Built in 1911-12 to commemorate the coronation of King George V. The Taranaki Agricultural Society came up with the idea and it met quickly with Council approval.
The Government came to the party with a £250 grant for Coronation projects. The foundation stone was laid on 22 June 1911 in St Germain's Square (Taranaki Herald 22 June 1912). The hall was completed in less than a year at a cost of nearly £3,000. The official opening of the hall on 5 June 1912 coincided with that year's winter show.
The Agricultural Society could not afford to retain exclusive use of the hall and in 1914, with war looming, the Army purchased the building for £2,500 plus 10.5 acres of land at the Rewarewa rifle range. The rifle range land would eventually become the society's Waiwhakaiho Showgrounds.
It was the first building erected on St Germain's Square and was variously known as the King George's Coronation Hall, King's Hall and later the Army Hall. It was used for a wide variety of events including a skating rink (1913), indoor exhibitions, social events and of course army drills.
On 3 February 1989 the building was destroyed in a fire which began just after midnight. The adjacent Queen's Hall (now Spotlight) escaped largely undamaged.
It was located on the section bounded by Molesworth, Eliot and Gill Streets.
Related documents:
Conference capability for Show buildings (Taranaki Herald 5 March 1987)
Stage one of Show Building renovation completed (Taranaki Herald 5 March 1987)
Hall loss hits sports clubs (Taranaki Herald 8 February 1989)
Demolition reveals extent of damage (Taranaki Herald 8 February 1989)
Coronation hall fit for a King (Taranaki Herald 11 February 1989)
King's Hall put to varied uses (Taranaki Daily News 5 January 2013)
Ann Burgess memorial afternoon tea inside Army Hall (Puke Ariki collection)
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