The first podcast in a micro-series, commissioned by Hall For Cornwall with journalist Karen Pirie. In the first episode, hear from BBC Radio Cornwall DJ and former Front Of House Manager Debbie McCrory. Listen to her tales of scandal, intrigue and backstage gossip with a whole host of stars who have graced Hall For Cornwall’s stage over the years. Series recorded pre-Covid.
The second podcast in a micro-series, commissioned by Hall For Cornwall with journalist Karen Pirie. In the second episode, hear from an impressive trio who frequently work together at Hall For Cornwall. Actor Ed Rowe, Director Simon Harvey and musical director Richard Healey. Hear their discussion of their hopes for the future of the theatre, what they enjoy about working together and what Cornwall can offer by way of support for the creative industries. Series recorded pre-Covid.
The third podcast in a micro-series, commissioned by Hall For Cornwall with journalist Karen Pirie. In the third episode, Karen interviews Hall For Cornwall CEO Julien Boast and theatre advocate and loyal friend of the theatre, Sue Ferguson. Hear their thoughts on the transformation of the hall and exciting plans for the future. Series recorded pre-Covid.
The first in a series of four animated oral histories, depicting people’s memories of life in Truro and the influence that City Hall / Hall For Cornwall has had to their lives. Episode one features lifelong Truro resident John McLoughlin who has many a tale to tell of life at City Hall’s famous Fatstock markets as well as life as a Hall For Cornwall volunteer.
The second in a series of four animated oral histories, depicting people’s memories of life in Truro and inside City Hall / Hall For Cornwall. Episode Two features an interview with Bryan Churcher who has been integral in Hall For Cornwall’s transformation as part of the Appeal Group and a past chair of the Fundraising Group. Hear him share the story of his parent’s marriage at Truro Cathedral and the experience of holidaying in Cornwall before relocating to the county and his support of a wide range of charitable fundraising projects.
The third in a series of four animated oral histories, depicting people’s memories of life in Truro at City Hall and Hall For Cornwall. Episode Three features an interview with Roger Heayn who’s life is utterly entwined with Truro and the buildings of Lemon Quay. Hear his memories of WWII in Truro and the experiences of being a school boy in Truro during a bomb explosion.
The fourth in a series of four animated oral histories, depicting people’s memories of life in Truro at City Hall and Hall For Cornwall. Episode four features the story of Christine Holmes who volunteered at the Hall For Cornwall from its beginnings in 1997, right up until it’s final performance prior to transformation in 2018.
When the war ended I was working along River Street. The fire station rang its signal and I threw myself to the ground and I remember thinking how silly I was to have done that. I remember the war well, the incendiary bombs falling all around. My mother rarely let us leave the house, at that time though I remember we went to the Regent Cinema, where they had open grate fires and they ironed the snooker tables before people played on them, and when we were allowed out, we’d head down to find winkles at Newham, boil them and pick them out with a pin.. This one time I remember my mother took us up to the park up at Hendra and we heard a noise and Mum said ‘It’s the Gerries’, so we ran into the public toilets and I remember all the windows smashing, the noise and the chaos of it. Mr Dexter, who was in the AA – you always saluted when you saw him coming – came and collected us and I remember we went up past Fairmantle Street where there was a house of one of my mother’s friends where a bomb had come right down through her sitting room. Sobering it was and I was glad when it was over.
My husband used to click his heels together when he asked you to dance. He wore spare collars and his shoes always shone and he was handsome as the day was long. I first met him at the Red Lion Hotel at the bottom of Lemon Street. If you had money you’d drink out front, and if you were one of the common people you’d drink out the back, sitting on the barrels – that’s where we’d go. A lot of people didn’t have money in those days, but we had comradeship and we enjoyed that. Everybody was in the same boat. He didn’t know anyone at that time, being German, and he went to the Red Lion to meet people, and though I’d seen him there a couple of times I didn’t know him at all. He asked me if I’d like to go to the City Hall for a dance. I was about eighteen or nineteen, but I told him I’d have to ask my mum. Anyway, I went to a dance with him and it went on from there. He’d gone into the German army at eighteen and he was two years interred on Guernsey before they moved him over to Cornwall. He came over on the boat and he lived in these Nissen Huts up by the hospital and from there they were put out to work on farms. They were taken out in lorries to the different farms and he was taken out to a farm at Comprignay Hill. After the war, he stayed on and moved into a tied cottage behind the big house. There were lions on the gateposts and it was a grand place but when I saw his rooms I thought it was terrible, up these rickety steps and he was living above where the stables used to be. All up one end was his bed and there wasn’t much else there aside from that. When we decided to marry, we had to write to Germany just so they could be sure he had never been married before. We had four sons. There’s not a thing I regret about it. We didn’t have much but we enjoyed what we had, and whenever he asked me to dance with him, he’d click his heels together and it took me right back to when I met first him and that first dance.
I always liked singing when I was young. I used to sing in school at playtime and we had little shows outside the back of our house, by the garage, put a dress on and act and stuff – it was our own entertainment. I used to love tap dancing, but you had to pay for the lessons and we could never have afforded them. We just didn’t have the money for it and those things were out of reach for us. I wanted to be in a dramatic show, but I always felt they were too posh for me, so I never even tried for one. There was one show – Bits and Pieces it was called – there was a comedian and singers, dancing, different things on. There was a woman who was supposed to sing, but she was taken ill and they said, well could you do it, Joan? I said, I don’t know but I’ll give it a go. I remember having a photograph taken of me in a lovely dress – it was green, a satin dress. I was a poor singer though. In the end I sang ‘Blue Moon’ first and then I sang that old Irish song ‘I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen’. I’d never been on the stage before and they threw me right in at the deep end. I couldn’t run fast enough. I stuck it out though. Oh, I will take you back, Kathleen To where your heart will feel no pain And when the fields are fresh and green I’ll take you to your home again!