IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Victoria Square, BOLTON, BL1 9TA

At the centre of the Town Hall, when it was opened in 1873, was the magnificent Large Hall - soon to be named the Albert Hall. This served as the heart of the Town's cultural life for over 100 years, hosting hundreds of concerts, shows, bazaars, exhibitions, and other events. On 14 November 1981 a devastating fire took hold of the Albert Hall. The Fire Service fought a long battle to contain the blaze, saving the rest of the Town Hall from total disaster. Sadly, although the walls of the Albert Hall retained their structural integrity, the roof collapsed and almost all of the plasterwork and fittings, including the Grand Organ, were completely destroyed. Given the shortcomings of the old Hall (the vast proportions and inflexibility of the space, coupled with notoriously poor acoustics caused by the very high ceiling had led to a slow decline in its popularity) it was decided not to restore it to its earlier state, but to create two new, complementary venues in the old space. This is the smaller, more intimate, Festival Hall on the lower level. A new, more adaptable (and acoustically pleasing) Albert Hall was created in the space above. http://www.boltonsmayors.org.uk/0-albert-halls.html shows pictures of the Albert Hall before the fire.

This Ceravezza marble bust of King Edward VII by George Frampton was funded by subscription and unveiled on 19 December 1912 in what was then the Albert Hall. It was one of the few artifacts to survive the Town Hall fire in 1981. Edward VII had opened Bolton Town Hall in 1873 whilst he was Prince of Wales.

This Ceravezza marble bust of King Edward VII by George Frampton was funded by subscription and unveiled on 19 December 1912 in what was then the Albert Hall. It was one of the few artifacts to survive the Town Hall fire in 1981. Edward VII had opened Bolton Town Hall in 1873 whilst he was Prince of Wales.

The floodlit clock tower of Bolton's Grade II* listed, Victorian Town Hall rising above the Christmas lights on the trees of Victoria Square.

List of volunteers including regiments.

Bolton Town Hall, the seat of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, the local government authority for the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England.