Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Treharris Public Hall

Merthyr has last so many of its important buildings and landmarks in the name of ‘progress’. In a new regular feature, I hope to highlight some of the marvellous places that have disappeared into the ether.

We start with Treharris Public Hall. The following article is taken from the marvellous website http://www.treharrisdistrict.co.uk, and is transcribed here with the kind permission of the webmaster, Paul Corkrey.

Treharris Public Hall

During 1891, the growing population of Treharris and its districts, meant there was a growing need for a large public hall to be built, to benefit the people. The cost of the project was the main concern and it was decided to hold concerts to raise funds and shares were to be sold to enable it to be a reality.

One such concert took place in August 1891. A huge marquee capable of seating an immense number of persons was obtained and erected near Bargoed House. Through the kindness of Deep Navigation Colliery manager, Mr Stewart, the marquee was illuminated most effectively with electric light. Mr Alan Wyn conducted the Treharris Choral Union, in an excellent performance of Haydn’s “Creation”, a large crowd attended and good funds were secured to get the project moving.

On 3 October 1891, The Merthyr Express reported that practical steps had been made towards having a public hall built in Treharris. A meeting had been held In Perrott Street, at the Tabernacle Vestry, the colliery manager (Mr Stewart) presided, with all classes of people represented. The meeting decided to canvas for shares and a large number have been taken. Mr W Cuthbert Thomas was appointed secretary. It was proposed to erect the new public hall on the square, at a cost of about £2,000.

A further meeting took place three weeks later and a committee was appointed to deal with the site and further matters.

The Merthyr Express, November 21 1891 further reported that to show interest, the Colliery Company, wanted to take an interest in the welfare of their workmen, and promised to give £50 a year for 5 years, towards the hall, about to be built. This is in addition to subscribing towards 250 shares in the hall company and letting the ground, which is in the very centre of the village and is most valuable, at the nominal rent of 5 shillings per annum.

Two concerts were held in October 1892, to raise further monies for the public hall, the first was presided over by Mr Stewart the colliery manager, whilst the second was under the presidency of the Rev D Phillips. They were both held at the Tabernacle Chapel and both raised goodly sums.

May 1893, was an exciting time for the District and the huge building constructed on the square was now completed and ready to be opened…the Merthyr Express reported “that the directors of the Public Hall Company should be congratulated on having secured a handsome and commodious building, in return for their outlay. The formal opening is planned for Whit Monday and tickets for admission are keenly sought.”

A public procession was arranged with Brass bands, it started at 1pm prompt and many hundreds lined the streets and joined the procession.

Other reports suggest the final cost of the Public Hall was around £3,300, but it included a Library, committee rooms and reading rooms. The library had over 1400 books, some in Welsh, it was financially supported by contributions from miners wages.

The Miners Workmens Hall served the community for almost 100 years. It was a community building and was used for great events, with huge crowds attending. It was a Theatre and became known as the “Palace”, a popular cinema for many years. It later fell into disrepair and was used as a bingo hall, snooker club and even as an indoor market (for one week).

The building was a typical Workmen’s’ Hall design with two shops at its base, either side of the entrance and facing the square. In 1920 one shop unit was a grocery store and the other housed a branch of Barclays Bank.

The Public Hall is now the Palace Theatre. Barclays Bank can be seen at the right. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

By 1937 it was the Palace Theatre, and had a 28 feet wide proscenium and a 20 feet deep stage. There were three dressing rooms. At that time the Palace Theatre was equipped with a Klang-Tobis sound sytem. By 1954, an RCA sound system had been fitted. By 1963, Cinema scope had been installed, with a screen within the original 28 feet wide proscenium. There were now four dressing rooms. The Palace Cinema was still open in 1966, but had closed by 1980.

The demolition of the Palace Cinema commenced on the 25th of January 2000. The site has been acquired by the Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association who are proposing to construct flats on the site. That was later discounted a green area was put there before further redevelopment in 2013.

During 1996, there were plans to try to save the building, now under private ownership, many of the villagers did not want to lose the historic building. Unfortunately, it was not to be and by 2000 the building was totally demolished, a sad end to the Hall, a landmark building, which could have been preserved for future generations.

The Public Hall in later years

Merthyr Memories: Merthyr’s Cinemas – part 1

by Kenneth & Christine Brewer

In the decade or so following the Second World War, cinema took hold in Britain in a big way. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true nonetheless that people loved the all the Hollywood glamour and escapism that the films provided to take their minds off the austerity of post-War Britain.

Merthyr was no exception – going to the cinema became one of the big attractions in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Such was the demand that at one time Merthyr had eleven cinemas – five in town (The Castle, The Palace, The Electric, The Theatre Royal and the Temperance Hall); two in Dowlais (The Oddfellows Hall and The Victoria); one each in Penydarren (The Cosy); Troedyrhiw (The Picture Palace); Aberfan (The Electric) and Treharris (The Palace).

The Castle Cinema in the 1970’s. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Going to the cinema in those days was a real night out. As well as the main feature, you would be treated to a ‘B’-movie (usually a Western from memory), a news-reel, a cartoon and adverts for forthcoming films. The news-reel footage made a huge impact – we only saw the news in newspapers or heard about it on the wireless, but seeing the pictures on the big screen really brought things home to us. I (Ken) particularly remember my grandmother being very upset and having to leave the cinema when they showed news-reel footage of the liberation of Belsen. Everything was on a continuous loop – there were no showings once or twice a day…the cycle would start at a certain time (‘B’-movie, news, cartoon, adverts, main feature), and would continue non-stop until closing time.

You could also have an ice-cream in the intermission as a treat. These were sold by the usherettes. They were a big part of the cinema going experience, they would show you to your seats, and woe-betide you if you misbehaved – you would have the usherette’s torch shining on you within minutes. Repeat offenders would be asked to leave!!!!

Quite often, after the last showing of the evening, you would emerge from the cinema and the town would be crowded with people coming from other cinemas all hurrying for buses to make their way home.

Forthcoming films were advertised in the Merthyr Express, and people would also turn out in droves to see their favourite stars. In the 1940’s the big stars were Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Clarke Gable etc. The big matinée idol at the time was Robert Taylor, and the pin-up girl was Rita Hayworth.

Robert Taylor and Rita Hayworth

When there was a ‘big’ film it wouldn’t be unusual to see people queuing around the block to get in. The ones that were particularly memorable were ‘The Robe’ at the Theatre Royal and ‘Quo Vadis’ at the Castle. The biggest queues however were for the re-release of ‘Gone with the Wind’ in the late 1940’s  (the original release was during the war) at the Castle Cinema – the queues stretched as far as the eye could see.

How times have changed, all of these cinemas have closed, and all but the Theatre Royal and Temperance Hall have been demolished. For many years, Merthyr didn’t have a cinema at all until the Vue Cinema complex was opened at Rhydycar. It’s not the same – the glamour and excitement have all but disappeared.

To be continued……