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New Borough Hall, Guildford
Guildford’s New Borough Hall could be said to be the precursor to the Civic Hall, but its own history is just as interesting, if not a little complex.
In the mid-1800’s Guildford’s Thornton’s Theatre, on Market Street, closed leaving the town with no purpose-built theatre. The Guildford Mechanics’ Institute on North Street was subsequently enlarged in 1861, including an 80ft long hall, that extended west down Leapale Road. This became known as The County & Borough Halls, which retained the ‘old hall’.
1860s: The County & Borough Halls in North Street from the collection of Darren Scarlett. Image courtesy of Ben Darnton via Guildford Town Past & Present In October 1911, pianist Arthur Newstead – on his 6th tour of Great Britain – held a recital at the hall ably assisted by Russian violinist Michael Zacharewitsch and Miss Gladys Van Der Beeck. In 1912 the large (County) hall was rebuilt internally and extended further to become the Theatre Royal. At the same time the old Borough Hall’s orientation was flipped with a new stage and an enlarged gallery at the opposite ends to the originals.
Theatre Royal, Guildford. Source: Howard Webb via Guildford Town Past & Present In 1913 Australian opera singer, Madame ‘Nellie’ Melba appeared at the venue courtesy of Clark’s Ltd who reportedly paid 500 guineas (~£31,000 today) for her performance. The next year Clark’s Ltd hired the venue again and presented concert singer Madam Clara Butt. She went on to appear in Guildford yearly from 1914 to 1918 at concerts arranged by the music shop, often assisted by her husband Kennerley Rumford.
5 February 1916: Madam Clara Butt appeared at the Borough Hall, Guildford; courtesy of Clark’s Ltd. Source: Guildford & surrounding area history On 25 February 1920, the Co-operative Concert Company performed the musical portion of a ‘concert-meeting’ regarding education in Guildford at th hall. Within a few years the ‘New’ was dropped and on 7 May 1922, there was a free concert in aid of Feed the Children Fund held at Borough Hall, Guildford. The Salvation Army Silver Band and Songster Brigade performed that day, and the following week there was a concert directed by Mr. Leslie Fly.
The Theatre Royal closed in 1933, having failed to meet the local authority’s structural and safety requirements. That is when The Guildford Cooperative Society bought the entire property and used a portion of the building as a shop and store. The Borough Hall was occasionally used by professional theatre companies in ’33 and ’42 and was home to the Guildford Repertory Company from ’46 to ’63, as the Guildford Theatre. The theatre auditorium itself remained disused, with the only noticeable change being the removal of the circle and gallery in the ’50s.
1963: The Theatre Royal, North St. Source: Surrey Advertiser Archives The Borough Hall/Guildford Theatre was gutted by a fire in 1963 which also destroyed the roof of the old Theatre Royal. After the fire, the Coop store was extended into the Theatre Royal site. The destruction of the old Theatre Royal and Borough Hall would accelerate plans for the building of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.
Gallery:
1878: County & Borough Halls, Guildford. Source: As It Was by Matthew Alexander 
2 May 1913:
Madame ‘Nellie’ Melba appeared at the New Borough Hall, Guildford; courtesy of Clark’s Ltd who reportedly paid 500 guineas (~£31,000 today) for her performance. Source: Guildford & surrounding area history
25 February 1920: The Co-Operative Concert Company performed at the Borough Hall, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Philip Hutchinson 
7 May 1922: A free concert in aid of Feed the Children Fund was held at Borough Hall, Guildford with the Salvation Army Silver Band and Songster Brigade performing. The following week there was a concert directed by Mr. Leslie Fly. Picture courtesy of Philip Hutchinson 
1963: The Theatre Royal, North St. Source: Surrey Advertiser Archives 
1963: The Theatre Royal, North St. Source: Surrey Advertiser Archives Arthur Newstead, Borough Hall, Civic hall, Clark’s Ltd, Co-Operative Concert Company, Feed the Children Fund, Gladys Van Der Beeck, Guildford, Guildford Mechanics’ Institute, Guildford Repertory Company, Guildford Theatre, Kennerley Rumford, Leslie Fly, Madam Clara Butt, Madame Melba, Michael Zacharewitsch, New Borough Hall, Songster Brigade, The County & Borough Halls, The Guildford Cooperative Society, The Salvation Army Silver Band, Theatre Royal, Thornton’s Theatre, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre -
Shooting at Strangers
(c’85-’86) Kevin Mason (keyboards), Paul “Kung” Beecham (bass), Russ Good (drums), Keith “Stan” Beauvais (guitar), and Mark Applin (vocals).
After leaving Lifespan, Applin formed Shooting at Strangers with Mason, pulling in Good, who’d been in 32:20 and Life Under One Sun, Beecham and Beauvais. This Woking combo performed 80’s pop/rock in the vein of Scritti Politti, Paul Young and Tears for Fears. A demo was recorded, but currently remains lost to time…
Beauvais became a member of EMI Records signed Ordinary Man, supporting Go West on a British tour. As a guitarist and keyboardist studio session musician, he played on ‘Kiss’ by Tom Jones and the Art of Noise, ‘Everything Changes’ by Take That, several Gary Numan albums, ‘Pure and Simple’ by Hearsay and others by Sugababes, Liberty X, James Morrison, Simply Red and Diana Ross. Applin progressed through several projects and is currently putting out music as Skylephant.
Gallery:
Applin (in hat) of Shooting at Strangers in a studio c’85 recording a demo. Picture courtesy of Mark Applin 
Applin of Shooting at Strangers in a studio c’85 recording a demo. Picture courtesy of Mark Applin 
Mason, Beecham, Good, and Beauvais of Shooting at Strangers. Picture courtesy of Mark Applin 32:20, Art of Noise, Diana Ross, EMI Records, Gary Numan, Go West, Hearsay, James Morrison, Keith Beauvais, Kevin Mason, Liberty X, Life Under One Sun, Lifespan, Mark Applin, Ordinary Man, Paul Beechum, Russ Good, Shooting at Strangers, Simply Red, Skylephant, Sugarbabes, Take That, Tom Jones, Woking -
Inner X
(c’91-’93) Daz ? (vocals), Jim ? (guitar), ? “Boney” ? (bass), and ? (drums).
These Farnborough based rockers appeared one Sunday Lunch at The George, Ash Vale, on 24 August ’91, supported by Christ!, with a big silver X on ‘stage’ behind the drummer. The band were back at The George almost exactly a year later on 29 August ’92.
On 19 February ’93, The White Hart, Frimley hosted Inner X. A few months later the bands “Hey You” appeared on “Return of Farnborough Groove Vol.3″ in 1993.
The band reformed in 2015.
Tracks:
Gallery:
Inner X’s “Hey You” appeared on “Return Of Farnborough Groove Vol.3” in 1993. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole 
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Central Club, Aldershot
This Short Street venue (not to be confused with the New Central Ballroom) was open from the mid 50’s through to the ‘70s with bands, such as The Bandits, playing upstairs and downstairs, simultaneously, or parallel to a disco downstairs.
At kicking out time it was a short hop to the stop to catch the 2am bus. Reportedly you just had to be careful when the Paras turned up. In the early ‘70’s Keith ? was steward and David Cantillon, Charlie Sloman and Neil Stewart worked behind the bar.
Gallery:
The Bandits at Central Club, Aldershot. Source: Tony Robson via Historic Aldershot -
The Grunties
(c’77-’79) Tim Freeman (vocals), Melvyn Crawford (guitar), Mark Whitehead (Bass), and Kerry Kirk (drums).
The Grunties, who also went by The Sods, were a Farnborough punk band. When Freeman left, to focus on his Rockin Timbo punk-poet performance in late ’78, he was replaced by Tim Naylor.
Eventually, in ’79, Crawford, Kirk, and Naylor formed the core of Controls. Melvyn still had ‘The Grunties – Music You Can Smell’ sprayed on his amp when playing with Controls. After Rockin Timbo, Freeman moved to Brighton and went on to be a founding member of Frazier Chorus
Gallery:
Crawford’s amp still had ‘The Grunties – Music You Can Smell’ sprayed on while playing with Controls. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor -
Buster
(c’78-’79) – Alan Holl (guitar), ? (drums) and Barry Reynolds? (guitar / vocals).
The three-piece known as Buster played at the Working Men’s Club, Woking and other local clubs. In ’79, after a slight line-up change, they renamed themselves Prism.
Holl, who went onto Prism, is now in the Canary Islands, with his wife, where he used play in a bar until 2018; now playing for fun at home & with friends.Gallery:
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Buster c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl -
Prism
(c’79-80’s) – Alan Holl (guitar), ? (guitar / vocals), Tom O’Sullivan (bass) and ? (drums)
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl The band was originally called Buster.
Holl is now in the Canary Islands, with his wife, where he used play in a bar until 2018; now playing for fun at home & with friends.Gallery:
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl 
Prism c’79. Picture courtesy of Debra Holl -
Borough Hall, Godalming
Borough Hall was built for approx. £1000 and opened on 27 February 1861 as the Godalming Public Hall. It was the venue for bi-monthly meetings of the County Court.
The King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band on stage at the Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Brian Page By ’65 it was being used as a venue for live bands. Around this time the King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band played at the venue. On 9 May ’67 a charity blues concert was held at the hall and headlined by the Graham Bond Organisation, with the Georgia Skin Men, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers, Alfie Lucas & Jim Cook, Tony ‘Duster’ Bennett and The Combined Forces in support. On the night, on the occurrence of consuming some Polish pure spirit, Ian “Mayo” May, the vocalist with The Combined Forces ‘stepped’ off the stage but got up and carried on. On being asked ‘how?’, May smiled and simply stated “I was pissed”.
7 August 1976: Poster for the very first GBH Ceilidhs organized by StagFolk with The Albion Dance Band. Source: Lawrence Heath via Godalming Town Past & Present From ’76 the GBH Ceilidhs (barn dances) organized by Stag Folk Club started being held, featuring live bands – such as with The Albion Dance Band who appeared on 7 August ’76 – and singers. The Godalming Blues Club also took up residency at the hall. Keilyn Entertainments presented Rodeo on 23 June ’79 and had Reading based Jackel in support.
Charity gig on 24 February 1984 covered in local paper, featured Zugang, Calibre and Cow. Picture courtesy of Kevin Phillips On 12 November 1881, Godalming was the first place to have both private and public electrical supply. As part of the centennial celebrations, Just So Stories performed at the Borough Hall in November ’81. On 24 February ’84 there was another charity gig, this time in aid of the Red Cross, that featured Zugang, Kalibre and Cow. The Ha Ha Men along with Yellow Darkness, Bushpigs, Octopussy and M.O.E. entered the venue on 14 July 1990 for The Myriad Syndrone II.
14 July 1990: Yellow Darkness played The Myriad Syndrome II. Picture courtesy of Marcus Cowley. Godalming’s Borough Hall is being used for the arts: theatre, comedy, pantomime, dance and live music to this day.
Gallery:
The Whisker Davies Blues Stormers in 1966, reportedly in the stage at Borough Hall, Godalming. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. advert from Melody Maker. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: Flyer for the charity blues concert. Picture courtesy of Ben Darnton. 
9 May 1967: Article on charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: Ticket for charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall, featuring the Graham Bond Organisation, Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records
23 June 1979: Rodeo, supported by Jackal, played the Borough Hall, Godalming. 
28 June 19??: Johnny Mars Blues Band, with guitarist Ray Fenwick, supported by Mandrake played Borough Hall, Godalming. Picture courtesy of Adam Russel Alfie Lucas, Borough Hall, Bushpigs, County Court, Cow, Duster Bennett, GBH Ceildhs, Georgia Skin Men, Godalming, Godalming Blues Club, Graham Bond Organisation, Ian May, Jackel, Jim Cook, Just So Stories, Kalibre, Keilyn Entertainment, King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band, M.O.E., Octopussy, Public Hall, Red Cross, Rodeo, Stag Folk Club, The Albion Dance Band, The Combined Forces, The Ha Ha Men, The Myriad Syndrone, Tony Bennett, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers, Yellow Darkness, Zugang -
Asylum
(c’74-’76) Sev Lewkowicz (keyboards / vocals), Greg Terry-Short (drums), Gary Deeves (guitar), Andy Stewart (bass), and Howard “Polley” Paul (vocals).
Asylum… Originally called Percy, the band used to appear at the Bottleneck Club held at The Star, Guildford and at The Plaza, Guildford, in ’74. They band recorded and produced, along with Martin Adams and singer-songwriter Richard Ashworth, a 7″ single at T.W. Studios, Fulham in September ’74, releasing “(It’s My) Destiny” on the Wax Records label [FR2073] later that year. The A-side was written by Deaves and Burton, although we don’t have any information on Burton to date, while the B-side carried two tracks: “Lazy Love” (Paul & Lewkowicz) and “Suzy’s Back” (Burton & Lewkowicz).
Front of sleeve for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single. It was around this time that the band were photographed by Brian Duffy (no, not Jet Black of The Stranglers), who was also working with David Bowie and Black Sabbath around the same time. In December ’74, Asylum supported Greenslade at the Technical College, Farnborough, then Caravan at the Civic Hall, Guildford in February ’75 and Budgie, a few days later, on 20 February ’75, back at Farnborough Tech. On 31 April ’75 the band played at the Marquee, London.
There was also reportedly a studio recording session with Tony Visconti. Managed by Ashworth, Guildford based Asylum secured a month-long residency at the Marquee, at which Backhurst supported, in early ’76. Terry-Short, along with Lewkowicz, would join Backhurst for a couple of tracks. This included appearances 14 February and 7, 14, 21, and 28 March ’74. At the end of the Marquee residency Asylum dissolved and out of the ashes, along with members of Backhurst, folk rock band House formed in May ’76.
In 2009, “Suzy’s Back” from the B-side of the bands single was included on, bootleg / semi-official label, Past & Present Records’ [PAPRCD2093] CD release: “Various – The Electric Asylum Volume 1 (Rare British Acid Freakrock)”; describing Asylum as ‘sublimely bonkers’.
Lewkowicz, who’d previously been in Running Dry with Deeves, went on to perform in Headwaiter and Soho, both with Terry-Short, who also joined the Jackie Lynton Happy Days Band. Deaves and Stewart have both sadly passed, while Paul has vanished.
Tracks:Gallery:
Back sleeve for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single. 
A-side label for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single 
B-side label for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single 
Asylum, photographed by Brian Duffy. 
14 February 1976: Asylum played Marquee 
7 March 1976: Asylum headlined at the Marquee. Source: Ulrich Wegener via Keep It Out Of Sight 
Asylum’s “Suzy’s Back” was included on this Past & Present compilation in 2009 
Asylum’s “Suzy’s Back” was included on this Past & Present compilation in 2009
Andy Stewart, Asylum, Backhurst, Black Sabbath, Bottleneck Club, Brian Duffy, Budgie, Caravan, Civic hall, David Bowie, Farnborough, Fulham, Gary Deeves, Greenslade, Greg Terry-Short, Guildford, Guy Deaves, Headwaiter, House, Howard Paul, Jackie Lynton's Happy Days Band, Jet Black, London, Marquee, Martin Adams, Past & Present Records, Percy, Richard Ashworth, Running Dry, Sev Lewkowicz, Soho, T.W. Studios, Technical College, The Plaza, The Star, The Stranglers, Tony Visconti, Wax Records -
The Parrot Inn, Shalford
Built in 1890, a number of bands used to rehearse in the function room at the back of the venue. This included The Combined Forces who used the room prior to their one and only gig on 9 May ’67, and Sammy Rat’s Big Big Blues Band.
The Combined Forces rehearsing in the back room at The Parrot Inn, Shalford. Source: Brian Page via Godalming Town Past & Present An amusing tale involving the pub was told in the late 50’s / early 60’s, the narrative of which has one of managers at The Tunsgate Club, Guildford buying an old Foosball table from the Shalford Parrot for £10.00 and on opening it up, once installed at the club, finding £20.00 in tanners inside.
On 17 November ’89, The Flying Tigers, supported by Walking the Dog, played the pub. Sammy Rats did not just rehearse at the venue, on 19 February ’93 they performed there too. Other bands to grace the back room included Route 66.
The Parrot, Shalford in 2023. As of 2023 it was a sorry sight, another lost venue and boozer. It had closed in September 2019 and was purchased by Red Mist Leisure in February 2021, who reportedly commenced an extensive refurbishment that went nowhere.
Gallery:
17 November 1989: The Flying Tigers, supported by Walking the Dog, played The Parrot, Shalford. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
Parrott Inn, Shalford. Source: Trevor Hudson via Guildford Town Past & Present 
Parrot Inn, Shalford in 1969. Source: Robert Jones via Guildford Town Past & Present 
Parrott Inn, Shalford. Source: Nick Girdler via Guildford Town Past & Present
Our Soundscene 
Human beings takes me back to 1981. Followed them all over the Surrey reading area for a year a great band and 3 good guys playing well written songs of the era. I wish john Tim and steve well what ever they are doing now. Should reform for a few shows just like Oasis but do the wooden bridge.
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