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St Margaret’s Hall
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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St Margaret’s Hall before 21st century alterations.
The painting that we call Timbrell’s Yard shows what is now St Margaret’s Hall (left) as a dyehouse and associated industrial buildings around the yard in the 1850s
The front of St Margaret’s Hall in 2017, after alterations had been made, including a new projection room above the foyer. Compacting raked seating and lighting was installed. The building is, strangely, not listed. Bradford on Avon Town Council took over rooms along the river side at its offices and meeting room. Two years later the large south-facing roof was covered with photovoltaic solar collectors.
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In this mid-20th century aerial shot, A is St Margaret’s Hall; B- former Quaker Meeting House, later British School, finally R.J. Austin’s workshop, bought and demolished by the Urban District Council in 1960; C- the building at the back of Timbrell’s Yard, Stamper’s later E.W. Stone’s garage; D- the Fire Station
Bradford’s Fire Brigade outside the fire station (building D) with their engine in 1947
The old dyehouse was functioning as the local volunteers’ drill hall in 1919, but the Alexander Cinema, set up in that year, converted the building, adding the foyer on the front with projection box above. In 1958 the Urban District Council bought it and converted it into a public hall, long needed as the only meeting space available had been the Baths when the pool was floored over.
Flood water at the door of the hall in 2003
The ‘temporary’ library stood opposite the hall, on the site of the fire station, for many years; here flooded in 1979
The hall has been used for dances, presentations, plays and musicals, films and dinners -these are members of Bradford on Avon Rowing Club, including Alex Moulton, John Benjamin and Mervyn Uncles.