Memories of Sheffield City Hall

[Sheffield City Hall 10]

Hello,

 

We're having an Heritage Open Day at Sheffield City Hall on Saturday 11 September.

 

As part of this we'd like to know if you have any fond memories of Sheffield City Hall. Could be an amazing gig you went to, the time you got picked on in the Last Laugh Comedy Club, a hazy drunken night in the Ballroom or your graduation ceremony-anything and everything.

 

We're going to use the memories as part of an exhibition on Heritage Day so please share them with us.

 

Many Thanks

[cryptic1 10]

Memories ?? Well as someone who attended wrestling shows in the late 60's and went on to go to almost every show at the Oval Hall in the 70's - from Slade to The Vienna Boys Choir, met my wife and most of my friends there .... my main memories are being kept waiting in the wind, snow and rain for an hour after the doors should have opened - almost every night. Door staff looking down their noses at everyone, and bouncers who made sure no one enjoyed anything. Afraid The City Hall leaves a sour taste in my mouth even now.

[Billy Casper 10]

Me and my band actually played at the city hall, great gig, loved it! Staff were great too...Fantastic venue, hope to be again someday!

[lakerman 16]

cryptic 1,

 

Can I ask you a question?

After stating all the reasons you say that left a sour taste in your mouth when thinking about the City Hall, How come it took you so long to realise this?

You went to a hell of a lot of shows and must have spent a fortune before you finally decided it was not the place for you!

[BrianE 10]

Deep Purple, 1971. Came out with my ears on fire .Fantastic.

[hazel 11]

The City Hall

 

 

I went to the City Hall today

I’ll tell you about it if I may.

we all went to town

dressed in white, pink and brown

silver shoes in a bag by the way.

 

We decided to go on the bus

Our OA pass was enough

to town we went free

Vera, Celia and me.

But Vera was lost in the rush

 

we went to a tea dance you see

The queue was as long as could be

They all pushed to get there

We hadn’t a prayer

We were new and polite, us three.

 

They were rushing to get the best table

It wasn’t as if we were able

To get there so quick

Vera’s knee gave her gyp

and I was almost disable.

 

Celia’s bunion was duly inspected

And Vera’s bandage knee was respected

And my Parkinson’s shake

Was not displayed for my sake

And I think we went by undetected.

 

Before Vera strutted her stuff

She had to pad the toes that were duff

She wrapped them in foam

Didn’t lower the tone

She knew she had used just enough

 

The music then started to play

And the couples they glided our way

Celia was dancing with Vera

And the songs were our era,

but the big bands were only hearsay.

 

Trevor and Betty were fun

They danced round the room and were done

After all they were older

And Trevor a soldier

Who fought in the war by gum..

 

Celia knew who was dancing with who

Of partners there was only a few

She watched a woman in pink

Claim a spare man who I think

I remember we spoke in the queue

 

 

We met a lady dripping in gold

She was shivering as if she was cold

It wasn’t her scene

She was new and not been

To the City Hall dances of old..

 

As they danced the years rolled away

And their bunions and knees were OK

Their jiving was good

Celia knew that she could

Cos she learnt it at camp USA.

 

All good things come to an end

When we arrived we followed the trend

About 10 flights of stairs

We were caught unawares

We were glad of the lift to ascend

 

So we all went home on the bus

The driver made a fuss of us

We chattered away

what a lovely day

we are all about 70 plus.

 

hazel

[Joanl 12]

Love that ^ Hazel..

 

My memories of the City Hall are:-

Going on the stage with the lions as part of the Sheffield Schools Choir in the mid fifties.

Going to the Halle Orchestra concerts in school time with the school.

Going to see Danny Kaye, again in school time with school.

 

When I left school, going to the dances on Friday nights, standing by the pillars inbetween dances and searching along the edge of the dance floor for my friend who I had lost sight of, owing to the fact that I always took my glasses off.

I can still remember the feel of those pillars, all knobbly and bobbly.

The age of innocence indeed.

[maxofe 10]

notre dame school prize giving night! not that i ever won one

 

motorhead, 1981/2/3? was deaf for a week!

[Alien52 10]

David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust tour in , I think ,1972. I sat just behind Lulu.

Black Crowes 1992.

[xenia 11]

I think the year was 1963, I was 17 yrs old and working as a waiter in the downstairs ballroom.

 

Upstairs there was a concert starring Helen Shapiro with a supporting cast amongst whom was a 4 piece bad from Liverpool.

 

Their record went to No 1 that day. They were staying in a nearby hotel. Barkers pool was a sea of screaming females.

 

A man came down and asked our manager if a couple of us could help in getting the band thru the crowd from the hotel into the side door of the city hall.

 

A lad called Vic and me volounteered and we went across to the hotel, entered a room and there met the four piece band from Liverpool. Vic and I took hold of our man and escorted him across the road and into the City Hall, some old commisionaires saw to the others.

 

It was a battle to ge them in and a bit scary. I never knew women could be so exited.

 

Later the man we escorted bought Vic and me a bottle of Double Diamond each.

 

And that, ladies and gentelmen of the Forum, is the night I met ;

 

 

Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas

 

A week earlier and it would have been the Beatles, but, life is like that.

[DUFFEMS 54]

I think the year was 1963, I was 17 yrs old and working as a waiter in the downstairs ballroom.

 

Upstairs there was a concert starring Helen Shapiro with a supporting cast amongst whom was a 4 piece bad from Liverpool.

 

Their record went to No 1 that day. They were staying in a nearby hotel. Barkers pool was a sea of screaming females.

 

A man came down and asked our manager if a couple of us could help in getting the band thru the crowd from the hotel into the side door of the city hall.

 

A lad called Vic and me volounteered and we went across to the hotel, entered a room and there met the four piece band from Liverpool. Vic and I took hold of our man and escorted him across the road and into the City Hall, some old commisionaires saw to the others.

 

It was a battle to ge them in and a bit scary. I never knew women could be so exited.

 

Later the man we escorted bought Vic and me a bottle of Double Diamond each.

 

And that, ladies and gentelmen of the Forum, is the night I met ;

 

 

Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas

 

A week earlier and it would have been the Beatles, but, life is like that.

 

Nowt wrong with Billy J.Kramer, was it "Little Children"?

[darra 10]

Nowt wrong with Billy J.Kramer, was it "Little Children"?

 

Just a thought but how would a song with that title be greeted in these days of political correctness?