competition for the building, which was intended for meetings held by working men and as a place where lectures could be given and instruction in literature obtained. It also included a library and the banner room. On 28 January 1888 Lord Carrington, as State Governor (also Grand Master Freemason of the United Grand Lodge in NSW), laid the foundation stone of Sydney's Trades Hall. Due to lack of funds, it took several years for the building to be erected. Finally, the opening ceremony was performed on 26 January 1895 by the Minister for Education and the Chairman of the Land Trustees, Mr Jacob Gerrard. In his address he commented, "The Trades of the colony will now have a home of their own". According to Mr McIntyre, president of the Builders and Contractors Association, "every man employed had been a unionist, and had received the full rate of pay ordered by the associated trades." The subsequent major additions completed in 1900, 1912 and 1916 followed closely the Victorian Italianate Style of the original building. The architects for these additions were Spain, Cosh and Minnett. In 1932, New South Wales Premier, Jack Lang had the State's money removed from bank accounts and taken to Trades Hall so that the Federal Government would not be able to seize it. He was subsequently dismissed from office by Governor Philip Game. Description A large load-bearing brick and sandstone building of four storeys and basement. An octagonal tower of five storeys at the corner of Goulburn and Dixon Streets is capped by a pitched copper roof surmounted by a sheathed square copper cupola. Although enlarged considerably at three main periods, , 1912 and 1916 the additions closely follow the original Victorian neo classical design consisting of sandstone to the ground floor, window trims grouped three to a bay, string courses, cornice and balustered parapet with face brickwork to the remainder. The original building is part of the four bays to Goulburn Street while the seven bays to Dixon Street are additions. Condition As of 30 September 1997, the building's physical condition was judged to be good, with low archaeological potential. The building externally has had little alteration. Modifications and dates 1888foundation stone laid; 1895opened; addition; 1912addition; 1916addition. Heritage listing As at 10 December 2008, The Sydney Trades Hall is important as one of the first and continuing headquarters of much of the New South Wales Trade