Many residents in the area will remember the former Palace Ballroom, which later became the Civic Hall, which was developed on the site of the former Maryport Brewery building on Lower Church Street. The change from brewery to dance hall was the brainchild of Maryport businessman Harry Ritchie, who saw great possibilities in utilising the building to provide the town with a dance hall capable of holding one thousand or more people. Built using slag material from the area’s ironworks, Mr Ritchie’s dream became a reality on November 12th 1934 when the ballroom opened for an afternoon tea dance chaired by Wilson Nixon of Maryport Urban District Council, with music being provided by Billy Iley and his Jazz Jesters.
The Ballroom was said to have a sprung floor which matched that of Blackpool Tower Ballroom in effect. Mr Ritchie’s intention was to bring some of the greatest bands to Maryport before they played larger venues in the country.
In the 1950’s, when the jazz and big band era flourished, the likes of Joe Loss, Eric Delaney, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk and many more graced the Palace stage. It also provided a platform for local bands to learn their craft, notably the mighty Redcoats, the Cyril Lowes Band and Maryport’s Bobby Key and the Keynotes. As trends changed, in the 1960’s, of the cream of the pop world graced the Palace stage when the likes of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman’s Hermits, Lulu, The Searchers, The Hollies, and many more, would stop on their way to or from London or Glasgow for a packed-out concert. Absolutely unique to a small town tucked away on the coast, the Palace pulled in crowds from Cumbria and beyond. It was also the venue where MAODS showcased their productions, a time of wonderful memories for those who took part in the acclaimed shows.
Renowned as the place where friends met, relationships formed and marriages were created, although the name of the Palace lost its identity when it became the Civic Hall, the memories of those glorious days, when its walls echoed to the sounds of great bands, when thousands of people danced the light fantastic on its sprung floor will, for many, never be erased.
To commemorate the Palace, the Town Council has arranged for a plaque to be installed on the site of the former building, & in recognition of the name, the Events Space stage will be known as ‘The Palace Stage’, with artwork representing the area’s musical past provided by Alan Roper. Recognition of the history of The Palace is also being planned by Cumberland Council to feature in the entranceway to the redeveloped Carlton building.