Town Hall: A History in Pictures

Birmingham’s magnificent Town Hall has hosted events of every kind and variety since it was built in 1834. Now re-opened and handsomely renovated, this fascinating pictorial history of the Hall recalls many of the astonishing events and occasions that it has witnessed. They range from royal visits by Queen Victoria and subsequent monarchs, outsize banquets and usage in wartime, to legendary speakers including Charles Dickens and the many famous personalities of each decade, even a riot.

Compiled by Fiona Fraser and Lyndon Jenkins, the Hall’s amazingly rich musical history is traced from the days when Mendelssohn, Dvorak and Elgar conducted their new works in person, through appearances by every important international musician of subsequent decades. Of special fascination are the pictures that re-live the ‘fifties and ‘sixties phenomena of all night jazz, rock and roll, and concerts by many famous rock and pop stars heralded by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones right up to the Hall’s temporary closure in 1996.

Available from Town Hall and Symphony Hall.
Price £12 (paperback), £18.50 (hardback)

The book can be obtained via our mail order service (postage and packing costs apply), please contact THe SHop on 0121 200 2382 for further details.

Town Hall and Symphony Hall Gifts

You can view some sample pages of Town Hall: A History in Pictures in the pdf below