Hot Cross Buns 1909

A Drill Hall interior shot! Flash photography was very basic in 1909 and most interior pictures came out too dark. This newspaper image is an exception.

The portraits on the walls were of the great and good of the town who had been so instrumental in getting the hall built and paid for. Unfortunately I have not been able to trace where the portraits went. They were probably returned to the families when the hall was modernised in 1931.

This is the south west corner. The line of glazing you can see at the left was the ornamental internal door which led straight to the double doors to the Esplanade. The door behind the people is to under-stairs storage, where the stairs rose to the first floor front room.

All the bricks used in constructing the Drill Hall were very high quality, from the same firm which supplied bricks for No.10 Downing Street. Sidmothians had their pride!