SEVENTY years ago a newly refurbished Bournemouth Winter Gardens concert hall opened in the Autumn of 1947 as a home for the newly re-formed Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra under a new conductor.

The orchestra had previously performed in the old Winter Gardens, a metal and glass structure designed as an exhibition hall, and proved unsuitable as the music was interrupted by the rain on the glass roof. The last formal concert was played there in 1928 before moving to the Pavilion Theatre the following year.

"The Pavilion proved a disappointment to the conductor and founder of the orchestra Dan Godfrey. Although a grand building the concert hall had a poor acoustic and the orchestra had to compete with other forms of entertainment such as shows and plays. Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra need a new home," said Howard Dalton who was a member of the Friends of the Winter Gardens and recently gave a talk on the history of the modern Winter Gardens.

Dan Godfrey retired in 1934 and two years later the old glass Winter Gardens was demolished.

Bournemouth Indoor Bowling Club was on the lookout for a new home and they lobbied the council to allow the erection of a first class building that would be the envy of others countrywide. The state-of-the-art indoor bowling green had a massive supporting steel skeleton enclosed by brickwork with timber roofing and cost £30,000.

The new building was described at the time as comprising 'a spacious foyer allowing admission, at each end of which there are swing doors leading into the main hall which is a delightful spacious and lofty building with seven 120ft full length bowling lanes. Rising from the green, and extending partly over the foyer and offices at the front of the building, there is an amphitheatre tip-up upholstered seating for hundreds of spectators. One of the outstanding achievements is the lighting arrangements. Over a considerable portion of the roof on two sides of the building is a very effective system of natural lighting through translucent glass. This, in itself on a clear day, without artificial aid, gives excellent lighting to the green, but in addition the central span of the roof is fitted with a magnificent system of diffused artificial lighting'.

A Pathe newsreel recorded the Mayor of Bournemouth, alderman Thomas Rebbeck claiming the new Winter Gardens Sports Centre as the 'finest in the world' at the opening on November 4 1937 as he bowled the first jack.

Within two years, however, it was requisitioned by the Air Ministry at the outbreak of war for use by the Canadian Air Force. A vastly reduced orchestra performed successful if restricted repertoire in the Pavilion to an eager public wishing to find solace from the stress of war.

"Lawrence Henry Harker had been appointed general manger in 1931 after an uncertain start to the Pavilion Theatre two years before. He kept a ruthless eye on finances and tolerated the Municipal Orchestra but they had to compete with plays and other forms of more profitable entertainment.

"As early as 1944 he advanced a plan to raise the number of musicians substantially in a newly converted concert hall once the war was over. He suggested turning the Indoor Bowling Green into a concert hall at reasonable cost as a permanent home for the orchestra. The bowling fraternity were not happy.

"Two years later the council gained control of the Winter Gardens building and set about converting it into a concert hall.

"A public gallery was already in place at the rear of the hall and all that was needed was the erection of a curved stage and audience seating. It re-opened with a special concert on October 18 1947 and was an immediate success. This time with, by chance, an excellent acoustic," said Howard.

A new Entertainments Officer, Stuart Leslie Bacon, was appointed to work alongside Harker with special responsibility for managing the Winter Gardens, and ensured its success for the next ten years.

When Austrian Jew Rudolf Schwarz, who had been successful in German opera houses before the war, was appointed the new conductor of the re-formed Municipal Orchestra, questions were asked in Parliament as to why a foreign conductor had been chosen. Within two years Schwarz proved his worth and had moulded the orchestra into one of the finest in the country.

He said later that his move to Bournemouth with a new orchestra and a newly opened concert hall for their sole use was like a dream come true.

Audiences flocked to the concerts and a Winter Gardens Society was formed. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the many world famous artists who performed there. The new Winter Gardens had the benefit of an adjoining restaurant and, over time, framed portraits of the resident conductors looked down on its patrons.