{{Short description|Australian theatre architects (1920–1939)}} {{use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{use Australian English|date=February 2024}} '''Kaberry and Chard''' was an Australian architectural firm known for designing theatres, picture theatres and town halls from around 1920 until the end of 1939. It was based in Sydney, New South Wales, and designed many theatres in every state of Australia, as well as commercial buildings. The firm's partner's were Lewis Kaberry (1879–1962) and Clifford Chard (born 1884).
==The firm== Kaberry and Chard was founded by architects Lewis Kaberry and Clifford M. Chard in 1920.<ref>{{Citation | title=Decoration and glass | volume=4 |issue= 11|date= 1 March 1939 | location=Waterloo, N.S.W. | publisher=Australian Glass Manufactures | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-374111330 | id=nla.obj-374111330 | access-date=15 February 2024 | via=Trove}}</ref> Based in Sydney, Kaberry and Chard grew to be a large general practice, designing buildings of all kinds, but were known especially for their design of theatres.<ref name=ww1939/> They designed over 57 theatres around Australia.<ref name=thebbyhist>{{cite web | title=History – Thebarton Theatre | website=Thebarton Theatre | date=15 February 2024 | url=https://thebartontheatre.com.au/history/ | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref>
In July 1936, Chard visited Maryborough, Queensland, to discuss proposed alterations to the Bungalow Theatre there.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149994590 |title=Personal |newspaper=Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser |issue=20,299 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=31 July 1936 |access-date=17 February 2024 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He also undertook a research visit to the United States, as well as studying art in France and Italy, after which he started using landscape painting as an adjunct to his work.<ref name=ww1939/>
Also in 1936, Kaberry visited England to study the development of housing conditions and factory construction, gaining valuable knowledge for the firm which was used on his return in commercial architecture.<ref name=ww1939/>
The partnership was dissolved on 1 January 1940, although both architects continued to practise independently in the same offices at 67 Castlereagh Street in Sydney.<ref>{{Citation | title=Business changes, etc. | journal=Dun's Gazette for New South Wales | volume = 63| issue= 16 |date=19 April 1940| location=Sydney| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-787989120 | id=nla.obj-787989120 | access-date=17 February 2024 | via=Trove}}</ref>
==Lewis Kaberry== Lewis Kaberry{{efn|Misspelt "Louis" in one source<ref name=everyones1923a>{{Citation | title=Designing the Theatre | journal=Everyones. |volume=3 |issue=166 |date=9 May 1923 | location=Sydney | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-562115856 | id=nla.obj-562115856 | access-date=16 February 2024 | via=Trove|page=91}}</ref>}} was born in 1879<ref name=famsearch>{{cite web | title= Lewis Kaberry, 1879–1962 | website=FamilySearch.org | url=https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KZ5V-X78/lewis-kaberry-1879-1962 | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England.<ref name=freebmd>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=SnQ9muPvVn4TT9HkBHMviw&scan=1|title=Index entry: Kaberry, Lewis|access-date=16 February 2024|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref>{{efn|His birth was registered in the January to March quarter of 1979 in Pontefract district.<ref name=freebmd/> One source says place of birth is Dewsbury,<ref name=manly/> but so far no corroboration for this. Three older siblings were born in Dewsbury, which may have been the cause of the confusion.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/KZ5V-X78 1881 census]</ref> He was baptised in Pontefract on 26 January 1879.<ref>{{cite web | title=Lewis Kaberry christening record | website=FamilySearch.org | url=https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KZ5V-X78/lewis-kaberry-1879-1962 | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref>}} His parents were Isaac Kaberry and Mary Ann Knibbs.<ref name=famsearch/> In 1891 he was living in Bilton, Harrogate.<ref name=famsearch/> He attended Harrogate College,<ref name=ww1939/> a boys' school in Harrogate.<ref name=wild2020>{{cite interview|first=Danny |last=Wild| interviewer-last=Chalmers | interviewer-first=Graham | title=Interview: Principal on how Harrogate College is reconnecting with town and businesses even during Covid | website=Harrogate Advertiser| date=20 November 2020 | url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/education/interview-principal-on-how-harrogate-college-is-reconnecting-with-town-and-businesses-even-during-covid-3042107 | access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref>
Kaberry then worked at architects Tennant and Bagley in Yorkshire before moving to London to work at the office of John Hudson FRIBA. Working as an architectural draughtsman at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich,<ref name=ww1939>{{Citation|title= Who's Who: Lewis Kaberry | journal=Decoration and Glass |volume=4 | issue= 11 |date= 1 March 1939 | location=Waterloo, N.S.W | publisher=Australian Glass Manufactures | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-381535545 | id=nla.obj-381535545 | access-date=17 February 2024 | via=Trove}}</ref> he served his Articles as an architect under the British Admiralty<ref name=nswshr-1687/> and worked for the Admiralty in Bermuda.<ref name=ww1939/> After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he lived there and helped to rebuild some of the buildings.<ref name=nswshr-1687/> He was appointed as chief draughtsman with the Bell Telephone Company in San Francisco in 1908, a position he held until 1913.<ref name=manly>{{cite web | title=Mr Kaberry, architect | website=Manly Library Local Studies Blog|author=Manly Library | url=https://manlylocalstudies.blogspot.com/2017/10/mr-kaberry-architect.html | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> In an undated letter to the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', Kaberry described how he designed a new telephone exchange in Chinese style, inspired by an illustration of the Empress of China's bedroom for the interior wall treatment.<ref name=nswshr-1687/>
He married Hetty<ref name=manly/><ref name=famsearch/> (or Hettie) Emily Coggins (1884–1975)<ref name=ODNB/> in London in 1909.<ref name=manly/> Both were Christian Scientists. They had three children, the eldest being anthropologist Phyllis Kaberry (1910–1977), who was born in San Francisco, followed by two boys.<ref name=adbphyllis/><ref name=ODNB>{{Cite ODNB|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/63299|title=Kaberry, Phyllis Mary}} 23 September 2004.</ref> One son was called Norman.<ref name=nswshr-1687/> The family moved first to New Zealand in 1913, then to Newcastle, New South Wales, finally settling in the Sydney suburb of Manly in 1914.<ref name=adbphyllis>{{cite web | last=Cheater | first=Christine | title=Phyllis Mary Kaberry | website=Australian Dictionary of Biography | date=1996 | url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kaberry-phyllis-mary-10654 | access-date=16 February 2024| quote=This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, (Melbourne University Press), 1996; online in 2006}}</ref> where he formed a partnership with Clifford Chard.<ref name=nswshr-1687/> Phyllis Kaberry attended Fort Street Girls' High School in the suburb of Petersham.<ref>{{cite book | last=Toussaint | first=S. | title=Phyllis Kaberry and Me: Anthropology, History and Aboriginal Australia | publisher=Melbourne University Press| year=1999 | isbn=978-0-522-84835-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4v9_AAAAMAAJ | access-date=16 February 2024 | page=}}</ref>
Lewis Kaberry died in 1962.<ref name=ODNB/>
==Clifford Chard== Clifford Markham Chard was born on 13 November 1884<ref name=birth/> in Armidale, New South Wales,<ref name=daao>{{cite web | title=Clifford M Chard b.1884 | website= Design & Art Australia Online | date=1 March 2016 | url=https://daao.library.unsw.edu.au/bio/clifford-m-chard/personal_details/ | access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> the son of J. S. Chard,<ref name=birth>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13585838 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=14,585 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 December 1884 |access-date=19 February 2024 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> who was the district surveyor,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28368952 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=14,512 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 September 1884 |access-date=19 February 2024 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article192568957 |title=Armidale Borough Council. |newspaper=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 November 1884 |accessdate=19 February 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> having moved from Sydney in 1880.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13455228 |title=NEWS OF THE DAY. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=13,056 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 February 1880 |access-date=19 February 2024 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was a member of the Royal Society of New South Wales,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238476247 |title=The Royal Society. |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |issue=959 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 August 1882 |access-date=19 February 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and on the committee of the New England Jockey Club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article192856579 |title=N. E. J. C. annual meeting. |newspaper=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=8 September 1882 |accessdate=19 February 2024 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Clifford attended The Armidale School.<ref name=ww1939/> He trained for his articles in the office of Spain and Cosh.<ref name=ww1939/>
He studied through the Sydney Technical College, passing second year model drawing with an honours grade in 1899.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237176283 |title=Technical college and branch schools: Examination pass list for 1899 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=6428 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 January 1900 |access-date=17 February 2024 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1902 he passed freehand drawing with a first-class pass from Armidale;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237331630 |title=Technical college and branch schools. |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=7054 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 January 1902 |access-date=18 February 2024 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> in 1903 he passed first-year drawing with honours from Armidale;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185473825 |title=Technical Education. |newspaper=The Armidale Chronicle |issue=7835 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 January 1903 |access-date=18 February 2024 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and in 1904, the first-year black and white drawing course (then under the NSW Technical Education Branch), also with honours.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14669614 |title=Technical Education Branch: Examination for 1904. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=20,853 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 January 1905 |access-date=17 February 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
He worked for the government's Public Works Department as well as in private practice, before joining the Australian Imperial Forces overseas during World War I.<ref name=ww1939/>
After the war he joined in private practice with Kaberry to form Kaberry and Chard in 1920.<ref name=ww1939/> After a research visit to the United States, he also visited France and Italy to study art, and started using landscape painting as an adjunct to his work.<ref name=ww1939/>
After the partnership with Kaberry was dissolved, Chard continued to work until at least 1941, when he designed extensions to a factory in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27946994 |title=CONTRACTS LET. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=32,217 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 April 1941 |access-date=18 February 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
==Significance== Kaberry and Chard were described in a 1923 article in ''Everyones''{{efn|incorporating ''Australian Variety and Show World''.<ref>{{Citation | title=Everyones | publication-date=1920 | publisher=Everyones Ltd | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/23452577 | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title=Australian variety and show world | publication-date=1916 | publisher=Martin C. Brennan | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/23490551 | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref>}} as "the two foremost theatrical designers and builders in Australia", who were "responsible for the erection of a great number of the most modern picture theatres in this country". The article is based on an interview with the two architects, in which they discuss design principles of the theatre,<ref name=everyones1923a/> in which they stress the importance of consulting a specialist.<ref name=everyones1923b>{{Citation | title=Designing the Theatre | journal=Everyones |volume=3 |issue=166 |date=9 May 1923 | location=Sydney | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-562115856 | id=nla.obj-562115856 | access-date=16 February 2024 | via=Trove|page=94}}</ref>
==Theatres== According to Norman Kaberry, Kaberry and Chard designed and supervised the building of over 150 theatres in every state in Australia (not Northern Territory). According to the Office of Environment & Heritage, there were 57 theatre design jobs (new theatres, major and minor alterations) by the firm carried out in New South Wales. Only three remain with an auditorium close to the original design (Roxy Community Theatre, Leeton; Athenium Theatre, Junee; and Montreal Community Theatre, Tumut). Only Leeton and Junee still possess the architects' distinctive "superficial walls" each side of the stage opening.<ref name=nswshr-1687/>
{{as of|February 2024}}, the website Cinema Treasures lists 31 theatres either fully designed or with major renovations designed by the firm, with 13 demolished and only six still open. Theatres designed by Kaberry and Chard, with those still open marked **, include:<ref name=ct>{{cite web | title=Movie Theaters Designed by Kaberry & Chard | website=Cinema Treasures | url=https://cinematreasures.org/firms/185?status=all | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> *Anita's Theatre,** Thirroul, New South Wales (built as King's Theatre in 1925)<ref name=village>{{cite web | title=Anita's Theatre | website=Thirroul Village | date=31 March 2022 | url=https://thirroulvillage.com/anita-s-theatre | access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Anita's Theatre in Thirroul, AU | website=Cinema Treasures | date=22 October 1922 | url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/32282 | access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> *Athenium Theatre, Junee, New South Wales<ref name=nswshr-1687>{{cite NSW SHR|5053909|Athenium Theatre|hr=01687|access-date=15 February 2024 }}</ref> *Crown Theatre, Wollongong<ref>{{cite web | title=Crown Theatre in Wollongong, AU| first= Ken|last=Roe | website=Cinema Treasures | url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/55988 | access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> *Empire Theatre, Sydney<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109640177 |title=Sydney City Council applications |newspaper=Construction & Local Government Journal |volume=XXXIV |issue=954 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 May 1926 | access-date=16 February 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title=Side of proscenium surround, new Empire Theatre, Sydney|journal=Building: The Magazine for the Architect, Builder, Property Owner and Merchant |volume=40 | issue= 237 |date= 12 May 1927 | location=Sydney | publisher=Federated Builders' Association of Australia. | url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-343997713/view?partId=nla.obj-344453926#page/n3/mode/1up | id=nla.obj-343997713 | access-date=16 February 2024 | via=Trove| page=3}}</ref> *Enmore Theatre,** Sydney – major renovations (1920)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15895826 |title=Buildings, and works. Enmore Theatre. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |issue=25,736 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 June 1920 |access-date=16 February 2024 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *Montreal Community Theatre,** Tumut, NSW, which is listed on the National Trust of Australia (NSW) register<ref>{{cite web | title=Montreal Community Theatre in Tumut, AU | website=Cinema Treasures | date=9 May 1930 | url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/14339 | access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> *Odeon Theatre, Norwood,** Adelaide (in association with local architect Christopher Arthur Smith, as supervising architect)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64112058 |title=Norwood Star Theatre. |newspaper=The Register (Adelaide) |volume=LXXXVIII |issue=25,705 |location=South Australia |date=17 May 1923 |access-date=15 February 2024 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *Roxy Community Theatre,** Leeton<ref>{{cite web | title=Roxy Community Theatre | website=Heritage NSW | url=https://apps.environment.nsw.gov.au/dpcheritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=5052348 | access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> *Thebarton Theatre,** Adelaide<ref name=tthist>{{cite web |website= Thebarton Theatre |title=Thebarton Theatre: History |url= https://thebartontheatre.com.au/history/ | access-date=16 February 2024 }}</ref> *Valhalla Cinema, Sydney<ref>{{cite web | title=Valhalla Cinema in Sydney, AU | website=Cinema Treasures |first= Ken|last=Roe | url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25662 | access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>
==Footnotes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Architects from New South Wales Category:Theatres in Sydney Category:Theatre architects