Physical Description
Exterior - Art Deco style facade featuring a distinctive stepped parapet typical of that found within many small country towns. Within the two story high fibro facade is featured a small central sash window. Within the upper sash is the word 'Amusu' in decorative lead light coloured glass.
Behind the facade is an industrial hall constructed from corrugated iron for the walls and gable end roof. The upper portion of the building, facing the street, houses the first floor projection room, inclusive of its historic working equipment.
[Cabonne Shire Village Heritage Study 1997]
Interior - The interior of the hall contains original fixtures and fittings, circa 1930s - ticket office, geometric light shades, flip-up sprung leather seats (including twin 'love' seats), embossed tin lined projection room, two circa 1936 Westrex projectors, plaster mouldings, on the stage linked 'A' and 'T' symbols of the theatre, and around the walls various exhibits, such as movie posters from 1930s to 1990s, old 33 inch sound records, original projectors and paraphernalia from the times of Allan Tom's 'travelling picture show'.
Overall Presentation - The theatre evokes a unique atmosphere with its sloping timber floor, seating and circa 1930s features. This atmosphere is enhanced by screenings of archival footage of cartoons and newsreels, circa 1940s, in addition commercial current releases on Saturday nights. |
History
Summary [source in part: Thorne et al 1997]
Movies were first screened at Manildra around 1910. In 1914 they were shown in Fleeting's Hall, Derowie St. Starting during the silent era, Allan Tom quickly adapted equipment for the 'talkies'. Known as a travelling picture show pioneer, Allan Tom toured the central Western and goldfields areas of NSW from the early 1920s into the 1940s - to areas as far afield as Cobar, Bourke and Hillston. During the Depression he showed movies in a tent, providing desperately needed support and entertainment in remote areas.
He moved into Reid's Hall in 1923, then onto the Memorial Hall, Kiewa St after its construction in 1925. He built the Amusu in 1936 in Derowie St with seating for 300 on one level. The name Amusu was derived from contact with an equipment supplier in early 1930s. Allan Tom collaborated with a local school teacher to draw up the plans. Tom's passion for sound meant he had to ensure the theatre would have good acoustics. For this reason he lined the theatre with Donaconna board, a material imported from USA. Tom employed a local Manildra resident to build the cinema Jim Fullerton. For two decades he also operated theatres in Millthorpe and Tullamore.
Allan Tom battled through drought, flood, depression, advent of clubs, television and video, finally reducing his screenings to Saturday nights only. Not withstanding his advancing years, he continued to operate the Amusu until his death in 1995, aged 93. The Tom's family continues operating the theatre, despite a temporarily closure to undertake safety repairs.
In addition, the Tom family has strong historic links to early squatter days and the first discovery of gold. Nationalism is commemorated in incorporation of 'Australia' within the names of various members of the Tom family, including being Allan's middle name, and having links to the Australia Theatre in Orange.
Chronology
1822 William Tom Junior [d. 1904) born to 'Parson' William Snr and Ann, nee Lane, Tom of Cornwall UK
1823 Tom family arrives in Australia
1824 Tom family granted land at Sidmouth Valley
1829 Nicholas Tom born [d. 12 October 1888] to 'Parson' William Snr and Ann Tom
1829 Western Lands restrictions lifted; William Tom applies for land at Lewis Ponds Creek north of Orange; one of 1st to venture West of the Blue Mountains; family build Springfield (still stands toady); William Tom Snr becomes a lay preacher and hence known as 'Parson Tom', and manager for Borecabonne station then in the ownership of Sir Rev. Samual Marsden's daughter; Marsden brings the 1st merino flock across the Blue Mountains to Borecabonne station [an RNE listed place]
1843 Tom brothers, John and William Jnr take stock overland to Gippsland to run called 'Tom's Camp'
1850 William Tom Jnr with John Lister find 2 gold nuggets weighing 2oz each on a claim in partnership with Edward Hargraves, near Ophir [Biblical reference to King Solomon's mines] and hence begins Australia's 1st gold rush
1858 Nicholas Tom marries Eliza McGraw [d1906]; raise 6 children
1967 Sydney Australia Tom born [d.1954], 5th child to Nicholas and Eliza
1894 Sydney Tom married Emma Westfield Hastings Glazier [known as Wes b.1870 d.1931], daughter of James Glazier and Emma Lewis who held the licence for Intermediate Hotel, Murga - a Cobb & Co changing station and post office
1894 James [Jim] Tom born to Sydney and Wes; drought
1895 first moving picture screened in Paris
1901 Federation of Australia
1902 January 27th Edwin Allan Australia Tom born to Sydney and Wes at Bushman's Dam, near Parks, NSW; drought
1905 Sydney & Wes Tom move to Manildra
1905 first official demonstration of radio transmission by Marconi at Port Lonsdale, Victoria
1906 fist motor car to Murga
1914 Tom's garage and carriers commences business (still operating in 1999); being underage Allan Tom uses a horse and cart
1915 At 13 Allan Tom leaves school to commence work in father's bike shop
1916 Allan Tom travels to Sydney to sit Railway Exams; Jim Tom invalided home from World War 1 and starts car hire business using a Model T Ford and charging 'a bob a mile'
1918 16year old Allan Tom obtains driver's license at Cudal (held continuously until his death in 1995)
1921 Jim Tom takes over the family garage, Sydney Tom operates bike store in front office and Allan Tom runs car hire business
1922 Mr Kendall from Condobolin brings 1st electrical moving picture to Manildra
1923 Allan Tom sets up 1st silent film show in Manildra with loan of £500 at 10% interest from local publican; business starts showing movies with Australian made Cummings & Wilson projector; mother Wes plays piano; when travelling uses HMV phonograph for sound
1925 January 26 first commercial radio station 2UE opens, 5 value radio sets introduced
1926 Allan Tom modifies a Oldsmobile car to act as a mobile projection room and a Chevrolet truck to cart tents, seats and other paraphernalia; Tom brothers buy first radio in Manildra
1927 Allan marries Dorothy (Dorrie) McDonald of Crookwell [b. 8 June 1903 d.1982 of cancer]
at St Saviours Church of England, Goulburn; 5 daughters born Norma Lynette (Lyn) b. 1928 m. Jeff Woohart of Manildra, Gweneth b. 1929 m Proudfoot of Orange, Phyllis Elizabeth (Betty)
b. 1931 m. Maxworth of Manildra and Janet b. 1937 m. Powe of Orange; son Edward b. 1934
d. 1939
1929 Allan Tom supplies sound for Canowindra Theatre
1930 Allan Tom introduces 'talkies' to Manildra by adapting existing equipment
1931 Allan Tom commences regular 4 to 6 week tours of Western NSW and writes own publicity brochures and posters
1932 Allan Tom has difficulty renting halls so buys a marque, folding chairs, pianola
1936 Allan Tom builds the AMUSU at Manildra and theatre at Tullamore.
19?? Allan Tom leases theatres in Wyanga, Trundle and Peak Hill;
Allan Tom installs first street light in Manildra outside the family owned garage
1937 Jim Tom dies and is buried on Anzac Day; Allan Tom forced to run family garage business and employs a crew to run the touring show until 1949
1940 Allan Tom rebuilds the garage next door to the Amusu theatre
1942 Allan Tom buys Frape's Hall to establish the Millthorpe Amusu theatre with Stan Goode as manager
1949 Lynette Tom marries Jeff Woodhart, together they take over the touring show business [until late 1950s]; Allan Tom draws up a petition for outlying school students to be bussed to Manildra and offers to provide the service
1965 Allan Tom takes over NRMA Service van for Manildra, Cudal, Murga, Toogong and Cargo (relinquished in 1992 aged 90)
1983 Allan Tom celebrates 60 years of showmanship, congratulations received from Prime Minister Robert Hawke and NSW Premier Neville Wran
1985 Motion Picture Distributors Association notes that 27 rural screens closed in one year
1987 Amusu used by Hoytes Entertainments & Media as the location for a promotional video presented by Good Morning Australia host, John Barton.
1993 Allan Tom awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to Manildra and outlying communities
1993 Allan Tom noted as the oldest living member of original band of picture show men who toured NSW
1992 Allan Tom retires as the NRMA's oldest patrolman, aged 90 and being the State's oldest licence holder
1994 May 6 Allan Tom runs his last film and a week later
1995 May 20 Allan Tom dies of a stoke at age 93; daughter and son-in-law, Lyn & Jeff Woodhart, take over running the Amusu
As at May 1999 Amusu still opens on Saturday nights and for special groups
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