Across seven decades, Brisbane’s busiest medium-sized venue was Albert Hall. Built by the Albert Street Methodist Church as a resource for the entire community and officially opened in 1901 by Sir Samuel Griffith, it hosted a wide range of cultural activities and numerous civic, religious, political, wartime, social and educational events. As the city’s main recital and drama auditorium until it was demolished in 1969, Albert Hall provided a platform for Brisbane’s many fine performing artists. In addition, numerous visiting luminaries such as Percy Grainger, Dame Sybil Thorndike, Sir Douglas Mawson, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Dame Enid Lyons appeared on its stage.

This book by noted cultural historian Peter Roennfeldt tells the story of this significant venue within its wider community context, and helps to further dispel the notion that in the early 20th century Brisbane was a cultural backwater. Brisbane’s Albert Hall was indeed a special inner-city venue, shared by all and remembered fondly by many.