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Young Australia League Memorial BuildingPrint Page Print this page

07-June-2017
07-June-2017

Photographs supplied by Father Ted Doncaster

The building commemorates those members of the Young Australia League who died in service or were killed in action in World War One.  

The construction of the building was commenced with a ceremonial laying of the foundation stone by Prime Minister William M. ['Billy'] Hughes on April 23, 1922. The official opening of the building, on November 23, 1924, was performed by the Governor, Sir William Robert Campion.

The Young Australia League (YAL) was a patriotic, independent, nonpolitical, non-sectarian youth organisation founded in Western Australia by John Joseph [ 'Boss' ] Simons [1882 - 1948] in 1905. Originally a branch of the West Australian Football Association, of which the charismatic Simons was the secretary from 1905 to 1914, the League organised intra and interstate tours of young Western Australian football players to promote the code of 'Australian Rules' football as part of a broader nationalist agenda. By 1910, the sporting component of the League was subordinate to Simons' wider purpose of inculcating in Westralian youth a vigorous sentiment of Australian nationalism within the framework of Empire.

The Young Australia League some time ago purchased a block of land at the corner of Murray and Irwin streets with an adjoining building for a sum of £4000. A memorial building is to be erected on the site at an estimated cost of £25,000 and during the present year about £10,000 will be expended in the work. The memorial is to be in honor of the 80 members of the league who died in the war.  Yesterday the foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister, Mr. W. M. Hughes, in the presence of a big assemblage.
The Daily News (Perth) 24th April 1922.

 

Location

Address:45 Murray Street, Perth, 6000
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -31.954637
Long: 115.863909
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Structure
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW1
Actual Event Start Date:04-August-1914
Actual Event End Date:28-June-1919
Designer:Oldham, Boas & Ednie Brown
Monument Manufacturer:F. J. Deacon
Link:https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/about-in…

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Sunday 23rd April, 1922
Front Inscription

Plaque :

This stone of the Young Australia League Memorial Building was laid by the Right Honourable William Morris Hughes P.C. Prime Minister of the Commonwealth on Sunday April 23rd 1922

In honor of the members of the League who fell on the battle fields during the Great War

1914 - 18

Lionel T. Boas J.P.   President.
E. R. Marie               Secretary.
J.J. Simons M.L.A.   Founder.

Oldham, Boas & Ednie Brown  Architects.
F. J. Deacon  Contractor.
 

 

Source: MA,SKP, HWA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au