Blue plaque unveiled to celebrate Marton Operatic Society's 72 year history at hall

After 91 years of performing the Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Marton and on the Fylde coast, Marton Operatic Society folded last year.

In commemoration of the old Marton Parish Church hall, where the society had performed for 72 years from 1930 to 2002, Operatic Society committee members thought that a blue plaque placed on the wall of the venue in Preston Old Road would be a fitting tribute.

The committee discussed its plans with Joan Humble, the chair of Blackpool Civic Trust which organises the blue plaque scheme in the town, and with Blackpool Council's conservation officer, Jan Cresswell.

Many blue plaques have been placed on notable buildings and sites of historical interest over the years and it was decided that the Victorian building, with its 167 years of history, would be an apt subject.

The site had been previously occupied by Great Marton Church of England Girls’ School in the 1850s and later an infants school, but the present building dates from 1930 when a new hall for Marton Parish Church was built by Atherton Bros and opened in October that year.

The new blue plaque on the site, which is currently the base of the Michael Hall Theatre School, was officially unveiled by Blackpool Mayor, Coun Amy Cross.

Philip Walsh, a Marton historian and a member of Marton Operatic Society since 1965 said: "The Operatic Society held its first show “Cupid and the Ogre there in December 1930.

"Following Edward German’s Merrie England in 1932, the society became linked with the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

“St. Paul’s found that it could no longer finance the upkeep of the Parish Hall and so it was sold to Michael Hall for a Theatre School in 2002.

“Thanks to Michael Hall, the building is still in use and used regularly by people of all ages.”

The plaque has been promoted jointly by the Blackpool Civic Trust and Marton Operatic, who have met the costs of the plaque from the funds remaining after their dissolution.

The rest of those funds were donated to various local good causes.

Marton Operatic Society was founded in 1930 by the vicar of Marton Parish Church, Rev Charles McReady, but sadly Covid restrictions forced the group to close.