St Kilda RSL Club

The construction of the club was first proposed in 1920, soon after the end of the First World War. The first meeting to implement this proposal was organised by Councilor Unworth in the by now deserted St.Kilda Soldiers Lounge near the Palais de Danse Pictures in what is Jacka Boulevard. Although only about six people were present at the first meeting, it was decided early on that the hall's incorporation should carry with it the power to secure revenues, and that these revenues, profits, should be devoted to the relief of distressed soldiers and their dependants. It was also proposed that the memorial hall and clubrooms would have a guaranteed source of revenue from the day of its completion. After a competition among architects who were returned servicemen, the firm of Messrs, Hudson & Wadrop (who later designed the Shrine of Remembrance) was chosen.The builder was R.L. Phillips and the total cost, including land was 39, 492 Pounds. The sum was mostly raised by beach carnivals at Luna Park, special appeals and other entertainment with the St. Kilda council making a special grant from municipal funds of 3,000 Pounds.In 1924 the Memorial Hall was opened by the Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Stradbroke, with the first event held there being a Ball in the evening. The completed structure was 4 stories high with 12 flats and 4 shops, and the hall itself could accomodate 500 for dancing and could seat 1,000. As one of the ways of earning revenue that had been deemed necessary since that first meeting to plan the hall, it was decided to lease part of it as a picture theatre. Because of this the structure was therefore known for many years to the cinema going public of St. Kilda and elsewhere as "The Memorial", or else the more familiarily shortened, "The Memo". On November 5 1927, the theatre began operation until it's closure in late 1958.Although no longer a theatre, the hall continued an association with cinema. Until quite recently (Febuary 1992) it housed the company of "Pan Pacific Films", being used at times as a rehearsal area. This company also housed a Sunday market which ran for two years, until it's closure on Sunday, March 1, 1992