History of the Subscription Rooms

Stroud's Subscription Rooms were built in 1832 when the town was growing and needed a place of entertainment and resort. Originally it was run by a Committee of shareholders and was used for many years for public meetings, concerts and assemblies.

A piece written for the Stroud Journal in 1869 tells the story of how and why it was built: -

"The idea of erecting a large and convenient public room originated at the time of the Reform bill and a meeting was held on August 28 1832, at which it was resolved to raise a sum of money in shares of £50 each, in order to carry out the object, and the shares being speedily subscribed for by 57 persons, five gentlemen were appointed trustees and five as a building committee. The land was bought of the assignees of C F Kendrick, a bankrupt, for £420, by a trust deed dated 6 November 1832.

In this deed it was declared that the intended building should be used as a place or places for public meetings or assemblies, for all lawful purposes and objects civil and religious (except as a chapel or place of worship) and as a library and reading rooms, and for other literary, philosophical and scientific object and purposes many of them as the Committee of Management for the time being should think fit, and in consideration of such payment by way of rent, hire or remuneration of such use as to the committee should deem reasonable and proper".

An eminent London architect, Mr Basseve, submitted plans for the structure free of charge and a budget of £2,500 was set for "completing, fitting-up, furnishing and fencing the building". However, the lowest estimate for its erection was £3,000, exclusive of furnishing. Eventually a contractor was found to erect the building, exclusive of furnishing, for £2,500.The foundation stone was laid on 9 March 1833.

"The building was completed in 1834 and there was considerable discussion as to the proper and most appropriate mode of opening it. It was at length decided to give a double concert, a sacred concert for the morning, and a secular one in the evening by artists then celebrated, from the works of composers then enjoying the greatest celebrity. A copy of the original handbill, which has been preserved, is now before us, and it may not be without interest to the present generation:

Opening of the
Stroud Subscription Rooms
The committee has the honour to announce
That the above ROOMS being completed,
A Grand Performance of Sacred Music
Will take place on MONDAY MORNING October 27th 1834
When will be performed a Selection from the most esteemed Works of
HANDEL, MARTINI, AVISON, HAYD, MOZART, GUGLIELMI, NOVELLO etc.
On the opening of the same day a
MISCELLANEOUS CONCERT
Of
VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Will take place consisting of the most Popular Novelties
PRINCIPAL VOCAL PERFORMERS
Miss WOODYATT
From the Nobilities Concerts London and Musical Festivals
MR. SAPIO AND MR. MACHIN
Principal Singers at the Royal Festival, Westminster Abbey
MR. BISHOP AND MR. MILLAR
First Tenor of the Theatre Royal English Opera House

A review of the "Grand Performance of Sacred Music, at the opening of the Subscription Rooms" appeared in the Stroud Journal in 1834.

"This improving town presented a scene of gaiety and bustle this morning, such as the oldest inhabitants never remember to have witnessed. The first families of distinction from every part of the county and neighbourhood poured in, with their superb equipages, to be present at the opening of the new suite of Rooms. These are very tasteful, commodious, and even splendid, and will do more to increase the prosperity of the town than the most sanguine among the promoters of the speculation are aware of."

Thirty-five years later, in 1869, more renovation work took place. The following piece from the Stroud Journal written in December 1869 will certainly strike a chord today!

"The handsome building known as the Subscription Rooms, has - as the habitants have been quite aware from the public inconvenience thereby entailed - been closed for the last six or eight months for the purpose of undergoing thorough renovation. It must be confessed that the building was not "put into dock" before it was absolutely necessary, for the dingy appearance and dilapidated condition of the large room had become notorious... Complaints have been made of the slowness of the progress made, and the time occupied in fitting up the room - during which there has been no place for a public meeting or for an entertainment of any pretensions; but those who make the complaint have no idea of the labour and the amount of details involved, and the time necessarily consumed in such very delicate decorative work."

The improvements included the erection of a portico in front of the building to provide a covered carriageway where concertgoers could set down. The level of the entrance hall was lowered and the pavement replaced with "beautiful Mosaic tile work". A flight of steps was built from the rear of the building in Threadneedle Street to the first floor to facilitate exit of the building. The Ballroom was re-decorated under the supervision of an eminent London decorator with all the work being carried out by local tradesmen:

The old dinginess and dirt have been replaced by beauty and brightness. A mass of harmonious colouring is presented to the eye on entering, as chaste as it is rich... A great change has been effected in the addition of a number of elegantly designed pilasters between the windows and at the ends of the room. The painting and decoration is a work of high art, and has an exquisitely chaste appearance".

Ownership of the building passed from the Committee to the Stroud Subscription Rooms Limited in the 1920s and the building was extended twice earlier this century/ The Subscription Rooms has continued to play the role of main venue ever since, mainly in private hands, and many Stroud residents remember the Saturday night dances which played such a big part in their lives.

On 31 March 1961 a group called the Beatles, virtually unknown outside their hometown of Liverpool, played in the Subscription Rooms. The event was booked through a London company called Cana Variety Agency, whose director, John Fallon, and a colleague, Bill Fraser Reid organised dances in the West Country. The partnership between J Fallon and B Fraser Reid was called JAYBEE. The Beatles played in four Jaybee Clubs: The Subscription Rooms, Stroud, Mcllroy's Ballroom, Swindon, Lydney Town Hall and Salisbury City Hall. Although they had performed hundreds of times in 1962, The Beatles had played on only eight occasions outside the Liverpool and Hamburg areas. Apparently, Stroud was not too impressed with the Liverpool group because on a return visit six months later, less than half the audience came back! The Beatles released their first single "Love me do" in October the following year and went on to conquer the world.

Stroud Urban District Council bought the Subscription Rooms in 1960. The venue has continued to house concerts, meetings and events of all kinds, and in the late 1980's also became the permanent home of the District Tourist Information Centre.