Kempsey-Macleay RSL Memorial Hall

About

Memorial Hall housing the Kempsey-Macleay Returned Servicemen League (RSL) sub-Branch. The site also contains a memorial wall and garden at the front of the hall.  The original Soldiers’ Memorial Hall was established in 1933 and officially opened on 31 May 1934. The original building was established in memory of those who served in the First World War. The building has undergone modifications since that date with the new building established and opened in 1993. Two foundation stone tablets from the original hall and a metal plaque detailing the opening of the new hall are located at the entrance to the building. Positioned on the pediment above the entrance is a Rising Sun emblem.  On 8 December 1933 Sir Phillip Woolcott Game, Governor of New South Wales, laid the foundation stone for the memorial hall. Mr H Reece, President of the Macleay sub-Branch RSSILA laid a second foundation stone. The event was described as a gala day in Kempsey. At a luncheon to celebrate, Alderman Henderson made an appeal for further subscriptions (The Macleay Chronicle, 13 December 1933). The memorial hall was officially opened on 31 May 1934 by Mr W M Hughes, MP. The Kempsey Silver Band led returned servicemen down Belgrave Street to the park where they joined nearly 2,000 people for the opening ceremony (Macleay Argus, 1 June 1934).  In 1993 the new memorial building was established and opened on 20 February by S K Saul AM, Northern Council Vice President NSW Branch RSL of Australia.  The new building was dedicated by Reverend Roger Bush on 1 April 1993.

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