Cinema
Over the years the Hall has supported many leisure activities including billiards, brass band concerts, and film nights.
Poster advertising film screenings at Tylorstown Welfare Hall and Institute, 1960
The Hall still retains the original projectors from the 1930s and plans to make these available to the public to view as part of a museum exhibition.
The Pictures
"The Hub of Tylorstown" - Tony Maz
According to local resident Tony Maz, the pictures, as they were colloquially known, was the only place offering affordable family entertainment six days a week.
He then goes on to describe how he could afford entrance to the pictures, sweets, a lollypop or ice cream and a bag of chips all for two shillings.
In the picture hall itself, Tony recalls the thick clouds of smoke that used to float high above the audience.
"Back then everybody smoked. If you went upstairs, you had to look through this cloud of smoke which was pierced by the projectionist lamp and the images that were being portrayed onto the screen. It's something people of today would never, ever experience... It was a wonderful memory. Something that we experienced and I know that my children and my grandchildren would never, ever experience".
View of the Hall's balcony and ceiling, July 2021
Betty Gosling, a former employee of the hall, recounts a typical day selling ice-creams and how takings increased substantially during her tenure. Prior to Betty's arrival at the Hall, a minute book entry for 1938 reveals that on one occasion, 'owing to the slowness of sale', left over choc ices were distributed among the staff.
Finance Committee Meeting, 29th June 1938
Betty then goes on to recall how often films were shown and describe how queues would extend up the road when a popular film was being screened.
View from the Projection Room, July 2021
Terry Williams, local resident and long-time patron of the Hall, also recalls how busy the pictures used to get.
He then goes on to recall how schools would bring groups of children to the cinema once a year.
Concerts and Shows
In addition to regular film screenings, the Hall has also hosted concerts, school shows and Eisteddfods. In recent years, the Hall has also provided a practice space and performance venue for Pendyrus Male Voice Choir and Tylorstown Brass Band.
Photograph of Tylorstown Band and Choir
Photograph of School Concert
Concert ticket for an evening of Italian Opera at Tylorstown Welfare Hall and Institute, 1953
Programme for Tylorstown's Fifth Annual Chair Eisteddfod, 1950
Photograph of Tylorstown Co-operative Children's Choir, c. 1952
Volunteer and trustee of the hall, Eva Thomas, was a member of the Tylorstown Co-operative Children's Choir during the 1950s and remembers winning the Eisteddfod in Aberystwyth:
"I think the whole of Tylorstown was so thrilled that we'd won it... Out of all the choirs that were up there, it was Tylorstown that done it".
Below are a selection of the records relating to the Hall's role as a performance venue and cinema.
