Media Articles
Albert Hall 80th Birthday
The following is taken from an article in the National Trust Magazine:
On 10 March 2008 Canberra will celebrate the 80 birthday of the much-loved Albert Hall, with celebrations hosted by the National Trust of Australia ACT and Friends of the Albert Hall.
For most of its 80 years Albert Hall has been the venue for many significant national events. For the people of Canberra, it has also played a central role in the city's cultural, community and civic life and as part of our personal histories is a place rich with special memories.
The planned birthday events recall those 80 years, with participating groups including Rotary, the Horticultural Society of Canberra, Canberra Girls Grammar School, and the Canberra Philharmonic Society, all part of that long history.
There will be displays by the National Trust, the Friends and the Canberra District and Historical Society showcasing Albert Hall's history and heritage, by the Horticultural Society of Canberra and the Embroiderers' Guild ACT, two major groups that have regularly used Albert Hall for exhibitions. And food stalls, including a Canberra City Rotary Club sausage sizzle.
Celebrations will begin with breakfast at Albert Hall, served by the Country Women's Association, many of whose members have a long association with Albert Hall. With the ABC link, people will be able to share their stories with listeners around the region, and also to become part of the historic record themselves, by registering for a National Trust oral histories project on Albert Hall. Those with mementos, documents, photos and other memorabilia of Albert Hall can have these assessed by historical and museum groups. Reflecting the many years of successful antique fairs in Albert Hall, experts will be available to appraise antiques, art works and collectable items, with a particular emphasis on items over 80 years old.
In the late morning an official civic ceremony for invited guests and community members will be heralded by the wonderful Albert Hall organ. There will be short speeches, an historical tableau by Canberra Girls Grammar School, the playing of Happy Birthday by a Yarralumla Primary School band, the formal cutting of a birthday cake by our special guest and morning tea served by the Country Women's Association.
An afternoon of music at Albert Hall will feature a great selection of cultural activities, including a dance by the Earthly Delights Dance Academy, a performance of popular musical numbers by the Canberra Philharmonic Society and band performances by the Lyneham High School Band, Canberra Youth Music and the Royal Military College Band.
A highlight will be a citizenship ceremony for 80 new Australian citizens and their families, an historic event as Albert Hall hosted Australia's first citizenship ceremony in 1949, under our new Nationality and Citizenship Act. Albert Hall was the venue for annual citizenship conventions and citizenship ceremonies for more than twenty years. Many families in Canberra recall these occasions in Albert Hall with pride. The return of a citizenship ceremony to Albert Hall underlines not only the national historical significance of Albert Hall, but its important function as Canberra's town hall. A special treat for the new citizens will be a trumpet fanfare opening by the RMC Campbell Trumpeters, as well as performances by Sing Australia and the Bush Dancers Display Group.
Reflecting the long involvement of the Canberra dance community in Albert Hall, the day is expected to culminate in a subscription dance hosted by the Monaro Folk Society.
The 80th birthday celebrations are a not-for-profit event strongly supported by the Canberra community. For details and times of events, see www.ouralberthall.com, or the Canberra Times. Friends of the Albert Hall and the National Trust of Australia ACT warmly invite you all to celebrate this grand birthday for our Albert Hall.