from Geelong
reunions, etc. The walls are a dainty pink, the opening the hall as Cornell’s Billiard Room
ceiling is pale green with the mouldings The Mildura and District Historical Society and operated the shop in front.
picked out in gold, while the stage has records that in 1919 The Mildura Telegraph, a
handsome dark green curtains draped against newspaper established in competition with The hall was partially restored and opened as
a background In the latest style of the scene The Mildura Cultivator, was printed at the a museum in October 1989 by Helen
painter’s art.” 5 Hall by a Mr Henry Alfred Furze. Bowering, granddaughter of W. B. Chaffey
(William Chaffey was a Canadian engineer
and irrigation planner who, with his older
brother George, developed what became the
City of Mildura)
In 1991 the hall was dismantled and rebuilt
behind a house at 79 Walnut Ave. It was
officially opened as a museum on 8th October
1993. ★

References
Barbara Cornell and the Mildura and District
Historical Society Inc.
All newspaper advertisements are from The
Mildura Cultivator.

1 Mildura Cultivator, 16 January 1892
2 Op. cit. 28 April 1900
3 Op. cit., 8 Feb 1908
4 Op. cit. 24 Oct 1908
5 Op. cit. 19 April 1913

Above and at right: Langtree Hall relocated and
rebuilt, now open as a museum. (Image 2015
by Gina Varrasso).

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