Barracks Arch
The Barracks Arch is all that remains of the former Pensioner Barracks. The Barracks was completed in 1866 and housed the Enrolled Pensioner Guard Force. This force was made up of Army veterans who joined up for six months full time service as guards on the convict ships, in return for land grants. At the end of their six months, they remained on call and had to parade a minimum of 12 days a year.
As well as dormitories, the barracks had 21 married quarters. Each family apartment had two rooms, each about 13 by 11 feet with at least one fireplace. Also on site was a separate cookhouse, firing range and gun room, wash house, stores and stables, and a fives (handball) court.
The Barracks were gradually converted to offices for the Public Works Department between 1900 and 1904, becoming its headquarters in 1904. Notable occupants included C. Y. O'Connor, whose office was immediately above the arch. The 'fives court' housed the drawing office, and eventually connected to a mid 1920s addition for the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage department. The Public Works Department and Metropolitan Water Board moved to Dumas House in March 1966.
The Government intended to demolish the Barracks to facilitate the building of the Mitchell Freeway after the departments moved to their new location. The Royal Western Australian Historical Society formed a Barracks Defence Council who worked to keep the arch and five bays of windows on either side, and at worst, keep only the gateway and towers. In 1961 the National Trust and the WA Historical Society produced a pamphlet with information on the construction, history and features of the building. A text version of the pamphlet's 14 questions and answers is available here. Meanwhile, demolition proceeded, with the third and fourth bays of windows demolished and rubble cleared.
A number of opinion polls were conducted to gauge the public's preferences, with the Premier Sir David Brand interpreting the results as indecisive. He declared Parliament would decide on the arch's fate on a non party basis. The motion to demolish the arch was defeated on 19 October 1966, by 26 votes to 18.
The Barracks Arch blocks the otherwise unobstructed view from Parliament House down the length of St Georges Terrace and it was intended that demolition of the arch would provide unobstructed views, which was a prime argument advanced in favour of the demolition. This has now conversely been the argument for its retention – to always remind the Parliament that it exists to serve the wishes of the people not the other way round.
For further discussion of the architecture and the controversy surrounding the demolition of the Barracks, see Tom McKendrick and Elliott Langdon, "Built Perth", Fremantle Press, 2019, p15.
