THE Barnsley British Co-operative Society's Arcadian Hall in Market Street was a very popular venue for the public of Barnsley and surrounding areas.
It attracted packed audiences, well-attended dinner dances, band concerts and many other special functions.
Its restaurant was also very busy with customers for lunches, high teas, morning teas and coffee, especially on market days. It was not uncommon to see long queues forming in Market Street and New Street.
Each year the famous Co-op Musical Festival was also held there over several days. Regular bands who played for dances held at the Arcadian featured the famous Joe Loss Orchestra, Victor Sylvester, Geoff Haigh and Harry Swift and his band. Another famous artist who performed there on several occasions was pianist Alberto Semprini. Semprini was renowned for his own special signature tune and his appearances on BBC television.
He was also a favourite with radio listeners. Born in Bath, Semprini was of Italian ancestry. He was born in 1908 and died in 1990. Whenever he performed at The Arcadian he visited the restaurant and he always requested the same meal - a plate of plaice and chips.
His order was always placed over the phone. On one occasion a member of staff named Ada whose job it was to fry the fish, was very busy when she took the order from him. As a result, she misheard what was said and promptly cooked 17 portions of plaice and chips instead of one.
Stuart Hawden, who worked for the Co-op all his working life and became a chef, said: "You had to be there to see the funny side of it, it certainly caused a huge laugh."
He has submitted to Memories a photograph of the Annual Departmental Association dinner dance which was held at the Arcadian Hall in approximately 1959.
It shows a small number of the staff who were employed in the restaurant at the time. He has named them as, back row, left to right: Eric, surname not known (head wine waiter); Dennis Ford (assistant chef); Hazel Senior (cook/baker); Stuart Hawden (wine waiter/assistant chef); Tony Wildsmith (waiter/assistant manager); Doris Brunt (waitress); Connie Wildsmith (waitress); Geoff Hughes (assistant chef); waitress, name not known; Peter Donkersley (second chef); Robert Fletcher (head chef); Ralph Jagger (wine waiter/assistant chef); Doreen Cook (cook/baker).
Front row: Sheila Blackburn (waitress); Rosemary, surname not known (waitress); Nellie Moxon (waitress); Ida Parker (waitress); Annie, surname not known (supervisor); George Morrey (General Secretary BBCS) and Mrs Morrey; Raymond Knott (restaurant manager); Nancy Meek (waitress and shop assistant); Freda, surname not known.
The Arcadian closed down in the 1970s. "It was a fantastic place to work, they were very happy days," said Mr Hawden.
