Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall
| Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall | |
|---|---|
| Newbridge Memorial Hall and Institute | |
 |
|
| Alternative names | Newbridge Memo |
| General information | |
| Location | Meredith Terrace, Newbridge |
| Address | Newport NP11 4FH |
| Town or city | Newbridge |
| Country | UK |
| Coordinates | 51°40′51″N 03°08′52″W / 51.68083°N 3.14778°WCoordinates: 51°40′51″N 03°08′52″W / 51.68083°N 3.14778°W |
| Completed | 1908 |
| Renovated | 1924, 2010s |
| Cost | £6,000 (1908) + £10,000 (1924) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | Countless |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
R. L. Roberts (1908), E. D. T. Jenkins (1924) |
| Website | |
| newbridge-memo.co.uk | |
The Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall (The Institute and Memo) is an historical Miners' institute, Working men's club and multi-purpose community centre in Newbridge in South Wales which includes a memorial to those from the town who died in the World War I and World War II. It also houses a library, reading rooms, an art deco cinema, a Sprung floor dance floor and a theatre. The Hall was built in 1908 and in 1924 the Memorial Hall was added. The whole project was paid for from small contributions from the local miners.
The history of this community centre began when a group of local miners created a committee for the improvement of social conditions of miners in Newbridge in 1898. This committee occupied a room in the Beaufort Arms hotel in Bridge Street and later two rooms in a coffee tavern. Coal was vital to the economy and industry of Great Britain and the Newbridge miners wanted to improve themselves in a world where the labour force was becoming more and more important. The miners committee moved to more spacious premises when the proprietor of a coffee shop in the village allocated two rooms in the institution.
A Workmen's institute was necessary to create greater social cohesion and other educational and leisure activities and the committee secured the freehold site for £300. Community members W.N.Jones, V.Phillips, H.Badge and H.J.Thomas were of crucial importance in this process. The Newbridge Workingman's Institute building was constructed by a commissioned architect R. L. Roberts. It was officially opened in 1908 by Mr. John Beynon the owner of the Celynen Colliery.
In this building were: an extensive library, billiards room with four tables, a committee room and a reading room.
In October 1914 the British Army entered the First World War and Newbridge delivered on front line coal and soldiers. Demobilisation was passed in November 1920 but of course not all the town's young men returned home. Newbridge decided to construct a memorial to those who had lost their lives in 'the war to end all wars'. The memorial's contractor was Ewart Evans and it cost about £10,000. The building was erected under the oversight of by E. D. T. Jenkins (architect) and opened in 1924; local residents nicknamed it the 'Memo'. In this building were: a picture house and stage on the upper floor, with a dancehall, along with dressing room facilities, on the lower floor. After the Second World War the 'Memo' also became a monument to victims of that war too.
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