*There appears to be no remaining sign of the original farm house – there are two wood and iron additions at the rear of the institute.
The Colonel Light Gardens Institute with a frontage of unknown date: the gable is at the front of the Institute of 1926.
The building is really the original Lower Mitcham Farmhouse, [Colonel Light Gardens State Heritage Area Survey states a meeting hall was built at the back of the Grange Farm House and later became known as the Institute], dating back to somewhere between 1839 and 1840. It would be hard to recognise the old homestead in the new and thoroughly up-to-date building.
The premises have been redecorated and painted, and new woodwork fitted throughout. A new brick hall has been built at the rear. It will be available for various functions. At a later date it will probably serve as a reading room and library for the institute. [News (Adelaide) 16-11-1926]
New Institute library Opened
The Colonel Light Gardens Institute was opened by the President of the Institutes’ Association (Sir William Sowden) on Monday evening. The Garden Suburb Commissioner (Mr C D Harris) has made available a commodious room, fitted with shelves and other library appliances, for the use of members of the local library, free of cost. This has enabled the local committee to keep down the subscription to a minimum. Sir William Sowden, whose activities in the interests of institutes are well known, has placed his extensive knowledge gained in all parts of the world at the service of the committee and the public generally through the medium of the Institutes’ Association.
Sir William Sowden said he was amazed at the development which had taken place in so brief a period and was delighted to see that intellectual activities were keeping pace with material improvements. With a view to assist in that direction Sir William promised a donation of books. [Register 30-3-1927]
