Last week we dipped our toe into the rich and illustrious history of the Jubilee Hall in Weymouth.
Although we had some very interesting pictures and stories to tell, it seems as though we got our historical geography a little mixed up.
Thanks to Graham Travers for getting in touch and pointing out that the Jubilee Hall was actually sited on what is now part of the Debenhams store in New Bond Street. The site of the empty Clipper pub in St Thomas Street was was formerly Weymouth's Rectory, a Georgian building which predates the Jubilee Hall by approximately 100 years.
We also showed a picture of the front of the Gaumont Cinema.
Graham remembers: "The foyer and booking office for the Gaumont Cinema, as shown in the article, was on St Thomas Street, sited on the former front garden of the Rectory.
"You then walked along a very long passage which cut through the ground floor of the old Rectory, did a right turn and ended up at the ticket check and doors to the hall and cinema.
"When the town centre development took place the single storey foyer was demolished and the rectory and its front garden were restored, including the re-instatement of its ground floor which had been lost when the through passage was constructed.
"I went to the Gaumont Cinema many times during the 1950s and 60s, seeing my first film there, and seeing The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, The Barron Knights, etc. I still have the ticket for the 'Stones' concert, it cost me 6/6d!"
In 1968 the Gaumont became the Odeon cinema.
Looking Back reader Sue Hogben said: "I remember as a child and young adult. It always seemed bizarre that you would have to walk down this strange and very long passageway to actually reach the inner entrance, mind you, when it was raining, it certainly beat queuing outside in the rain!
"By 1976 this grand old building took on her final guise, as the New Invicta, a dual purpose space, cinema and bingo hall.
"The cinema lasted for barely a year before it was closed down, though the bingo hall remained until the building was finally demolished in 1989. Even that wasn’t without its problems."
Sue explains that inside the old derelict building were many of the original Jubilee Hall structures, and a fight was on to save the beautiful and historic old building from the wrecker's ball.
When that failed, the iron work was removed and ‘carefully’ stored, supposedly for future use when it would be reconstructed elsewhere…but those same stunning Victorian iron works are now rusting away in a Portland quarry.
When work finally started on the demolition, an original Georgian building was discovered tucked away inside.
The newly revamped building that emerged from the old shell became a public house, duly named The Rectory.
The pub was named after the original building that stood on that spot, as mentioned by Graham.
In the start of March of 1871 a new family moved into the town of Weymouth.
Installed into the Rectory building at no 82 St Thomas Street was 50 year-old Rev Thomas Alexander Falkner, the new curate for St Mary’s church in St Mary Street.
Thomas was no pauper parish priest, he originated from the wealthy landed gentry class.
In 1852, Thomas married Elizabeth Grace Mead, and as they dutifully moved from parish to parish, ministering to his flock, Elizabeth played her role in whichever parish they were sent to.
During this time, their family grew in size, until in 1871, they found themselves all settling in the little seaside resort of Weymouth.
Thomas and Elizabeth had been blessed with six children in total, Robert Alexander (1854), Mary Grace (1856), John Mead (1858), Annie Louisa (1862), Charles Gaskell( 1864), and William Richardson (1867).
*Next week we complete this Victorian tale and hear about how disaster struck as the family settled into their new home.
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