LOSS TO BRISTOL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 84, 10 April 1945, Page 2

LOSS TO BRISTOL

FAMOUS HALL BURNT

OLD MONASTIC SITE BRISTOL. Bristol suffered a heavy loss by the destruction of the famous Colston Hall, the scene of many historic, political and civic events. The damage is estimated at nearly £200.000. The lesser hall, known as the Little Theatre, the Bristol home of repertory, was saved. The original site of the Colston Hall was a Carmelite Priory founded in 1267. After the suppression of the monasteries a mansion was built there, known as the Great House, where in 1574 Queen Elizabeth was entertained. In 1707 Edward Colston, Bristol's great educationist and philanthropist, established a boys' school there, and among the scholars was Thomas Chatterton, the poet. A public hall was built .on the site in 1867. and from that date onwards the hall was the scene of great civic events. In 1898, when the Trades Union Congress was in session there, the hall was burnt out, together with a big clothing factory adjoining. The damage to the building then was £60.000. The hall was rebuilt in 1919, and Bristol Corporation purchased it for £65,000 from the Colston Hall Company. In 1935 it was completely reconstructed to meet modern requirements at a cost of £40,000; the organ was rebuilt by the generosity of Miss Ida Richardson, adopted daughter of Lord Winterstoke, at a cost of £7500. j