Do you have memories of Barnfield Hall?
Historic City Centre Theatre appeals for public memories to add to its free exhibition opening this October.
To celebrate 125 years since the laying of the foundation stone, the Barnfield Theatre is creating a free public exhibition of its varied and fascinating history.
The Theatre building has been used by the Exeter Literary Society, Exeter Camera club, the Rotary Club Military Club, Civil Defence, the Inland Revenue, the GPO and is rumoured to have been the site of an Army communications centre.
Vicki Bowring, marketing assistant for the Theatre said "I have been researching the wide ranging history of the building and have found quite a few newspaper articles and documents, but I would love to hear real stories about the people who used it. The theatre is at the heart of the city, I want to find the heart of the theatre."
Well known celebrities of their day Jerome K Jerome, Emmeline Pankhurst and Elsie Knocker (Baroness de T'Serelaes) have all patronised the building, and the Theatre hopes that some family archives will contain photographs and documents of other patrons of Barnfield Hall, as it was known before 1972.
"We want to include as many photographs and documents as possible, and will be producing a free education pack (available to download from the Barnfield Theatre website) for schools and colleges to run alongside the exhibition. If you have any information about the building please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you."
The full exhibition will run for two weeks in the Theatres Front of House Gallery and opens on 15th October 2015. The exhibition also marks the launch of "Barnfield 125", a year of celebrations to mark the buildings anniversary.
Vicki can be contacted on 01392 271808 or by email vicki@barnfieldtheatre.org.uk
