Some photos of the Floral Hall in its heyday and now it lies derelict and decaying. Why doesnt the Council save this beautiful building and restore it to its former glory. Quote from: Taggart 009 on October 19, 2006, 08:46:34 PM Actually if anyone can find any old history on the Floral Hall and when it was built I would love it. The company who built it was J & R. W. Taggart Building Contractors. I would love any old pictures of its opening etc that might contain a picture of Joseph Taggart . He was my Dad. I got a picture and an article from the Northern Whig and Belfast Post, Tuesday may 5th 1936. OPENING OF HAZELWOOD FLORAL HALL Completion of Citys Playground - Triumph Over Difficulties. Belfasts new £15,000 amenity, the Floral Hall at Hazelwood was officially opened yesterday by the Lord Mayor, Sir Crawford McCullagh. The hall, which has a commanding site, is the answer to a long felt desire to complete the citys playground and to provide an entertainment hall similar in beauty and usefulness to those of the pleasure resorts across the Channel. There was a large and representative attendance at the opening ceremony, and the occasion was, as the Lord Mayor described it, a milestone in the history of the undertaking. Councillor R. J. R. Harcourt (Chairman of the Tramways Committee) presided and he was supported by the Lord Mayor; Alderman G. R. Black, JP, High Sheriff; Alderman W. J. Chambers; Councillor R. Lambe (Deputy Chairman of the Tramways Committee) together with members and officials of the Council. Among those present was Mr R. M. Callaway, the Corporations Publicity Manager, who made the journey from Bridlington to attend and returned last night. Mr Callaway will return to Belfast on May 20th to take up his new duties. Councillor Harcourt said it was a proud moment for him to preside at the opening of the new hall. They had had many difficulties from the beginning of the scheme and he thought everyone would agree that the Committee had successfully overcome them. In the past all concerts and entertainment had to be held in the open air. He expressed the appreciation of the Committee at the presence of the Lord Mayor. On every occasion they had anything at Bellevue or Hazelwood Sir Crawford was prepared to go to a great deal of trouble to offer his services to them. I think, he added, we are very fortunate as a Corporation and as a city in having our good friend, Sir Crawford McCullagh, as Lord Mayor. Councillor Harcourt referred to Sir William Turner, and said the members of the Corporation were sorry he was not with them. He was pleased to see Lady Turner and her daughter present. To Sir William they wished to convey the message that every member regretted his decision to leave them and hoped he would soon be restored to good health. The Chairman congratulated the contractors, Messrs J. & R. W. Taggart, on a very fine job. Another Milestone The Lord Mayor described the ceremony as another milestone in a great undertaking. It was true that there were many difficulties to overcome; indeed at one time it was suggested that the scheme should be abandoned altogether. But the Committee showed determination and wisdom in proceeding and now they had the finished article, set in beautiful surroundings. Sir Crawford referred to the difficulties in connection with the Corporations water undertaking at Mourne, and stated at one point certain sections of the public demanded that the scheme should be abandoned, but it was there that the true Belfast grit came in, with the result that today they had one of the finest schemes in the Kingdom and everyone was delighted with it. He recalled the critisism of the Bellevue scheme, and stated that the people who had criticised it had lived to see the scheme a success. They had a hall there, said the Lord Mayor, that would meet all requirements. The building belonged to the city and private enterprise could not have done it. Now there was an amenity for that section of the community that could not afford to go away in motor cars; they could go up to Hazelwood and spend as long as they liked there. For the women and children particularly it would be of benefit. Some people claimed it would not pay. He hoped it would. After all in a great city like Belfast they could not measure anything in cold figures. They had a tramways undertaking that meant that people could go there for a small sum, and when they arrived they found something thay could not get elsewhere. Was that not worth something, asked the Lord Mayor. CASTLE DEVELOPMENT Referring to the Bellevue scheme, Sir Crawford said he did not know how far the Tramways Committee intended to go with it. There was a castle not far away and he always looked at the castle as he passed along the Antrim Road, for it certainly was a great asset to the scenic charms of the neighbourhood. He hoped the Tramways Committee would get busy and see on what lines they could develop to make one great scheme as far as the castle and extending on the other side. Sir Crawford congratulated the Tramways Committee, the architect (Mr D. Boyd) for the beauty of his work, the builders, and everyone who had done their share in the scheme. The Lord Mayor hoped that when visitors came to the city they would not just go to the City Hall as the show place of Belfast, but would be taken to Bellevue and Hazelwood. There the city had something to show them, and they would go away delighted with what they saw. A vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor for performing the ceremony was proposed by Councillor Lambe. Councillor Joseph Maguire seconded, stating that had it not been for the advice and guidance of Sir Crawdord Bellevue would not be the attraction it was today. The Lord Mayor was presented with a golden souvenir key by a representative of the contracting firm. There was a splendid reception for the first performance of The Town Topics presented on the stage after the opening ceremony by George Sharat. The artists were George Sharat (comedian), May Williams (piano accordionist), Frank Hull (the dancing humorist), Joyce Hope (speciality dances), Andrew Reid (baritone), Frank Hull and Annette Long (comedy duettists), the Topics Girls and Lily and Eva White in dances. The performances will be twice daily at 2.30 and 7.30. White Domed Building. The contract for the new hall was given to Messrs J. & R. W. Taggart, of Belfast, the drawings being prepared by Mr D. W. Boyd, MRIAI. The scheme was supervised by the City Surveyor and Engineer, Mr R. B. Donald, M. Inst. C. E. The Floral Hall is an imposing white domed building nesting in the sheltered area of the Hazelwood Estate. The hall will not only make a fine concert room and theatre but also a splendid ballroom. On plan it is a circle having a diameter of 85 feet, and the floor area is not obstructed by a single pillar. The roof is domed and partly filled with glass, and on the eastern side a row of white wondows face the sweeping vista of Belfast Lough. The floor space seats 1,000 people comfortably. The front entrance, over which there is a portico, leads into a crush hall containing pay boxes and cloakrooms. Two staircases rise from the hall, one leading to a small balcony and the other to a cafe. The ground floor cafe is on the east side of the hall and occupies an outer strip of the circle and about one third of its radius. The stage opposite the main entrance measures 30 feet by 25 and is 22 feet high. At the back of it is a green room, two dressing rooms for men and two for women. A basement below the stage contains a chair store and a heating chamber. The small balcony seats 50 people, and above this there is a projection room for cinema or special lighting apparatus. Off the balcony is a lounge. Along the side of the hall and outside it there is a concrete space with glass roof for use as a public shelter. MESSRS J. & R. W. TAGGART The new hall represents another of the big contracting schemes successfully carried through by Messrs J. & R. W. Taggart, of Hopefield Avenue, Belfast. There is ample evidence in Northern Ireland, and particularly in Belfast itself, of the standard of the firms work, for their many larger schemes are the Cavehill Road housing estate and the Oldpark estate at present under construction. A great number of schools have been built by this firm. In connection with the new hall the structural framework is of steel and the outer surface of shell reinforced concrete. The colour scheme in the main hall is done in gold and pale blue and the material of the walling is dovedale stone. The crush hall presents a charming picture in tangerine. The various other rooms in the hall and the cafes and balconies are all beautifully finished, and the whole is a fitting testimony to the skill of the contractors. GEORGE MCCARTNEY & CO. All the electrical equipment for the Floral Hall has been supplied by Messrs George McCartney & Co. of Great Victoria Street. The firm has a reputation soundly laid in recent years. Among their more important assignments was similar work in connection with the Royal Courts of Justice, Telephone House, the R. U. C. Depot at Enniskillen and many schools and churches in Northern Ireland. At present the firm is engaged at the new Bangor cinema. In addition to specialising in this work George McCartney & Co. has a large wirelass department and stock goods from all the leading manufacturers. TREVOR C. THOMAS A visitor to the new hall cannot fail to be impressed with the furnishing effests and the added decorations that gave such a gay touch to yesterdays opening ceremony. All the furnishing has been carried out by Mr Trevor C. Thomas, of 34, Arthur Street. This firm also supplied tab curtains, curtain flies, the window curtains, linoleums and the furnishings for all the dressing rooms. The bunting and flags with which the hall is so gaily bedecked are the products of this well known firm also. MESSRS WILLIAMS AND WATSON LTD. Close examination of the more detailed qualities of the new hall reveals the remarkable neat nature and finish of the many windows. All the metal framed windows in the hall are the products of Messrs Williams and Watson Ltd., of 77-79, Victoria Street, Liverpool. The firm specialises in this work, which, in the case of the Floral Hall, upholds a reputation for high quality craftsmanship, associated with Messrs Williams and Watson for many years. MESSRS MATTAZONI & CO. The contract for the terrazzo work in the hall wes in the capable hands of Messrs Mattazoni and Co., of 26a, Madrid Street, Belfast. This firm, specialists in marble and terrazzo work, has built up an enviable reputation in Northern Ireland by the specialised manner in which they carry out all contracts entrusted to them.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 19:59:46 +0000
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