In the run up to the celebration on September 2 this year of 50th anniversary of the Canowindra Historical Society formed in 1967 member Dorothy Balcomb is researching the background of some of the photos in the Society's archives.
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One photo is of Boyd’s, Fogarty’s, International Hall in Ryall St.
The photo is of the flywheel power station taken in 1924.
The hall appears in the background.
In the early 1900s John Boyd bought the old weatherboard Victoria Hotel built 1865.
It still had a lot of land behind including much of today’s Ryall Street.
He built the first brick section of the hotel in 1908 next to the old one.
In 1910 he demolished the old weatherboard inn and in two stages in 1910 and in 1913 built the brick extensions.
The Canowindra Star of May 12, 1911 reported that Messrs Hanlon Bros were engaged with the erection of a large hall for Mr J Boyd in Ryall St.
Mr John Holderness Bates of Forbes was the architect. A further article later in 1911 reported that Mr Boyd’s new hall in Ryall Street was nearing completion.
It was firstly known as Boyd’s Hall, then Fogarty’s Hall after Mr Fogarty bought Victoria Hotel and was later known as the International Hall.
It became a popular venue for functions and meetings which were reported in the Canowindra Star over the years.
One of these was the banquet for 150 people held after the turning of the first sod for the Eugowra line on the March 10, 1920. Dances were held in the International Hall until the building of the Strand Theatre.
“I want to know when it was demolished and why. The big slab of concrete where the Bush Fire Brigade has its small building marks the site in Ryall Street,” Mrs Balcomb said.
Regards
Dorothy Balcomb
Canowindra & District Historical Society