Free Trade Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England, was for many years a focal point for public debate and cultural activity in the city. Built near the site of the notorious 1819 Peterloo Massacre, on what is today Peter Street (formerly St. Peters Fields), it has historically been seen as a symbol of free trade and the wealth that it helped to generate for Manchester during the Industrial Revolution. It was also used as a concert hall. The Hallé Orchestra first performed there in 1858, and continued to do so until their move in 1996 to the Bridgewater Hall.
There have, in fact, been three buildings known as the Free Trade Hall on the same site. The first two were built to host meetings of the Anti-Corn Law League, during the Corn Law debates of the 1830s and 1840s — a wooden structure, then a more solid stone construction. The third building, the fascia of which still stands today, was built in 1856 as a permanent monument to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws ten years previously.
After heavy bombing in World War II the building was reconstructed, eventually re-opening as a concert hall in 1951. As well as housing the Hallé Orchestra for many years, it was in the late twentieth century also widely-used by pop and rock acts.
In 1997 the building was sold by Manchester City Council to private developers — despite resistance from local groups such as the Manchester Civic Society, who viewed the idea as inappropriate given the historical resonance of the building. After the initial planning application was refused by the Secretary of State, a second and drastically modified planning application was submitted and approved. The reconstructed building retains the original fascia but has been otherwise completely rebuilt as the Radisson Edwardian Hotel.
[edit] Famous Events
Bob Dylan played the Free Trade Hall on May 17, 1966, shortly after he went electric and at the height of the controversy over his perceived betrayal of his folk roots. It was there that he was famously branded a Judas by John Cordwell, a disaffected audience-member. A bootleg recording of this concert - mistakenly labelled as The Royal Albert Hall concert - was much sought after by fans of Bob Dylan and was officially released in 1998.
On June 4, 1976, the Lesser Free Trade Hall, a smaller room upstairs from the main hall, was the venue for a concert by the Sex Pistols which has become legendary as a catalyst to the punk rock movement and New Wave. Around 40 people attended the gig although many more have since claimed to have been there. Some of the people who are believed to have attended include:
- Tony Wilson (one of the founders of Factory Records, home to Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays, among others. Also was - with New Order and Factory - a founder of the seminal Manchester nightclub, The Haçienda.)
- Howard Devoto (The Buzzcocks, Magazine and Luxuria)
- Pete Shelley (The Buzzcocks)
- Morrissey (The Smiths)
- Ian Curtis (Joy Division)
- Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order and Electronic)
- Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order, Revenge and Monaco)
- Mick Hucknall (Simply Red)
- Martin Hannett (legendary record producer for Factory)
- Mark E. Smith (lead singer of The Fall)
- John the Postman (Mancunian musician and personality)
Following the success of this gig, the Sex Pistols were invited to return. This second concert on July 20, 1976, saw the live debut of Buzzcocks and was attended by many more people.
There is a film record of part of the gig that makes it possible to confirm some of the audience. This footage is used alongside a re-creation of the gig in the film 24 Hour Party People.
