Waterside Worker's Federation Hall : History
Built in 1926, the hall represents the importance of the trade union movement amongst wharf laborers i.e. the Port Adelaide Working Men's Association (1872-1989) which affiliated with the Waterside Worker's Federation of Australia about 70 years ago.
The foundation stone for the Port Adelaide Waterside Workers Federation Hall was laid on Sunday, 5 December 1926 by W Thomas, the only surviving original member of the Working Men's Association formed in 1872. It was estimated that the hall would cost £8,000 to build and would seat 1,200. The hall was to be used by members and the local community for social events. A supper room at the rear of the hall would hold 400 people and be used for branch meetings and Union offices. There were about 2,000 members. A shop was to be built on either side of the Nile Street entrance. Large iron sheds would also be erected adjacent to the hall as the pick-up point for waterside workers seeking employment, who previously were obliged to wait on street corners to be picked up by employers.
Though the original grandiose designs were replaced by a restrained version, presumably due to the Depression, the Waterside Workers Federation Hall remains a fitting tribute to the unionism of waterside workers at Port Adelaide. The building with its' fine Art Deco detailing is an important contribution to the architectural heritage of the Port.
Download a full history of the building here (PDF version)
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