On 8 October a small group of members were guided around Adelaide Town Hall buildings by member Glen Woodward who has been a volunteer Town Hall Guide for 27 years.
The Italianate architecture of the Town Hall tower, in Glen Osmond freestone by Edmund Wright, and the attached Prince Alfred Hotel was studied.
The old Treasury, built in three stages over 20 years, still has part of the 1839 wall by Kingston. The tunnels, with their gold escort story, intrigue all visitors.
At the Stow Memorial Church (Pilgrim Church) their guide Brian Ward told the history of the 1867 building – its unity with the Wesleyan Pirie St church and transfer of their organ, windows and woodwork in 1970. At the rear is the unique ‘Meeting Hall’ also by Edmund Wright. It was attached to the rear of the Pirie St church which was demolished by the Adelaide City Council for the Col Light Centre. Epworth House was saved.
The Meeting Hall was used for Sunday School, Prince Alfred College’s first classes and also Townsend’s first ‘School For The Blind’.
This cluster of buildings holds the history of Adelaide in the 1850s-60s.