Old Parliament House | Slow Road to Democracy by Yucheng Dai

OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE YUCHENG DAI

EARLY PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN ADELAIDE BETWEEN 1836-1880 How did the Old Parliament House materialise political innovation and social reform?

YUCHENG DAI

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Introduction

Introduction

During the colonial period of South Australia, diverse government-funded constructions gradually emerged and eclectically developed at the centre of the new colony. However, public works at the time were accompanied by manifold social conflicts regarding government reforms and reorganisations, creating a series of new architectural identities for the society while partially reproducing the norm of the ‘Old World’ or other colonial societies. This essay aims to analyse several early public buildings from a historical perspective, emphasising one particular type of building — constitutional public building, focusing on their contributions and emergence in early South Australia between 1836 to 1880. Firstly, the discussion begins with an analysis of the social context and local architectural climate during colonial times. It delineates a vast and prolific land as the first free immigrant planned colony. Secondly, it will illustrate an investigation of the Adelaide’s Old Parliament House, as a typical representative example of the early Adelaide constitutional public building and explore its typology with the style, design, local variations, and construction methods. The essay also investigate the influences of the ‘constitutional public works’ on the ‘New World’ and their intricate connections to the ‘Old World’ and other British colonies, politically and socially. The case study research was primarily based on Australian publications, South Australian parliamentary debates, archival architectural drawings and other relevant records. 2

The Proclamation of South Australia 1836, Charles Hill.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Contextual Background

Contextual Background

3 4

Government House, Adelaide, South Australia Aerial view of the Gaol - c. 1950

It is noteworthy that the public building in its stringent sense, in any organised community, is the building that is occupied by one or more public authorities and offers pertinent services to the public. It customarily possesses a unique architectural identity as an essential component of the living realm. In South Australia cases, the public buildings possibly originated from the Government House, which was completed in May 1840 in Adelaide on the fringe of North Terrace1. Additionally, Adelaide Gaol was close behind the Government House, built in the period between 1840 to 1841.2

1. “Government House” SA Heritage Places Database, Government of South Australia, 24 July 1980. Retrieved 11 October 2019. 2. E. J. Morgan and S. H. Gilbert, Early Adelaide Architecture: 1836 to 1886 (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1969), 7.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Architectural Climate

Architectural Climate Locally, the erection of early public works is fairly influenced by the architectural climate and social contexts both in Britain and other British colonies. On the one hand, British citizens’ complaints and criticisms of living conditions. The undemocratic hierarchy has drawn considerable attention and widespread concern in the government in the highly industrialised cities of the British Empire. Cultural and political grievances have resulted in a public desire, to establish a new colony with a distinctive direction of hierarchical subdivision in an unspoiled land.3 On the other hand, the British government planned to formulate a new colony without convicts, to evade the defects of the existing colonies in Western Australia.4 It could be seen as a double impetus derived from democratic voices in Britain and the predicaments of other colonies in Australia. Therefore, the province of South Australia has been established in 1834, based on Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s theories.5 On the 28th of December 1836, Governor Hindmarsh claimed the first political statement for the commencement of the government.

3. Alan Hutchings, With Conscious Purpose: A History of Town Planning in South Australia (Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 1986), 1. 4. Elfrida Jensen and Rolf Jensen, Colonial Architecture in South Australia: a definitive chronicle of development 18361890 and the social history of the times (Adelaide: Rigby, 1980), 14. 5. Pat Stretton, The Life and Times of Old Parliament House (Adelaide: Old Parliament House, 1988), 6.

Adelaide From River Torrens, 1843. Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia, SLSA: B 6854, Public Domain.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Architectural Climate

Although the initial land was chiefly in adversity and scarcity, a large number of intellectuals including sensitive architects were enthusiastic about this unspoiled ground and offered liberal and radical thinking to Adelaide and its country towns, particularly in the public buildings.6 Socially, it is certain that the ardent compliment and criticism of the Press editorials, including Register, South Australian, Adelaide Gazette, etc, also have an impact on the public buildings in the colonial period Adelaide. Their discussions and debates on the political connotation of the architectural style make civic architecture more representative of a certain symbolic meaning. Politically, the curb and interference from the British government tended to be less rigorous since South Australia’s first vice-regal proclamation. This emerging political environment is considered a response or measure of the British government to maintain the loyalty of colonies to Britain.

View of Port Adelaide, South Australia, watercolour by Samuel Thomas Gill, c. 1845.

As Grey’s report in 1839 indicated: The only feasible approach to maintain colonial loyalty was to allow colonies to form their self-government systems with minimal disruption in London. As a corollary, the colonial government gradually became more independent and representative. In this intricate social context mentioned above, the Old Parliament House of South Australia is one of the most representative examples to illustrate the political innovations and social reforms in the early South Australia colonial societies.

6. Elfrida Jensen and Rolf Jensen, Colonial Architecture in South Australia: a definitive chronicle of development 18361890 and the social history of the times (n 1), 7-8.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Slow Road to Democracy

Slow Road to Democracy As the first Parliament House in South Australia, the Old Parliament House is considered to be the prologue of the democratic constitution, progressively representing the new political orders and norms for the new colony. Principally, it has already been a crucial foundation that possesses the radical rethinking of old hierarchical social forms. In 1842, all early colonial Acts were abolished. The power of the existing Council was shifted to the Governor and a Legislative Council with seven advisers, to ameliorate the economic austerity since October 1838.7 The political transition of authorities and the accommodation needs of the increasing number of advisers resulted in the proposal of the first Council Chamber, which was built in 1843 by Captain George Grey. It is undeniable that the humble brickwork construction of the chamber and local-made blackwood chairs coped with the depressing financing state at the time. It is also different from the Parliament Houses in other colonial societies.

For instance, the Parliament House in New South Wales, associated with Australia’s first parliament, received a wide variety of compliments for its elegance and commodiousness.8 As the South Australian mentioned: ‘the Parliament House in South Australia created a style that sufficiently befitting the more moderate extent and pretensions of the colonial context of Adelaide.9’ Hence, this earliest brick Council chamber not only embodied the economic austerity at the initial stage of the Old Parliament House but also delineates the political changes in an architectural way.

7. Andrew Klenke, Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan (Adelaide: Swanbury Penglase, 2010), 17. 8. Maisy Stapleton, Australia’s first parliament: Parliament House, New South Wales (Sydney: Parliament of New South Wales, 1987), 27. 9. Pat Stretton, The Life and Times of Old Parliament House (n 1), 10. 7

View of the Old Parliament House, Adelaide, South Australia

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Hay’s Parliament Building Refurbishment

Hay’s Parliament Building Refurbishment Hay’s new chamber was built during the economic recovery and architectural booming period in 1851 and served as an architectural response to the democratic processes in relation to representative government. With the validation of the Australian Colonies Government Act in 1850, the excessive property requirement of candidates and the ‘only men could vote’ policy resulted in five thousand colonists petitioning for universal suffrage. As a result, the colonists received a royal assent that combined a democratic lower house with a prominently undemocratic upper house in June 1856. William Bennett Hays, as the winner of the competition, was nominated to design and build a new chamber to the old one, to cope with the new constitution which formulated two houses of parliament. Due to the discovery of goldfields in the proximity of the Victorian region, a large number of labours laid aside the construction works and went for the gold. Thus, the building construction was delayed for around three years and relaunched in 1854.10 Hay’s design is the primary and essential part of the Old Parliament House.

Interior of House of Assembly, J Shaw c1867, presenting the lath and plaster ceiling added in 1858 (Art Gallery of SA)

The overall structure of the Old Parliament House was based on masonry construction. The external walls have been constructed of snecked, squared limestone with red brick dressing and five-course quoins. The textured white limestones were quarried from the rear of the site near the Festival Centre Carpark, and the old Adelaide bricks have been shaped to form intricate design on the parapet. A wooden louvred fleche was elaborately placed in the junction of the ridges11, served as a component of the ventilation system. As a major historical significance both at state and national level, the Adelaide’s Old Parliament House is undoubtedly one of the most conservative examples of early public buildings in the Adelaide-centric colony of South Australia.

10. Deborah Arthur, The social meaning of classical style public architecture in Adelaide in the 19th Century (Adelaide: Department of Archaeology, 2004), 24. 11. Watson Sharp, Australian Methods of Building Construction (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1969), 108.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Architectural Style Choices

Architectural Style Choices Based on Hay’s design proposal, the Old Parliament House followed a picturesque, asymmetrical arrangement and applied Elizabethan style. Historically, Elizabethan style and Gothic style as two gracious architectural styles have been described as reasonable ‘national’ styles for the new Parliament House construction since the Old Palace of Westminster (House of British Parliament) was destroyed in the fire in 1834.12 Moreover, based on the historical pattern and symbolism studies, classical architectural styles were frequently involved with facets of power, wealth, order and control, in Britain and British colonies. The Elizabethan style of the Old Parliament House tended to primarily symbolise the transition of the South Australian society and the trend of democracy. The high chimney design also emulated the shape of the flying buttress, which is a typical element of Gothic Architecture. it is evident that this hybrid composition and the choice of style related to the social reforms of South Australia colonies and the political innovations of the South Australian government. It is suggested that South Australian authorities not purely chose to manifest government power but also

chose to represent their pursuit of democracy. Compared to the House of Parliament in London, when the British Houses of Parliament’s new proposal in 1935 was considered to apply in either the Elizabethan style or English Gothic style, it eventually used the Gothic style to convey the sense of central power and strength,13 even though the Elizabethan style was eminently fashionable in Britain between 1830s and 1840s. Thus, Hay’s design of the Old Parliament House can represent the transformation of society and political progress in democracy. Besides, the positive feedback from South Australians also provided a solid prove: the Old Parliament House has contributed to a response of democratic appeal.

12. Andrew Klenke, Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan (n 1), 17. 13. Kenneth R Mackenzie, The Palace of Westminster (Norwich, England: Jarrold, 1977), 37-52.

The Parliament Building designed by William Bennett Hays built in 1854-55. A flying buttress on the left side of the image is a high chimney (Stretton)

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Architectural Style Choices

View of Parliament House from the east, c1868 showing the altered Legislative Council Chamber and Smoking Room addition at the rear (Enlargement of B1867 SLSA)

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Political Progress

Political Progress During the refurbishment since 1857

Ministers received the executive power for the so-called Responsible Government in 1856, to achieve the goal of autonomy for South Australians. Although the British supported the democratic ambitions of the new colony, there were plethoric conservatives against the progress of democracy. Consequently, under the the multitude of democratic voices and the defiance of conservatives, a democratic Legislative Assembly (the lower house) and a conservative Legislative Council (the upper house) were organised based on the 1856 constitution. The election for the lower house followed a secret ballot approach, which was many years more advanced than the British.14 However, the power of democratic authorities still confronted manifold hinders produced by the conservatives, as the direct beneficiary of the ‘Old World’, such as the power of veto. The constitutional conflicts led to the instability of the system and the conservative of the South Australian Government. Eventually, it resulted in the dithered decision of the new construction or refurbishment of the Parliament House.

Therefore, the refurbishment of the Council Chamber in 1857 was primarily only focused on the interior minor alterations, such as lifting the floor level from 17 to 25 feet and enlarging the original chamber with a new smoking room. The foul air ventilation and various inconvenience, such as the lack of benches, also reflected the political instabilities and constitutional conflicts in South Australia during that period.

14. Martin Wight, British colonial constitutions (Oxford: Oxford Clarendon Press, 1952), 23-30.

Parliament House from North Terrace c1880 after the completion of the 1875 additions and 1876 additions to the Caterer’s Quarter evident in the background on the left (B62414/1/4, SLSA)

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Political Innovation and Social reform

Political Innovation and Social Reform

1873 Proposal for a new House of Assembly Chamber largely the work of the Speaker (Gs Kingston) including plan and sections (SAPP No. 139.1873)

Considering the origin of the new colony, the Adelaide Corporation was the first political innovation in South Australia and offered a significant foundation for the upcoming ones. The first Corporation has been established based on the South Australian Act No.4, which was officially proclaimed just three years after the establishment of the new colony of South Australia (Danvers Architects 1989). During the period between 1857 and 1877, there were over 28 governments erected successively. A large number of public services have been improved and developed significantly, including the electoral and voting aspects, land policy (specially for wheat production) and transportation improvement. Besides, Adelaide’s Old Parliament House was also the first public building to apply the lighting techniques to the internal Council chamber. The inconvenient gas has upgraded to candlelight since July 1863.15 Thus, the relevant development of the parliamentary complex embodied a great contribution to the progress of state and parliamentary policy (Klenke 2010).

15. Andrew Klenke, Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan (n 2), 37.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Conclusion

Conclusion

In conclusion, although Adelaide is one of the last Australian colonies, it has been a political pioneer in many facets, including significant political innovations and social reforms. The early constitutional public buildings played a prominent role in the transition from the old system and hierarchy to the New societies. The Old Parliament House demonstrated the gradual weakening of the new colonial control from Britain’s Empire and the initial establishment of a democratic polity in South Australia. Numerous constitutional conflicts and political instabilities were emerged within the city of Adelaide between 1843 and 1880. The drastic social changes delineated a democratic pursuit from the initial colonial experiment to a democratic government, as well as represented the progress of political innovation in South Australia, as being the pioneer in the protection of civil rights.

View of the Old Parliament House from North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia

North Terrace 1845, looking west showing the first Council Chamber on the right.

Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Bibliography

Bibliography

Arthur, Deborah. The social meaning of classical style public architecture in Adelaide in the 19th Century. Adelaide: Department of Archaeology, 2004. Apperly, Richard., Robert Irving, and Peter L. Reynolds. A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture: styles and terms from 1788 to the present. Pymble, New South Wales: Angus & Robertson, 1989. Australian Council of National Trusts. Historic Public Buildings of Australia. North Melbourne: Cassell Australia, 1971.

Furlong, John S. B. Adelaide Nostalgia. Hawthorndene, S. Aust: Investigator Press, 1990. Gelernter, Mark. Source of Architectural Form: A critical history of Western design theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995. Hutchings, A. With Conscious Purpose: A History of Town Planning in South Australia. Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 1986.

Colwell, Max., and Peter Finch. The National Trust of South Australia. Adelaide: Rigby, 1973.

Jensen, Elfrida., and Rolf Jensen. Colonial Architecture in South Australia: a definitive chronicle of development 1836-1890 and the social history of the times. Adelaide: Rigby, 1980.

Danvers Architects. Adelaide Town Hall – Conservation Management Plan. Adelaide: The Corporation of the City of Adelaide, 2001.

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Lewis, Miles. Melbourne: the city’s history and development. Melbourne, Vic.: City of Melbourne, 1995. Mackenzie, Kenneth R. The Palace of Westminster Norwich, England: Jarrold, 1977. Marsden, Susan., Paul Stark, and Patricia Sumerling. Heritage of the City of Adelaide: An illustrated guide. Adelaide : Corporation of the City of Adelaide, 1990.

Marshall, Ann. The Climate Relevance of Adelaide Building Styles since 1842. Sydney: Geographical Society of New South Wales, 1963. Morgan, E. J. Ranembe., and S. H. Gilbert. Early Adelaide Architecture: 1836 to 1886. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1969. Morton, Peter. After Light: a history of the City of Adelaide and its Council 1878-1928. Kent Town, S. Aust.: Wakefield Press, 1996. Price, Archibald Grenfell. The foundation and settlement of South Australia, 1829-1945: a study of the colonisation movement. Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1973 Sharp, W. Watson. Australian Methods of Building Construction. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1969. Stapleton, Maisy. Australia’s first parliament: Parliament House, New South Wales. Sydney: Parliament of New South Wales, 1987. Stretton, Pat. The Life and Times of Old Parliament House. Adelaide: Old Parliament House, 1988. Taylor, Florence Mary. The architecture of Adelaide: where it is good, bad and indifferent. Sydney: Building Publishing Co., 1915. Todd. Alan. Adelaide: City of Charm. Kent Town, S. Aust.: Axiom Publishing, 1997.

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Early Public Buildings in Adelaide between 1836-1880 | Image Credits

Image Credits 1. Behind Parliament House. c1936. Source from the State Library of South Australia, SLSA: PRG 287/1/12/7, Public Domain

9. The Parliament House building design by William Bennett Hays and built in 1854-55. Photograph from Public Record of S.A.

2. The Proclamation of South Australia 1836, Charles Hill. Source from the Art Gallery of South Australian, Adelaide, Australia.

10. View of Parliament House from the east, c1868 showing the altered Legislative Council Chamber and Smoking Room addition at the rear. Photograph from the Public Record of S.A.

3. Government House, Adelaide, South Australia. Source from Phillips, Keith, Acre 109 Collection, Keith Philips Collection and Government House Collection. 4. Aerial view of the Gaol – circa 1950. Source from the State Library of South Australia and National Library of Australia. 5. Adelaide From River Torrens, 1843. Source from the State Library of South Australia, SLSA: B 6854, Public Domain. 6. View of Port Adelaide, South Australia, watercolour by Samuel Thomas Gill, c. 1845. Source from Samuel Thomas Gill, National Library of Australia, nla.obj135639117. 7. Old Parliament House. Source available at https:// www.experienceadelaide.com.au/heritage-places/oldparliament-house-north-terrace-adelaide/. 8. James Shaw’s painting South Australian Parliament: The House of Assembly about 1867-8 was the only guide to how the Chamber originally looked. Source from the Art Gallery of South Australian, Adelaide.

11. Parliament House from North Terrace c1880 after the completion of the 1875 additions and 1876 additions to the Caterer’s Quarter evident in the background on the left. Source from Klenke, Andrew. Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan. Adelaide: Swanbury Penglase, 2010. 12. Proposal for a new House of Assembly Chamber largely the work of the Speaker (Gs Kingston) including plan and section. Source from Klenke, Andrew. Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan. Adelaide: Swanbury Penglase, 2010. 13. View of the Old Parliament House from North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia. Source available at https://www.experienceadelaide.com.au/heritage-places/ old-parliament-house-north-terrace-adelaide/. 14. North Terrace 1845, looking west showing the first Council Chamber on the right Source from Art Gallery of South Australia.

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