286-296 Stafford St
LN: 2067 C:2
1913
Architect James Turnbull
Originally the Choral Hall, the building was known as O'Callaghan & Le Cren's mart, it was taken over in 1914 by the Timaru Continuous Picture Company. It opened in 1915 as the Grand Theatre, the third cinema in Timaru.
The land belonged to Michael O’Meeghan, a Timaru hotelier, in 1904. James Meehan and his brother ran a grain and seed business, and started construction of the ‘Edwardian with Georgian’ style in concrete, brick and plaster in 1911, you can see the date 1913 at the top of the façade. The cantilevered verandah (without supporting posts), which was the first of its kind in Timaru. It was erected for auctioneers O’Callaghan and LeCren on a 21 year lease. The second story was dedicated to a Choral Hall, with a stage and dance floor. In 1915 a brick cinema, known as the Grand Theatre was built at the rear of O’Meeghan’s Building for the Timaru Continuous Picture Company. This building was demolished in 2007. The building is historically significant for its construction during a building boom in Timaru in the early 20th century, at which time Timaru was promoting itself for city status. It has local social and historical significance as a popular venue for entertainment as a picture theatre and choral hall.
Significant elements are pilasters, window details, cornice, pediments and cartouche.
Can you find? Look up and find a decorative, framed oval surrounded with scrolls over an entrance, this is known as a Cartouche in Architecture. The word 'cartouche' comes from the French language, where it means something similar to a scroll of paper.