Kaberry and Chard

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Kaberry and Chard was an Australian architectural firm known for designing theatres, picture theatres and town halls from around 1920 until the end of 1939. It was based in Sydney, New South Wales, and designed many theatres in every state of Australia, as well as commercial buildings. The firm's partner's were Lewis Kaberry (1879–1962) and Clifford Chard (born 1884).

Contents

The firm

Kaberry and Chard was founded by architects Lewis Kaberry and Clifford M. Chard in 1920. [1] Based in Sydney, Kaberry and Chard grew to be a large general practice, designing buildings of all kinds, but were known especially for their design of theatres. [2] They designed over 57 theatres around Australia. [3]

In July 1936, Chard visited Maryborough, Queensland, to discuss proposed alterations to the Bungalow Theatre there. [4] He also undertook a research visit to the United States, as well as studying art in France and Italy, after which he started using landscape painting as an adjunct to his work. [2]

Also in 1936, Kaberry visited England to study the development of housing conditions and factory construction, gaining valuable knowledge for the firm which was used on his return in commercial architecture. [2]

The partnership was dissolved on 1 January 1940, although both architects continued to practise independently in the same offices at 67 Castlereagh Street in Sydney. [5]

Lewis Kaberry

Lewis Kaberry [lower-alpha 1] was born in 1879 [7] in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England. [8] [lower-alpha 2] His parents were Isaac Kaberry and Mary Ann Knibbs. [7] In 1891 he was living in Bilton, Harrogate. [7] He attended Harrogate College, [2] a boys' school in Harrogate. [12]

Kaberry then worked at architects Tennant and Bagley in Yorkshire before moving to London to work at the office of John Hudson FRIBA. Working as an architectural draughtsman at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, [2] he served his Articles as an architect under the British Admiralty [13] and worked for the Admiralty in Bermuda. [2] After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he lived there and helped to rebuild some of the buildings. [13] He was appointed as chief draughtsman with the Bell Telephone Company in San Francisco in 1908, a position he held until 1913. [9] In an undated letter to the San Francisco Chronicle , Kaberry described how he designed a new telephone exchange in Chinese style, inspired by an illustration of the Empress of China's bedroom for the interior wall treatment. [13]

He married Hetty [9] [7] (or Hettie) Emily Coggins (1884–1975) [14] in London in 1909. [9] Both were Christian Scientists. They had three children, the eldest being anthropologist Phyllis Kaberry (1910–1977), who was born in San Francisco, followed by two boys. [15] [14] One son was called Norman. [13] The family moved first to New Zealand in 1913, then to Newcastle, New South Wales, finally settling in the Sydney suburb of Manly in 1914. [15] where he formed a partnership with Clifford Chard. [13] Phyllis Kaberry attended Fort Street Girls' High School in the suburb of Petersham. [16]

Lewis Kaberry died in 1962. [14]

Clifford Chard

Clifford Markham Chard was born on 13 November 1884 [17] in Armidale, New South Wales, [18] the son of J. S. Chard, [17] who was the district surveyor, [19] [20] having moved from Sydney in 1880. [21] He was a member of the Royal Society of New South Wales, [22] and on the committee of the New England Jockey Club. [23]

Clifford attended The Armidale School. [2] He trained for his articles in the office of Spain and Cosh. [2]

He studied through the Sydney Technical College, passing second year model drawing with an honours grade in 1899. [24] In 1902 he passed freehand drawing with a first-class pass from Armidale; [25] in 1903 he passed first-year drawing with honours from Armidale; [26] and in 1904, the first-year black and white drawing course (then under the NSW Technical Education Branch), also with honours. [27]

He worked for the government's Public Works Department as well as in private practice, before joining the Australian Imperial Forces overseas during World War I. [2]

After the war he joined in private practice with Kaberry to form Kaberry and Chard in 1920. [2] After a research visit to the United States, he also visited France and Italy to study art, and started using landscape painting as an adjunct to his work. [2]

After the partnership with Kaberry was dissolved, Chard continued to work until at least 1941, when he designed extensions to a factory in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria. [28]

Significance

Kaberry and Chard were described in a 1923 article in Everyones [lower-alpha 3] as "the two foremost theatrical designers and builders in Australia", who were "responsible for the erection of a great number of the most modern picture theatres in this country". The article is based on an interview with the two architects, in which they discuss design principles of the theatre, [6] in which they stress the importance of consulting a specialist. [31]

Theatres

According to Norman Kaberry, Kaberry and Chard designed and supervised the building of over 150 theatres in every state in Australia (not Northern Territory). According to the Office of Environment & Heritage, there were 57 theatre design jobs (new theatres, major and minor alterations) by the firm carried out in New South Wales. Only three remain with an auditorium close to the original design (Roxy Community Theatre, Leeton; Athenium Theatre, Junee; and Montreal Community Theatre, Tumut). Only Leeton and Junee still possess the architects' distinctive "superficial walls" each side of the stage opening. [13]

As of February 2024, the website Cinema Treasures lists 31 theatres either fully designed or with major renovations designed by the firm, with 13 demolished and only six still open. Theatres designed by Kaberry and Chard, with those still open marked **, include: [32]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Misspelt "Louis" in one source [6]
  2. ↑ His birth was registered in the January to March quarter of 1979 in Pontefract district. [8] One source says place of birth is Dewsbury, [9] but so far no corroboration for this. Three older siblings were born in Dewsbury, which may have been the cause of the confusion. [10] He was baptised in Pontefract on 26 January 1879. [11]
  3. ↑ incorporating Australian Variety and Show World. [29] [30]

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References

  1. ↑ Decoration and glass, vol. 4, Waterloo, N.S.W.: Australian Glass Manufactures, 1 March 1939, nla.obj-374111330, retrieved 15 February 2024– via Trove
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Who's Who: Lewis Kaberry", Decoration and Glass, 4 (11), Waterloo, N.S.W: Australian Glass Manufactures, 1 March 1939, nla.obj-381535545, retrieved 17 February 2024– via Trove
  3. ↑ "History – Thebarton Theatre". Thebarton Theatre. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Personal". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser . No. 20, 299. Queensland, Australia. 31 July 1936. p. 8. Retrieved 17 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Business changes, etc.", Dun's Gazette for New South Wales , 63 (16), Sydney, 19 April 1940, nla.obj-787989120, retrieved 17 February 2024– via Trove
  6. 1 2 "Designing the Theatre", Everyones., 3 (166), Sydney: 91, 9 May 1923, nla.obj-562115856, retrieved 16 February 2024– via Trove
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Lewis Kaberry, 1879–1962". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Index entry: Kaberry, Lewis". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Manly Library. "Mr Kaberry, architect". Manly Library Local Studies Blog. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  10. ↑ 1881 census
  11. ↑ "Lewis Kaberry christening record". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  12. ↑ Wild, Danny (20 November 2020). "Interview: Principal on how Harrogate College is reconnecting with town and businesses even during Covid". Harrogate Advertiser (Interview). Interviewed by Chalmers, Graham. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Athenium Theatre". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01687. Retrieved 15 February 2024. CC BY icon.svg Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .
  14. 1 2 3 "Kaberry, Phyllis Mary". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/63299.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.) 23 September 2004.
  15. 1 2 Cheater, Christine (1996). "Phyllis Mary Kaberry". Australian Dictionary of Biography . Retrieved 16 February 2024. This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, (Melbourne University Press), 1996; online in 2006
  16. ↑ Toussaint, S. (1999). Phyllis Kaberry and Me: Anthropology, History and Aboriginal Australia. Melbourne University Press. ISBN   978-0-522-84835-9 . Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  17. 1 2 "Family Notices". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 14, 585. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  18. ↑ "Clifford M Chard b.1884". Design & Art Australia Online . 1 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  19. ↑ "Family Notices". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 14, 512. New South Wales, Australia. 30 September 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ "Armidale Borough Council". The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser . New South Wales, Australia. 28 November 1884. p. 6. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  21. ↑ "NEWS OF THE DAY". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 13, 056. New South Wales, Australia. 5 February 1880. p. 5. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  22. ↑ "The Royal Society". Daily Telegraph . No. 959. New South Wales, Australia. 3 August 1882. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  23. ↑ "N. E. J. C. annual meeting". The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser . New South Wales, Australia. 8 September 1882. p. 8. Retrieved 19 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  24. ↑ "Technical college and branch schools: Examination pass list for 1899". The Daily Telegraph . No. 6428. New South Wales, Australia. 17 January 1900. p. 10. Retrieved 17 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  25. ↑ "Technical college and branch schools". The Daily Telegraph . No. 7054. New South Wales, Australia. 17 January 1902. p. 8. Retrieved 18 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  26. ↑ "Technical Education". The Armidale Chronicle . No. 7835. New South Wales, Australia. 28 January 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 18 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  27. ↑ "Technical Education Branch: Examination for 1904". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 20, 853. New South Wales, Australia. 6 January 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 17 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  28. ↑ "CONTRACTS LET". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 32, 217. New South Wales, Australia. 1 April 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 18 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  29. ↑ Everyones, Everyones Ltd, 1920, retrieved 16 February 2024
  30. ↑ Australian variety and show world, Martin C. Brennan, 1916, retrieved 16 February 2024
  31. ↑ "Designing the Theatre", Everyones, 3 (166), Sydney: 94, 9 May 1923, nla.obj-562115856, retrieved 16 February 2024– via Trove
  32. ↑ "Movie Theaters Designed by Kaberry & Chard". Cinema Treasures . Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  33. ↑ "Anita's Theatre". Thirroul Village. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  34. ↑ "Anita's Theatre in Thirroul, AU". Cinema Treasures. 22 October 1922. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  35. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Crown Theatre in Wollongong, AU". Cinema Treasures . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  36. ↑ "Sydney City Council applications". Construction & Local Government Journal . Vol. XXXIV, no. 954. New South Wales, Australia. 19 May 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 16 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  37. ↑ "Side of proscenium surround, new Empire Theatre, Sydney", Building: The Magazine for the Architect, Builder, Property Owner and Merchant, 40 (237), Sydney: Federated Builders' Association of Australia.: 3, 12 May 1927, nla.obj-343997713, retrieved 16 February 2024– via Trove
  38. ↑ "Buildings, and works. Enmore Theatre". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 25, 736. New South Wales, Australia. 30 June 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  39. ↑ "Montreal Community Theatre in Tumut, AU". Cinema Treasures . 9 May 1930. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  40. ↑ "Norwood Star Theatre". The Register (Adelaide) . Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 25, 705. South Australia. 17 May 1923. p. 10. Retrieved 15 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  41. ↑ "Roxy Community Theatre". Heritage NSW. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  42. ↑ "Thebarton Theatre: History". Thebarton Theatre. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  43. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Valhalla Cinema in Sydney, AU". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 21 February 2024.

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