Memories of the Sidney Hall in Weymouth - a town social hub

The hall in Newstead Road was built by John Stiby Groves in memory of his nephew, Sidney.

Sidney was in one of the Dorset regiments and was killed in action in the 1880s.

We've got some photos showing bingo nights at the social venue, which is where Weymouth Asda now stands.

The building, which was considered by many to be 'lovely looking', had multiple uses over the years as a dance hall with jive nights, roller rink, school, a wedding reception and even a military hospital.

Below, you can see it set up for bingo with amounts of prize money advertised.

One reader remembers 'happy times in the 60s roller skating, Wednesday dances in the Sidney hall and dances in the small Sidney Hall on a Saturday night.' 

Sidney Hall (Image: Roy Twycross)

The venue is also remembered as a ‘very busy bingo hall’ where a team of Rothmans cigarettes sales girls would do promotions on bingo nights. 

READ MORE: 'Heatwave saw Dorset under attack from ladybirds'

"I used to come to bingo here with my nan as a child," one child remembers.

There was also a small Sidney Hall where dances would be held.

Sidney Hall (Image: Andy Hutchings Collection)

Another reader remembers: "Great times roller skating Saturday nights dancing on skates, speed skating and the big seesaw with my sister Jean fabulous times."

"Roller skating there every Saturday was what we always looked forward to," another said.

Some readers remember attending the hall for school dinners before Holy Trinity School was built.

It took over from a much smaller school in the town centre, close to St Mary Street.

One said: “Every day we had to walk over Westham Bridge along Westwey Road to the Sidney Hall for our school dinner, whatever the weather.”

Another former pupil's memories are: "I went to school at the Sidney Hall from 1945 to the winter of 1947 between the ages of nine and 11.

“I was a Navy child so I got shoved from pillar to post and I’d never stay at a school for very long.

“The Trinity school at Sidney Hall was an interesting school, there were local patches of land where the kids could grow vegetables.

READ MORE: 'The long hot summer when a student chose to go topless'

“I remember the classrooms being by the balcony and it could be terribly draughty. We had open fires and I’d remember sitting around it trying to keep warm.

“We’d take it in turn to read aloud and I remember one of the books being Scott of the Antarctic.

“It was so cold that it seemed very appropriate. Another thing I remember in the school was a load of stuffed animals.

“There was a lot of taxidermy in there – I think my favourite was a baby white seal.”

VE Day party in the Sidney Hall for children from Chapelhay, Weymouth (Image: Supplied)

From 1959 to 1962 roller skating nights were held six nights of the week at the hall. 

"It was a great place, I spent my teenage years skating at the Sidney Hall.

"I met my future husband there and I've now been happily married for 55 years," a reader remembers.

READ MORE: 'Old photo shows when main Weymouth road was one way'

Another says: "I remember going round in a big long line holding hands. The poor person on the end, normally me, got flung out into the barrier!" 

Other uses for the hall were a venue for jumble sales and unusual classes such as shoto-kan karate.

"I used to train with the Terras in there sometimes during the winter months," another reader remembers.

Bingo night at the Sidney Hall (Image: Rob Twycross)

Seeing bands perform at the hall was another popular activity with various acts remembered there.

Readers recall seeing Screaming Lord Sutch, who went on to become a parliamentary candidate, The Undertakers, Dave Berry and the Cruisers.

The Red Cross hall was in the grounds of the Sidney Hall.

The hall was used as a military hospital during the First World War (Image: Supplied)

Sidney Hall was bought from the council and it was later leased to the government Land Registry for storing of Dorset land records.

The hall was also rented out as 10 classrooms for foreign students throughout the summer language school season.

Another view of the Sidney Hall (Image: Supplied)

In the mid 1980s Carter Commercial developments was looking for a supermarket site and approached Sidney Hall's board of directors.

An agreement was reached to demolish the Sidney Hall and football ground and move to the present Wessex Stadium, allowing Gateway (now Asda) to be built on the site.