Church Street, Marley Hill Miner’s Welfare Hall

Built in the 1930s. A brown brick, twin bayed miner's institute with a hint of art deco. DESCRIPTION /
This former miners’ welfare hall has a rather severe, solid, military appearance, with classic 1930s simple geometric detailing and tight vertical emphasis to fenestration. It is constructed in brown brick to the front and red to the rear, with idiosyncratic clay tile detail - above doors and columns to the 2 forward bays, and on windowsills. Most of the original windows remain, although some have been replaced with plastic. Again, the original hopper heads are still in situ attached to plastic rainwater goods. The hipped roof is covered in Welsh slate with terracotta ridge tiles, although the plans proposed clay tiles. It is very evocative of its era, and suits the bleak, gritty atmosphere of the settlement well. The design included a large central hall appropriate for functions and performances, floored in oak, with a stage, chair storage under, and dressing rooms. The supper and card room, off, was supplied by a kitchen. To the front, the left entrance reached the library facilities, and the right anterooms to the hall, with cloakrooms and toilets. Above were games, billiards and committee rooms. It is unusual in that all its original internal features (except the heating) remain. No architraves were to be fitted to the windows, with only angle beads and plaster above the dado, but there was panelling below, and terrazzo floors to each lobby. MATERIALS Brown brick, slate, clay tiles ARCHITECT S J Stephenson esq.
(2 Saville Place, Newcastle)
BUILDERS Shield Brothers (Clavering Works, Swalwell) DATES 1936
Plans 1931 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Opened by Duke & Duchess of York 21/07/36, shortly before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, it replaced the old institute and reading room in Post Office Row. LOCAL LIST