Text: Chris Chardon
Images: Chris Chardon, SLSA, denisbin (Flickr)
It has been a long-held belief that Arthur Hardy, who held significant land holdings in the Mount Lofty region, donated the land on which the Crafers Institute was built. Evidence that Hardy owned any of Section 19 has not been sighted and other documentation suggests this was not the case.
Crafers had a Mechanics Institute, founded in about 1867 and instigated by Arthur Hardy, but it had no building of its own.
The land on the northern side of what is now the Main Street was purchased in February 1878 by Alfred Taylor the Elder, of Laura, a butcher. The land, including closed roads, consisted of five acres one rood and twenty perches. This land included where the institute stands, and the service station stands today. Alfred died in September 1878 and his wife, Caroline, became one of the executors of Alfred’s will. Certificate of Title 270/174 refers.
In November 1881 Caroline, a Crafers storekeeper, sold the land on which the service station and café now stand, and which abuts the Crafers Institute site, to George Rogers of Crafers, a blacksmith. Certificate of Title 376/72 refers. For many years this site was a bakery.
In July 1882 Caroline agreed to the sale of the site of the Institute. The purchasers were Job James of near Crafers, gardener; Frederick John Atkinson of Crafers, butcher; James Blackie of near Crafers, gardener; William McGregor of near Crafers, gardener; George Rogers of Crafers, shoeing smith; William Measday of near Crafers, storekeeper; and James Grimes of near Crafers, gardener. Certificate of Title 400/150 refers.
The transfer was signed on 10th July 1882. The gentlemen, whom it is assumed were the trustees of the Institute, paid £50 for the two perches (approx. half an acre) site.
On the transfer was a note:
“Appeared before me at Crafers the second day of November one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one Caroline Taylor of Crafers, the party executing the within instrument freely and voluntarily signing same.”
Arthur Hardy, Notary Public”.
So it seems that Hardy did not donate the land but witnessed the vendor signing the Memorandum of Transfer.
It did not take very long before construction proceeded.
Evening Journal, Adelaide, Friday 13 October 1882
South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, Monday 16 October 1882
THE CRAFERS INSTITUTE
[By Telegraph.] Crafers, October 15. The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the Crafers Institute was performed by Mrs. Stokes on Saturday afternoon, October 14. About fifty ladies and gentlemen were present, including Mr. Stokes, Sir William Milne, and Mr. Alexander Dowie Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from His Excellency the Governor, Sir Thomas Elder. Mr. Justice Andrews. Mr. Thompson (Mayor of Port Adelaide), and Mr. S. Tomkinson, MP. Mr. James Blackie (chairman of the trustees) opened the proceedings by reading the history of the institute, which was established about twenty years ago by Mr. Arthur Hardy. Not much progress, however, was made till 1870, when Mr. Henry Scott took a great interest in the working of the institution, and it has made good progress since. Three years ago a suitable site for a new building was purchased for £50 near the old Mount Lofty Hotel, the ruins of which may still be seen. A few difficulties arose respecting the boundary, but these were surmounted. The project was warmly taken up, and promise of donations to the amount of £150 towards the object were received. Mr. Edward Smith (secretary) read the document to be placed under the stone. The present structure is 40 feet long, 23 feet wide, and 18 feet high. The architect is Mr. Evans, and the builder Mr. Thomas Burnett, whose contract amounted to £375. The trustees are Messrs. Rogers, Atkinson, McGregor, Blakie, James, Grimes. Measday, and Edward Smith (secretary). Mrs. Stokes was presented with a handsome silver bowl, suitably inscribed, and the stone was duly laid. Short addresses of a general and congratulatory character were made by Messrs. Stokes, Smith, and Grimes. The usual cheers having been given the proceedings terminated. The amount laid on the stone was £37 14s, making a total of £187. 14s., received towards the object.
Do you have memories of this building and the community it served? Contact us at mldhsgateways@mtloftyhistoricalsociety.org.au or drop into the History Centre at the Coventry Library, 63 Mount Barker Road, Stirling.
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