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Only the facade remains as new apartment building is erected.
Foundation stone 1 Oct 1877 by Mrs John Darling, opened 10 Mar 1878 in Light Square. The Mission was founded 1867 by the Presbyterian minister, Rev James Lyall, to care for the needy & neglected, with Richard Berry appointed first City Missioner. It was to be non-sectarian. The Mission first met in the Rundle Street Ebenezer Chapel, in Currie St 1870 in Magarey & Co’s former wheat store, then in former Royal Victoria Theatre 1872, until own Mission Hall built in Light Square, closed by 1970, later became a restaurant, then a nightclub. The facade has been retained in front of a new development, “Spence on Light”, 75 apartments providing affordable & social housing, named for Catherine Helen Spence (1825-1910), suffragist and social reformer, whose statue stands on the lawns of Light Square.
“At a meeting held in the Presbyterian Church, Flinders-street, on Thursday evening, for the purpose, a resolution was passed constituting a City Mission for Adelaide, and a Committee was chosen for carrying on the business matters of the Society. Mr. R. Berry, formerly of the Scottish Coast Mission, has been appointed the city missionary.” [Register 26 Jul 1867]
“Adelaide City Mission . . . The attendance was large, the old Ebenezer Chapel, Rundle-street, being quite filled on the occasion.” [Advertiser 27 Jul 1869]
“The Adelaide City Mission was not connected with any particular branch of the Christian Church, yet it called forth the sympathy of all, and was peculiarly suited for general help. . . In addition to his daily visitation, Mr. Berry conducts three meetings weekly in different parts of the city, for reading the scriptures, exhortation, and prayer. These meetings are attended by from 12 to 35 persons. . . some good might be accomplished by having a large tea meeting in connection with the mission, to which the very poorest would be welcome.” [Register 27 Jul 1869]
“A circular has been issued calling attention to the claims of one particular department of the work of the Adelaide City Mission. We refer to the various useful efforts made in connection with the store in Currie street, hitherto kindly placed at the disposal of the Mission Committee, by Mr. T. Magarey. On the 1st of November next, the store passes out of Mr. Magarey's hands, and must either be rented, or the free evening school, and other useful agencies carried on there will necessarily be closed.” [Chronicle & Weekly Mail 15 Oct 1870]
“Opening of Mission Hall. — On Monday evening, December 5, an inaugural devotional meeting was held in the City Mission Hall, Currie-street. The room, which was formerly occupied by Messrs. Magarey & Co. as a wheat .store, has been comfortably fitted up, lighted with gas, and made in every way attractive. It will hold about 300 persons. . . the Chairman (Rev. J. Lyall) remarked that the hall had been in use during eight months for a free evening school, Mr. T. Magarey having with great liberality granted it. Three months ago a service had been begun on Sunday evenings. . . At the beginning of November the place passed out of Mr. Magarey's bands, and it was found necessary to make some new arrangement. . . Various gentlemen connected with evangelical churches who had experience in preaching had agreed to give their help. A Sunday-school, which had been in operation for about 10 months, would be continued, and a week-night service and Bible class were contemplated. It was intended shortly to resume the night school, to be held three evenings a week, for the benefit of those engaged during the day, and it was believed the scholars would attach greater value to the instruction if a small charge, say 2d. per week, were made. It was also in contemplation to establish a Mothers' Mission.” [Register 6 Dec 1870]
“for about a month past the City Mission have been occupying for evangelistic purposes the old Victoria Theatre in Currie-street, which after its abandonment for theatrical purposes was used as a publichouse and dancing-saloon, but which has for some time remained unoccupied. The whole of the buildings have not, however, been taken by the City Mission, as they only rent the theatre proper, and one other room for the purposes of the Mothers' Mission. The remaining apartments, to the number of about 30, have, however, been taken by Mr. Berry, the City Missionary, who sublets them to poor people at a small rental, on a principle previously adopted by him in connection with cottages in the same neighbourhood. . . The operations carried on under the auspices of the Mission are a service on Sunday evenings, a free night school three times a week, a mothers' meeting under the superintendence of Mrs. Searle and other ladies, and a Sunday school supported by members of the Flinders-street Presbyterian Church.” [Register 7 Oct 1872]
“The old Victoria Theatre, after undergoing many transformations, has now become the head-quarters of the City Mission. For some time the Committee have rented a store in Currie-street at the rate of £50 per annum, but in several respects the new premises will be better adapted to the aims of the Committee, and the additional expense will be comparatively trifling. While the Theatre proper will afford ample accommodation for Sunday and week night public services, we understand that a house will be provided for Mr. Berry, the Missionary, and dwellings for eight families besides. It is also intended to open a school.” [Register 15 Aug 1872[
“Adelaide City Mission.— The annual tea meeting connected with this Mission was held in the old Theatre, Currie-street, which for the last four years has been used as a Mission Hall. There were about 250 persons present, consisting chiefly of those who are in the habit of attending the mission services.” [Adelaide Observer 16 Sep 1876]
“The committee of the Adelaide City Mission met in the Presbyterian vestry, Flinders-street. . . The question of purchasing the old Theatre for City Mission purposes was introduced, but the committee felt it could not entertain the matter at present.” [Chronicle & Weekly Mail 14 Oct 1876]
“Mrs. Davies entered upon her duties as a female missionary immediately after the date of the preceding report, and had continued them with great zeal. In addition to her efforts among fallen women, several of whom she had persuaded to leave their sinful life, she was in the habit of visiting regularly the female wards of the Hospital and the female inmates of the Destitute Asylum, and also assisted in the Mothers' Mission meeting. Mr. Berry continued his labours. . . The services on Sundays continued to be attended by from 80 to 120 persons, nearly all of whom belonged to the class it was most desirable to reach. The Sabbath-School had an average attendance of 80 poor children, who were progressing favourably.” [Register 24 Jul 1877]
“in the month of May they received notice that the Old Theatre in Currie-street, which for the last five years they have employed as a Mission Hail, had been sold, and that they would be required to leave it early in September next. . . John Darling, Esq., M.P., having generously offered the sum of £500 on condition that no part of the amount should be devoted to the purchase of land. . . A most eligible site on the west side of Light-square has been secured at a cost of £500. Plans and specifications haw been obtained for the erection of a plain but neat building, which will cost £1,360.” [Advertiser 24 Jul 1877]
“City Mission Hall. . . the foundation-stone was laid by Mrs. Darling, the wife of Mr. J. Darling, M.P. The hall is to be 76 feet in length and 40 feet in width, and will afford accommodation for between 500 and 600 persons. Over the front of the building there will be two rooms 13 x 12 feet each, which are entered by two staircases leading from the right and left of the front entrance. The ceiling will be 28 feet from the floor. The hall is to be built of Glen Osmond stone with brick dressings, and the roof will be of corrugated iron.” [Evening Journal 2 Mar 1877]
“Services in connection with the opening of the Adelaide City Mission Hall will take place to-morrow.” [Evening Journal 9 Mar 1878]
“Adelaide City Mission. . . At the present time services are held in the hall every Sunday, and one week-night. There is a Sunday-school and Band of Hope also attached, and during the last year a week-night class for Chinese has been established, and taken advantage of by a number of celestials, who evince great interest in the work which is conducted by Mr. Manson. With a knowledge of the best means of getting the sympathies of the lower class, the committee have been careful to make their services as attractive as possible, and every alternate Sunday morning a free breakfast is laid out in the hall.” [Register 29 Apr 1884]
“The late Mr. John Darling gave £500 towards the building fund, and the mission hall, with the two front rooms, was erected. Some yean later the premises were enlarged by adding the three rooms at the back.” [Register 25 Jul 1917]
“In an unpretentious building in Light-square, the city's poor — financially, morally and physically — are daily given the courage to make another fight for happiness and more propitious times by a band of cheerful and comfort-dispensing women. Those women are attached to the Adelaide City Mission, which. Situated as it is in the centre of families stricken by unemployment, receives at appointed hours streams of men and women, who enter with the stress of their position stamped on them. And those same men and women are fed, not only with food to stimulate their physical energies, but with food for their minds also. They are put once again on the road to a search for work, and more genial surroundings. The Mission's job is making optimists.” [Advertiser 9 Oct 1931]
“During the black-out. the Adelaide City Mission discontinued its Sunday evening gospel services. It has now been decided to reopen them,” [Advertiser 1 May 1945]