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Kings Theatre Queens Parade Fawkner”

Photo - Elevated photo courtesy of Roger Lambie

Roger Lambie writes - As previously stated, I was totally surprised to find that Fawkner at one stage had what was known as Kings Theatre and it was built back in 1914.

In trying to find more information about the theatre and its history was a little limited with much of what I read based around the promoter Mr Ephrain H Moss and financed by Robert King of Carlton.

Today I would think we would call Mr. Ephrain Moss an entrepreneur for when you do piece together what information is available one has to wonder why anyone would promote and have built a theatre in Queens Parade Fawkner back in 1914 particularly when you read that in 1910 there were only 35 houses within walking distance of what was Fawkner train station and by 1939 said post office records there were only 180 buildings listed in Fawkner in 1939.

Another incredible factor is that Fawkner did not have any electrical power provided to the area until after 1920 and this was supplied by the Coburg Electrical Supply Department.

Also, in the 1920s returned soldiers from the WW1 started to come to the area but on the basis of what I have written above from what information is available those soldiers cannot have come in large numbers, or someone has provided incorrect information if only 180 buildings were listed as being built in Fawkner by 1939. Something appears to be a bit skew if but just the same Kings Theatre was originally built in 1914.

The Kings Theatre overall length was 20.5M wide by 36.5M long with a stage area of 6M x 3.5M and was constructed out of timber it also had two dressing room areas which indicates it could also be used for stage performances and dances were also held there.

As no electricity was available until the 1920s the theatre was illuminated with an air and gas mixture until electricity became available.

In one of the reports about the theatre the comment was made that the local tram was in close proximity but on endeavouring to find any information on its existence it would appear that report was incorrect although just by coincidence the train line to Fawkner station was reopened in 1914, but this was only seven services in daylight hours plus one Mortuary train service to cemetery as serviced by Fawkner station.

I expect that some of the guys in particular reading this story will recall when we as young men of 20 years of age had to to enter a ballot to see who would be conscripted into the army in order to potentially go to Vietnam back in the sixties and just how unpopular that conscription process was well here it was just the same back in 1916 when some 500 young men of a said military age attended a meeting at Kings Theatre which turned into what can only be described in those days a ruckus with rotten eggs and other missiles thrown by those against conscription.

Apparently Kings Theatre was offered for sale in 1917 with the suggestion that picture shows could be operated there but this venture did not initially take as electric power to Fawkner did not exist, this of course did not mean that movie shows could not be shown as other light sources like limelight (calcium oxide heated by a flame) and carbon arc lamps, which used the intense heat generated by an electrical arc between carbon rods.

Other than a mention in the Herald Newspaper 19 April 1938 that R.H. King of Queens Parade Fawkner was still the proprietor and the fact that the Theatre itself was demolished in 1952 there is little other information in relation as to how the theatre operated.

Attached is an aerial view of Fawkner taken around 1930 that shows vision of the Boundary Hotel and what is the Sydney Road and Boundary Road intersection. The King’s Theatre is and its location in Queens Parade is circled in black.

A second later reference to Kings Theatre and its location was found in a list of old picture theatre locations that includes a map of Fawkner surrounds strangely though this map that also takes in Novian Street Merlynston yet does not note that the Progress Theatre building still exist today.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -