Kingsthorpe Liberal and Radical Hall, Northampton

In June 2013, wandering the back streets of Northampton, I discovered Liberty Hall on Washington Street. It was a depot for an ice cream company and had once been a cinema:

But I suspect that Liberty Hall had a life before it became a cinema. A church mission hall perhaps? Or does its name point to a connection with the Liberal Party?

Indeed it does. Thanks to the wonders of the British Newspaper Archive, I can reveal that Liberty Hall began life as Kingsthorpe Liberal and Radical Hall.

Here's the Northampton Mercury for 20 August 1887:

Liberal and Radical Hall for Kingsthorpe 

Generous Offer by Lady Robinson

We are very pleased to be able to announce that Lady Robinson has generously offered the Kingsthorpe Liberal and Radical association a fine sight for building a Radical Hall, the only condition being that it is to be conveyed to trustees for liberal and radical uses.

Three pieces of land were offered to choose from and the site chosen by the Committee of the Association is a plot of ground with a frontage to Lincoln-street 

Things moved ahead rapidly. Here's the same paper for 26 November 1887:

The Proposed Radical Hall for Kingsthorpe

We have just had the pleasure of inspecting the plans which have been prepared Messrs. Dyer and Son, architects, for the Liberal and Radical Hall. We are very pleased, indeed, with them. The hall will be large, handsome, commodious structure, an ornament to the place, and every way suited to the requirements. 

It will have frontage to Lincoln-street and Washington-street. The names of these streets seem to be particularly appropriate, being called after two men whose labours for liberty the other side of the Atlantic have become historic. 

The hall will be of red brick, handsomely faced with white stone. It will constructed to possess excellent acoustic properties. Underneath the platform at the end of the room is kitchen, and accommodation for refreshment buffet. In addition to the hall and its adjuncts there is still left a good piece of ground, which may be useful at some future time.

The hall opened on 21 June 1888 - this notice appeared in the Northampton Mercury for 18 June:

There is a very full report on the opening in the Northampton Mercury for 23 June 1888 - Earl Granville stans should hurry to read it.

How long the building remained in Liberal hands is not clear. In my 2013 post I quoted a cinema history site:

Pictures were shown here as early as 1898, but on a temporary basis. The 1910 Kelly’s Guide to Northampton, lists it as Liberty Hall, secretary: Patrick Flynn. 

Writing in the August 1975 Cinema Theatre Association Bulletin, Marcus Eavis referred to it as the Kingsthorpe Picture Palace ‘definitely in business before December 1912’. Local sources also note it as Kingsthorpe Electric Palace, with an opening date of 21st October 1912.