BELLASY'S

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21646, 3 December 1935, Page 7

BELLASY'S

A HISTORIC ROOM

NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR PILGRIMS In a room which once used to reverberate to the voices.of FitzGerald, Rolleston, and other great men in the history of the province, the executive of the Canterbury Pilgrims' and Early Settlers' Association met yesterday. This is a room known as Bellamy's in the Provincial Council Chambers, and which has been granted by the Government for the use of the association in place of their old room in the Christchurch . City Council Chambers.

The room is situated upstairs in the eastern block, and overlooks the lawn behind the buildings which slopes down to the Avon. It is a big room with windows along both the eastern and southern sides. According to Mr A. Selwyn Bruce, a member of the association and a well-known authority on the history of the province, this part of the building was built at the same time as the chamber, and during the somewhat short life of the provincial government in the Dominion served as a social and smoking-room for the members of the legislative council. It was directly above the membei-s' refreshment room. ■ . " "' • The whole wing which is known as Bellamy's was constructed in 1865 at a cost of £5095, continued Mr Selwyn Bruce. The architect was Mr B. W. Mountfort. Until recently this room was used as a drafting room for the Land and Survey Department, but when this department moved their quarters to the new State Fire Building in Worcester street the room fell empty once more. The Pilgrims' and Early Settlers' Association applied for the, use of part of the Provincial Council Chamber building, as it seemed very appropriate that such a body should have rooms in the building where the affairs of the province were once administered. Eventually the association were granted the use of Bellamy's, and this will be their future headquarters. The. room, although it is at present untidy, will soon be renovated. For this purpose a sub-committee was set up at yesterday's meeting, who will have power to carry out the necessary improvements.