Queen's Hall

Queen’s Hall was officially opened on the 04 June 1959. The opening ceremony was a most impressive one, with Governor Sir Edward Beetham officiating, in the presence of Dr. Patrick Solomon, Minister of Education and Culture, and Mrs. May Johnstone, Chairman of the Community Centre Concert Hall Board – now the Queen’s Hall Board of Management.

A ten-night season of cultural activities followed. The opening event was a musical comedy, scripted and directed by Aubrey Adams and Pat Castagne, featuring Horace James, Leonard Jones, Thora Dumbell’s School of Dance, Ken Oxley and the Argonauts, Olive Walke’s La Petite Musicale, Beryl Mc Burnie’s Little Carib Company, the Police Band, Casablanca Steel Band, Don Bain and the indefatigableMax Ferreira,all leading luminaries in the growing cultural melee of Trinidad and Tobago.

Queen’s Hall is located on 3 acres of land in St. Ann’s, Port of Spain. Before 1959 the land on which the Hall stands was a playing field for the Governor’s residence and prior to that formed part of the Botanical Gardens. Queen’s Hall was the first purpose-built facility for the Performing Arts. Before this, singers and pianists made do with venues such as Globe Cinema, Roxy Cinema and the Boy Scouts’ Association. It was clear that a concert hall was sorely needed. The development of the Hall was spearheaded by a group of citizens headed by Mrs. May Johnstone, and they worked assiduously to provide a suitable space for the performance of musical events, including the Biennial Music Festival.

Have your say

2 Reviews for Queen's Hall