Ladies’ fitness class and the Duke of Kent, Kingstanding Community Hall, late 1930s
Late 1930s · Kings Road
Ladies fitness class in Kingstanding Community Association Hall in the late 1930s. The Duke of Kent is far left. Copyright Brian Scott.
The Community Hall, at the corner of Kings Road and Kingstanding Road, was opened by the Lord Mayor in January 1933 after a public appeal by the Perry Standing Community Association. The Voices of Kingstanding page describes it as “the main social and educational focus for Kingstanding residents throughout the early years on the estate.”
Brian Scott remembers it as “the cultural centre of Kingstanding”. His mother belonged to “The Helping Hand”, which gave comforts to soldiers; after Dunkirk in 1940 soldiers “brought directly from Dover” were assembled at the hall, “and I remember my mother going down and dispensing tea and sandwiches for them.”
In Voices: “Tea for the men back from Dunkirk” (Brian Scott)
Local memories
What people who knew this place have said about it, in their own words. These are memories, not checked facts.
“I remember going to Sunday school at the community hall when I was about 9 or 10 … the group leader was a Mrs Woodcock who used to call at all of our houses in Atlantic Rd and march us there. I also remember going to dances there on a Sunday night, I think it was known as “The Happy Circle”. I also remember that they used to have a whole week of plays by all the local dramatic societies.”
“Can anyone recall my sister Shirley as Aladdin and Beryl Bates as the Principal Girl in a production of the panto Aladdin in around 1949/50 ish at Kingstanding Community Centre? We had many happy hours rehearsing, with the chorus practising their steps.”
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