RICHMOND School of Arts has stood in West Market Street for 149 years of continuous use.
‘‘We have ballet classes, pilates, zumba and the Richmond Players have been performing here for the past 62 years,’’ the school’s president, Margaret Thorne, said.
‘‘If some people are looking to have a function, they can have it here.’’
The building was officially opened by Henry Parkes, who was later Premier of NSW and ‘‘Father of Federation’’, on August 27, 1866.
It became the home for the Richmond Literary Institute, which began in 1861.
The idea for the Richmond Mechanics Institute and School of Arts was conceived in 1858, with a land grant from the colonial government and the start of fundraising to build it.
In the 19th century, schools of arts and mechanics institutes were centres of their communities, providing room for functions, public meetings and educational pursuits.
‘‘We haven’t always had the Richmond Club, so people had wedding receptions and other events here,’’ Mrs Thorne said.
‘‘Another club, the Richmond Golf Club, had its inaugural meeting here more than 100 years ago.
‘‘The school has also hosted celebrations and victory balls for when the Boer War was over and for the end of World War I.’’
Mrs Thorne is the school’s first female president and its longest-serving, having held the position since 1981.
‘‘I was asked if I would take over and I did,’’ she said.
‘‘I’ve always been involved in the community, even when I was at school; I’ve been involved with Rotary too.’’
She is concerned a lot of people in the Hawkesbury are not aware of the school’s history, or even that it is still functioning.
‘‘We’ve had to move with the times,’’ Mrs Thorne said.
‘‘A commercial-sized stove, fridge and dishwasher have been installed.
‘‘Both our halls are airconditioned and we have an audiovisual system in the main auditorium.’’
She said if Richmond School of Arts was to continue past next year’s 150th anniversary, it needed enough people to continue volunteering.
‘‘If you want to be part of the community, contribute to it,’’ Mrs Thorne said.
‘‘A lot of school of arts buildings continue to exist, but they’ve been handed over to local councils and not run as they were originally set-up.
‘‘There’s a need for this facility.’’
