It was a fine sunny day on the 1st of April 1925, where at 1.30 prompt, soldiers and sailors adorned with medals and decorations, VADs, dignitaries, townspeople of all ages and parties from around the county, assembled outside the Town Hall, to form the most magnificent parade along the length of Market Street and beyond.
They had gathered that day as a mark of respect, to march at the appointed time through Aberaeron to South Road, for the official opening of the town’s new Memorial Hall, built to honour the fallen of Aberaeron during the Great War.
A halt was called outside the Hall, where with military precision at precisely 2 o’clock, with a silver key, Mr Rhys Hopkin Morris MP, unlocked the door and amid a cheering crowd, formally declared the Aberaeron Memorial Hall open. This was followed by a service of Memorial, the first official gathering in the Hall.
The Hall was built by local public subscription, registered as a charity and opened to commemorate and provide an ‘enduring monument’ to the brave men of the community, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War. It also provides the same sad testament to those who subsequently fell in the Second World War, and all their names are inscribed on two tablets in the Hall’s foyer.
It is worth remembering that before the Hall could be built and all the pomp and ceremony of the opening day taking place, a suitable location for the building of the Hall had to be decided upon.
In their infinite wisdom, the Executive Committee and the architect produced a report of seven suitable sites for the Hall and asked the locals to choose by way of a X on a ballot paper, next to their preferred option. The ballot box would then be opened and the site with the most votes would be the Hall’s location. It goes to show that certain things change little over time, especially planning matters, as the choosing of the site seemed to be the only aspect to cause friction and differences of opinion during the whole building process. The ballot box was opened with South Road being the preferred site chosen by a democratic vote, and what a good choice they made.
During this time there were few facilities in the area, so the Hall provided a dual purpose of not only serving as a Memorial, but also satisfying the long felt desire to have a large hall suitable for public gatherings.
The Hall was regarded then, as it is now by the locals, as a ‘valuable asset’ to the town. Since its inception, it has become a great deal more than a symbol of memorial; it has become a much vaunted, cherished and integral part of Aberaeron, serving the community and surrounding area with great dignity. As Winston Churchill said: ‘We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us’.
It is intriguing to consider the huge variety of events that have occurred in this marvellous building over the last hundred years, and how many differing, important and glamorous celebrations have taken place, including such significant milestones as VE Day; how many hours of films have been watched in the Hall cinema, how many dances, parties, concerts and plays have been enjoyed or even endured! And, for a small-town Memorial Hall, it punches way above its weight in attracting eminent names who have performed on stage over the years; world famous opera stars such as Sir Geraint Evans, Leah Marian Jones and Jason Howard; pop groups Mungo Jerry and The Searchers and celebrities such as veteran comedian Stan Stennett, writer and broadcaster Roy Noble, film star Huw Garmon, TV presenter and singer Isla Sinclair, folk singer and radio presenter Frank Hennessy and West End star Peter Karrie, to name but a few. And the Hall continues to impress, as this year, as part of the centenary celebrations, the stage will be graced by The Band of the Welsh Guards, the award winning Goodwick Brass Band, acclaimed musician Rhys Taylor and his band and last but not least, internationally renowned harpist and musician Catrin Finch.
Since day one, the Memorial Hall has always been managed by the selfless devotion and considerable time given by a local volunteer management committee. The Hall is still entirely self-funding and totally dependent on donations, legacies, the hiring of the facilities and the fund-raising activities of the management committee and Friends of the Hall.