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| Holyoake Hall |
Holyoake Hall is in Wavertree where Allerton Road joins Smithdown Road and was built for Liverpool Co-op between 1913-14. It was one of their flagship buildings and was named after George Jacob Holyoake, a revered writer about co-operatives and a champion of their efforts. It is situated opposite the tram sheds on Smithdown Road and is about 200 yards from Penny Lane and it is the closest 'The Beatles' ever played to that famous landmark.
'The Beatles' performed for the first time there on the 15th of July 1961, with their second show taking place one week later, on the 22nd of July 1961. They were paid the sum of £12 for each performance with Bob Wooler acting as compere and DJ. 'The Quarrymen' had also played there several times in 1958. During the skiffle boom in 1957-58 the hall was used to hold regular Skiffle auditions and Rod Davis, banjo player with 'The Quarrymen' remembers them playing here on several occasions during this period. Ironically, Bob Wooler had accidentally bumped into George Harrison and Paul McCartney at the bus stop opposite the Holyoake in the mid-1950's and offered them a date at the club, which they had to decline because they had no regular drummer at that time.
One of the few venues in the city which could be rented, allowing people to put on jive and rock 'n roll events, and, with a capacity of approx. 400, weekly dances were held there by Wavertree promoter Wally Hill's company 'Peak Promotions' but unfortunately, similar to other venues at the time, it was the scene of violent fights with teams of between 11 and 16 'bouncers' needed to be employed. Wally Hill had previously been the assistant manager at The Rialto Ballroom, Toxteth and despite the vicious fighting that rock 'n roll brought with it, he could see that there was money to be made here. So he started at the Winter Gardens in Garston, opposite the police station although the police didn't get involved in the territorial issues that ensued. Wally's wife, Mickey Hill said, " I used to take the studded belts off them as they went up the stairs. We weighed one once and it was seven pounds. It was like the western films where you see a row of gun-belts in the saloon. Some of them were very heavy."
Gerry Marsden of 'Gerry and the Pacemakers' remembers Holyoake Hall as having a grand stage, a big beautiful sprung dance floor the kids could enjoy and elegant columns in the ballroom on the second floor that supported an upstairs balcony. Many of the Merseybeat bands preferred to play Holyoake Hall above the other venues. Patrons gained access by climbing a long flight of stone steps from the entrance at the side of the building on Blenheim Road.
One can only wonder that if Brian Epstein had seen The Beatles first perform here instead of at The Cavern whether this would have become the world renowned venue that The Cavern became?
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| A publicity picture for Derry and the Seniors taken at Holyoake Hall in 1961
L-R: Derry, Howie, Frank Wibberly, Brian Griffiths (later in the Big Three),
Freddie Starr (to play the Star-Club with the Midnighters), and Phil 'Spread'
Whitehead. |
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