The heart of civic life
The Town Hall housed the Mayor and staff of the Middlesbrough Corporation (the forerunner to Middlesbrough Council), as well as the police station and cells, courtroom, library, water board office, and fire station.
It was very much at the heart of civic life. Hotels, pubs, offices and shops transformed the area into the commercial heart of Middlesbrough, which continues to this day.
Middlesbrough continued to expand, and many of the original functions of the Town Hall required new headquarters. The spaces that these functions left behind were repurposed where possible, often becoming new offices or storage, and many of them were lost to public life.
The Town Hall has also hosted many important civic functions over the years, including royal visits, galas, and university graduations.
Music and entertainment
Middlesbrough Town Hall’s reputation as a respected entertainment venue began with the grand concert hall, which featured a custom-built organ by the prestigious William Hill and Son.
Performers from across the world flocked to the Town Hall, including the Russian virtuoso pianist, Sergei Rachmaninov, who appeared not once but twice, in 1911 and 1939; Dame Nellie Melba; Johann Strauss, and Sir Edward Elgar with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Over the years, the Town Hall has also played host to many great names in music, including blues guitar legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Oasis, Bowie, The Clash, AC/DC, and Robbie Williams.