The Drill Hall was built around 1890 and was paid for by Mr Joseph Ruston who gave it to the city. This was 125 years ago. Therefore this building is rich in history!
The space has a varied history involving; war, politics, entertainment, health and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
In 1999 the hall closed due to electrical faults and was only reopened in 2004.
The hall, has played host to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in the 1960’s and was a site of military discipline up until the second world war. It also became a hospital in the early 20th century and has been used as a roller disco through the 1970’s/80’s.
During our tour we were able to visit the Cellars. In the second cellar, there were ‘Morris Tunnels’. This was quite eerie as they have remained virtually untouched for many years with the acceptation of new light fixtures. You could almost here the sounds of gunfire. The room had a strange smell to it too, rather musky.
We also went into a small courtyard which we were told had once belonged to the caretaker of the drill hall. Hearing about how this lady would use the courtyard and the little flat where she lived was extremely interesting. I was trying to imagine how this site looked when she lived there.
However, what has most interested me about this site is “The Room Upstairs”. Unfortunately we were unable to go up there today, however we were told that it was once the sergeants mess and the chimney breast is stained an orange colour from the nicotine that has been used up there through the many years of the Drill Hall standing. In the bar area we noticed two plaques commemorating the soldiers who died in the first world war. One of these plaques had nine names of upper-ranked soldiers who had lost their lives. I thought this linked nicely with the sergeants mess as these nine men would’ve probably been the ones to use that room. If the walls could talk then they would have some brilliants stories to tell about these men and their lives.
I have many questions about many areas of the site, all focusing on two main ‘stories’ of interest: The hospital setting and the sergeants mess.
The Hospital: Why was there a need for this hospital? Who were the nurses and doctors who worked there? Who were the patients? What was the building like when it was being used as a hospital? When exactly was this?
The Sergeants mess: Who were these men? What were their lives like? How did they die? Where did they die? What happened in that room? What did the room look like?
As well as these questions I would also like to know, what was where the drill hall is before the hall was built? what are any future plans for the drill hall? Who use it now?
The ‘front’ of the Drill Hall.
The Courtyard and Caretakers flat.