Central Hall

Now, if you walk through Broadgate and past the Post Office down to Warwick Row, well behind there to the left there was (or is) a hall, was it the "Central Hall"? I used to go to the Boys Brigade there when I was in it. I can only just remember that location. This lack of long term memory is a nuisance, but is there anyone on here that was in the Boys Brigade there? I do remember vaguely going from there with the "BB" on a trip to Criccieth in Wales where we stayed in tents, but I can't remember how long for. Peter.

Yes it is Central Hall and still in use. It is used for different things - there are craft fairs and collectors sales and it is also used for blood donors to give their pint of blood. There is a cafe on the ground floor which sells reasonably priced meals and snacks. I do voluntary work just down from there in Warwick Row. Sorry don't know anything about the Boys Brigade - wrong sex

I think it was in the Central Hall were I used to take my piano examinations back in the 1950's. I must add that it wasn't in the main hall, but in one of the smaller side-rooms.

Peter, yes you're right about the Boys Brigade being at Central Hall. I don't remember which company it was but I was in the 6th company based in Harefield Rd, Stoke, and we used to go to Central Hall for different reasons, competitions etc. As for holiday camps are you sure it wasn't Dyffryn Ardudwy near Barmouth, I went there 3 years running in 1960/61/62. Hope any of this helps.

I bet you knew Roger Allen, Steve. Just thought, Brian Townsend was at that time too.

To be precise, it's the Methodist Central Hall isn't it? We had our prize-giving in there in the late 50s. It was a nice hall, light and airy, and good acoustics. I'm glad that they haven't managed to find an excuse to demolish that, too - yet.

Or to be even more precise, the churches own website refers to itself as "Coventry Central Hall - The Methodist Church in the Heart of Coventry"

I presume the prize-giving was KHVIII's school speech day. I was there in the late 60s when it was still at Central Hall.

Yes, it was. We had Founder's Day in the old cathedral ruins until 1961; in 1962 it was in Holy Trinity, because the new cathedral was being readied for opening, and I never went in the new cathedral. One thing I always thought a shame was that no-one played the organ in the Central Hall for Speech Day, it was reputedly a good one, and would have given it much more atmosphere. It was in there, at Speech Day, that I remember Pearl Hyde, the Lady Mayor. I think earlier Speech Days were in the school hall, before about 1958 or 9; the Prep school ones certainly were.

Brian Townsend name rings a bell but not the other.

Brian Townsend is a retired URC minister who lives just outside Weston-super-Mare and yes he was in the B B at Harefield Rd, Stoke. When I was a pupil at Folly Lane (later Gosford Park) School a number of us boys (Alfred Green in my class was one of them) were chosen for a 'Road Safety Choir' when we sang in the main hall of Central Hall, up on the platform where large choirs often sang. Also famous singers of Classical Music and pianists like Lily Krauss, Moura Lympany, Joyce ?, Isobel Baillie, etc gave concerts there. When I had moved on to 'Tech' afternoon concerts were given for schoolchildren, but some of us were so keen that we went in the evening as well to hear these first rate performers. Anyone remember these?

Hi all I knew Brian Townsend very well. Not seen him for yonks'. I also knew Roger Allen very well, before he & his family emigrated to Canada in 1978.

Yes. Criccieth. I camped there a few times with the BB. I was in the 1st Coventry based in Meredith Rd Baptist Church. I believe we always stayed two weeks at camp. Criccieth was lovely, even the year we got flooded out and were put up in the village school.

Didn't John Troughton run the Boys Brigade as well as the youth group at the Central Hall. I was in the Campfire Girls

If my memory serves me right, the city library was using the hall for a period of time around 1946-8. Also the scouts annual St George's Day parade service was held in the hall around 1942. I was carrying the flag for the 8th Coventry cub pack and forgot to lower the flag to enter the building, the door was where the tea room is now. The pack had to backpedal to let me sort it out. Didn't get the job again!