St Francis Xavier War Memorial Hall, Narrabri

About

The St Francis Xavier War Memorial Hall is a large brick building with a tiled roof, erected in memory of those who fell in both the First and Second World Wars. The building has a cream-faced brick façade with a gallery over the entrance and wide chrome fitted glass doors leading into a spacious vestibule. Above the entrance is a large Latin Cross. The hall was designed by the Inverell architect Mr F J Madigan, who designed many private residences and public buildings in the New England and North West Regions.   The black marble foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Armidale, the Right Reverend E J Doody, DD at a ceremony on 27 June 1954 (The North Western Courier (Narrabi), 1 July 1954). The contract price for the new hall was £21,800 of which already half had been raised. The newspaper account described the plans for the hall in detail and listed all individual donors and amounts to date. The building was designed to seat 600, and with dimensions of the main hall being 70 by 60 feet it was approximately the same size as the Town Hall. Other features included a wide stage with two dressing rooms, a tallow wood dance floor and a supper room with capacity for 200 people. A brass plaque inside the hall commemorates the memorial's dedication in February 1956. The interior of the hall is available for viewing during social and religious occasions conducted by St Francis Xavier Church.

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