Past Community Engagement Projects
Since its from its formation over 100 years ago, the Gloucester RSL sub-Branch has been an integral part of the Gloucester community by committing to the construction of monuments, buildings, and amenities for all to enjoy.
GLOUCESTER MEMORIAL CLOCK TOWER
The clock tower, located in the beautiful and tranquil Gloucester Memorial Park. With a triangular aspect the park is located between Hume Street, Bent Street and Memorial Park Lane. The facility has been an important part of Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, and other commemorations held by the Gloucester RSL sub-Branch for the local community since its unveiling.
On Friday 13th of September 1929, a letter from the Gloucester Soldiers’ Memorial Committee was debated at council for the offer of a site and a proposed clock tower to be erected at the intersection of Church, Park and Queen streets. By October 1930, the committee had purchased an alternate site between Bent and Hume Streets.
On the 20th of October, the Newcastle Morning Herald published details of the clock tower to be constructed. Less than a year later, on 20th of June 1931, the clock tower was unveiled by Brigadier-General G. Macarthur Onslow, C.M.G., D.S.O., V.D.
Constructed of red-brick, concrete and stone, the tall clock tower is adorned with a large brass dedication plaque that bears an inscription for the Great War that is surrounded by an ornate frame with pediment. There are several other plaques and honour rolls for the Second World War and other conflicts that have been attached at later dates.
Gloucester Memorial Park
Home to our clock tower, the Gloucester Memorial Park with seating, picnic tables and toilet facilities is a beautiful and tranquil garden for locals and visitors alike to relax or reflect on those who have served their country.
At a meeting held on Friday, 8th of July 1932 the Gloucester Shire Council instructed the Clerk to take steps to dedicate the memorial ground sandwiched between Hume Street, Bent Street and Memorial Park Lane as a public park.
The Gloucester Soldiers’ Memorial Park Committee was formed and began fundraising for what was initially called Gloucester Soldiers’ Memorial Park. At a meeting held in September 1932, the Gloucester Parents and Citizens’ Association agreed to work with the children to beautify the park. On the 9th of June 1933, J.T. Hicks, the committee’s Honorary Secretary, advertised in the Gloucester Advocate for “Patriotic Citizens” to plant trees at a later date.
On 27 October, the Advocate contained two articles about the park. The first described a dance to raise funds for improvements including the construction of concrete steps, pergolas and lamp standards. The second detailed a council meeting where committee chairman E. Anderson outlined the works to date, which included provision of water, earthmoving, planting of flower beds and trees and placement of stones donated by a Councillor. Anderson explained the plan for the park had been created by Mr Patterson of the Park’s Planning Association in Sydney and that council had made funds available through the “Unemployment Relief Scheme”. Assistance had also been given by councillors and engineering staff. Approaches were to be made to the local school to look after one section of the park, to returned soldiers for maintenance of another section, and to council to mow the grass.
In December 1949, the Parks Committee of the Gloucester Shire Council and the Shire Engineer decided to inspect the park and prepare a report. At that time, it was in a neglected state and the RSL had asked council to take over upkeep of the park.
Lone Pine
Lone Pine has long been known by all Australians as symbolic of the Gallipoli campaign. Today hundreds of trees spawned for seeds of this original pine tree are growing all around Australia To read more: Lone Pine Seedlings | Australian War Memorial (awm.gov.au).
There are 2 Lone Pines in Gloucester.
The original Lone Pine was planted shortly after the construction of the Gloucester Memorial Park. Due to its age it needed to be removed and was replaced in 2015 with another. It is surrounded by a timber frame with a plaque inscribed with details of the planting. Timber from the original tree has been turned and made into a coat and hat stand, which lives in the sub-Branch office.
The second Lone Pine is planted in the Gloucester District Park near the Soldiers Memorial Hydrotherapy Pool.
Conflict Memorial Plaques.
Situated along each side of the arbour walk in the Memorial Garden leading up to the clocktower are memorial plaques. Dedicated to each theatre of conflict our local veterans have been involved in, this is an ongoing project. With WW1, WW2, Korea, Malaya/Indonesia and Vietnam already commissioned, others are still to come and will be added in due course.
L-R sub-Branch President Alan Vale, Vietnam veterans Tom Yates and Bob Murray and Dr. David Gillespie MP
GLOUCESTER SOLDIERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
The Gloucester Soldiers Memorial Hospital is an 80-bed complex, consisting of a 20-bed acute ward, and a 15-bed aged care transitional ward. It is a two-story brick building with a tiled roof. There is a large alcove entryway at the front of the complex.
Designed by the NSW Government Architect’s Office, the hospital was established in the 1950s, following years of discussion and planning. The architecture is typical of a functional building constructed in the post-Second World War period. The foundation stone was laid by the Minister for Health on 24 September 1955 and the hospital was opened on 1 June 1957.
The move to establish a memorial hospital in Gloucester commenced following the First World War. By the time a meeting was held on the 15th of September 1919, the hospital movement had £1,185 in the bank and three acres of land worth £170. At the meeting, it was moved, “That a memorial be erected to be known as the Gloucester Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.” Although the hospital committee continued, the last meeting was held on 24 October 1923. The movement had lapsed because it could not meet the “demands and requirements of the government”. In January 1930, the matter of the hospital was revived at a committee meeting held in the Shire Chambers.
In 1934, the Chamber of Commerce raised the matter again and the Returned Soldiers’ League in Gloucester had also offered its support. At a public meeting on the 29th of April 1935, the following resolution was carried: “That the time is opportune for the establishment of a public hospital for Gloucester”. At that stage, the movement had approximately £4,300 including two legacies. However, the depression had influenced the movement. At a further meeting of the committee held in the School of Arts on Tuesday 3rd of September 1935, “it was unanimously decided to immediately approach the Government in regard to establishing the long-delayed hospital at Gloucester”.
At a meeting of the Gloucester Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Board of Directors on Saturday the 1st of May 1937, “it was decided to instruct the Hospitals Commission to proceed with the acquisition of the new site decided upon and when that was finalised to call tenders for the erection of the proposed hospital.” On 29 April 1940, the commission approved the erection of the hospital to the extent of £5,000.
During the Second World War, there was an attempt to move the hospital funds into the War Loan; however, this was rejected by the board. In early February 1945, the hospital committee received a report from the commission advising plans and specifications had been prepared, as well as estimated costs.
Despite these moves, it was only in February 1951 that the Secretary of the board received a letter from the Minister for Health, the Hon. M. O’Sullivan, stating tenders for the erection of a hospital would be invited as soon as possible. On Sunday the 14th of October 1951, the Minister, Dr. Lilley and Mr Stinson of the commission, the Government Architect Mr Cobden Parkes and Mr R.L. Fitzgerald M.L.A. met the committee to discuss building of the hospital. Tenders for construction were called on the 1st of October 1954 and announced in the Gloucester Advocate that day.
A Nursing Home wing was added to the complex, which was opened on the 13th of November 1975. The wing closed in when the residents were moved to the newly constructed Mirrabooka Place in 2020.
GLOUCESTER SOLDIERS CLUB (CLUB GLOUCESTER)
Visit: Club Gloucester – Gloucester, NSW – Thank You! (gloucestersoldiersclub.com.au)
Club Gloucester has been known by several names over the years, including Gloucester RSL Memorial Hall, Gloucester Diggers’ Hall and Club, the Soldiers’ Hall and Supper Room or Club Room and the RSL Hall.
Although there is no financial connection between the Club and the local RSL sub-Branch (which is a registered charity), the club generously host an office for sub-Branch activities.
The Gloucester Advocate, 29 August 1950
GLOUCESTER SOLDIERS’ CLUB FORMED
At a largely attended meeting of the district ex-servicemen, held in the School of Arts on Friday night last,
it was decided to form an ex-servicemen’s club to be known as the Gloucester Soldiers’ Club. Office
bearers elected for the new Club were:
President; Mr. A. L. Farley; Vice Presidents,- Messrs. A. J. Woodward and J. Oldfield; Secretary, Mr. C. Lowe; Treasurer, Mr. L. D. Geer; Committee, Messrs. D. C. Rye, E. Jenkins, S. Mclntosh, J. W. Hawdon, S. K. Wilson, H. N. Chaplin; Auditor, Mr. R. S. Wilson.
Friday night’s meeting was presided over by the President of the Gloucester Sub-branch of the R.S.L., Mr. W. W. Wilson.
The building was to be an ambitious project not only for the ex-service men but also the town. Designed by Architects Hoskings & Pilgrim, the Gloucester Soldiers’ Club is a two storey, brick and concrete construction, with a distinctive architectural features of a post-Second World War building. The façade is adorned with a figure of a soldier at rest.
In June 1951 Valiender & Son of Newcastle commenced work on the site on Denison Street and after several construction and financing delays the Commonwealth Administrator Sir John Northcott visited Gloucester on the 1st of December 1951 to lay the foundation stone.
On the 1st of July 1952 it was reported that with the roof on and the brickwork finished, the R.S.A. Hall and Club premises is now within measurable distance of completion. The project had been dogged by bad luck, with unprecedented rises in the basic wage and consequent inflation of material prices and a loss of £900 suffered by the RSL on the sale of Security Bonds, in which most of their funds were invested.
To complete the project and make it one of the largest and best equipped public halls in any country town the club public donations and membership fees would need to be relied on to complete the fit out. Estimated at £3500, the Rotary Club donated £250 towards this purpose and at 4.00 pm on Friday the 17th of October the club opened.
Trading between the hours of 4-6pm and 7.30-10.00pm 15 honorary stewards were appointed to assist the committee to staff the club.
The Gloucester Advocate. 28 October 1952
Friday Will Be Big Night For Gloucester.
OFFICIAL OPENING OF R.S.L. MEMORIAL HALL
Arrangements are complete for the official opening of the R.SA. Hall on Friday night next, and the biggest crowd ever to attend a night function in Gloucester is expected to be present.
Mrs. Irene Hicks will perform the opening ceremony at 9 p.m.
The Shire President, Cr. I. Moore, will preside, and will also make an appeal for donations to the building fund.
Doors will open early and there will, be dancing before and after the official opening to the music’ of the Tabernacle’s Band of Newcastle.
Light refreshments will be served in the School of Arts.
Over time further additions were made to the building and a plaque in the front entrance way recorded their opening by Brigadier Callaghan D.S.O., O.B.E, E.D. on the 14th of February 1959.
On the 5th of December 1997 at an extraordinary general meeting the Gloucester RSL sub-Branch voted to sell the building to the Gloucester Soldiers Club Pty. Ltd. The sale went through in early 1998 and has since been a private members club.
The Club entrance is adorned with Honour Rolls with the names of service men and women who have served their country in times of conflict and through peacekeeping. The entrance also has displays of medals and photographs which compliment cabinets holding military memorabilia and artifacts donated by local residents.
GLOUCESTER MEMORIAL HYDROTHERAPY POOL
Set in the grounds of the Gloucester District Park is a Memorial Swimming Pool complex featuring a 50-metre, 7 lane heated lap pool, a wading pool and water features. Adjoining the complex is the 13-metre Gloucester Memorial Hydrotherapy Pool.
Jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships Programe, the Gloucester RSL sub-Branch, and the local community through donations and brick sales. Names can still be read on the bricks that were bought for $25.00.
To be operated by the Gloucester Shire Council, the Gloucester Hydrotherapy Memorial Pool was opened on the 9th of February 2008 by Mayor Julie Lyford and past Gloucester RSL sub-Branch Secretary Jock Gresham.
GLOUCESTER CEMETERY WAR MEMORIAL
Erected by the Gloucester sub-Branch of RSL of Australia (NSW Branch) the memorial was unveiled by State President C.J. Hines Esq. and dedicated by the members of the Gloucester Ministers Fraternal on the 1st of December 1972. The wall plaque reads:
The memorial is in tribute to our Gloucester servicemen and women who now lie in this place with their fellow Gloucester citizens.
They served their beloved country and now their duty is done.
We pass to you the baton.
Love your country fight to protect its freedoms and liberty and may in the coming years your heart remain strong and your hands never grow weak.
The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Courage Sacrifice Mateship Endurance Integrity Honour Determination Compassion
