Town Hall Building

The Town Hall & Library
The doors are marked with a small 'AC' monogram in stained glass, with 'Carnegie Free Library' on the large stone lintel. The library was built by public subscription and a grant from Andrew Carnegie, the great Scottish/American steel philanthropist. Carnegie was a strong force in improving the Britain's literacy by contributing towards libraries throughout the UK, as he also did in the USA. He is seldom given the recognition that he richly deserves. The library was opened in 1913 and the town hall, masonic hall and council offices were built on to the library and opened in 1914. (Listen to Andrew Carnegie)

Library Move
In 1966, the lending library was moved to a new purpose-built building on the High Street and the newspaper reading room was relegated to a small building behind the Town Hall and thence into obscurity and oblivion. The space liberated by the move was taken up by council offices and is now a centre for council services and public information.

It is a little-known fact that there used to be a tunnel storage area under the Town Hall with record books and other documents going back for centuries. After the local government changes of the 1970s, they were sent to Barnsley Council archives, which apparently are a shambles. It is likely that the Town Hall deeds were been among them. Local historians asked to see some known old documents but the archiving system could not find them. Our local history is in the mincer. Fortunately, the local archivist and historian Neville Roebuck maintains a collection of historical documents which he makes available in the 'Millennium Room' on market days.

The pictures below show how the current council chamber is furnished with an elegant wooden table and framed pictures of council members. The public can visit this room for Saturday morning local councillor 'surgeries'. Many years ago, the council met in the board room of the Union Workhouse, Netherfield (now Grammar School sixth form).

Higher up the hill, the old library has seen many changes in recent times. A new 'accessibility' automatic door has appeared at the top wall and the new office provides services for local tenants, etc. Just beyond the door is a small red-brick building occupied by the ever-helpful staff of the former Penistone & District Community Partnership, currently called the East Peak Innovation Partnership.

Pengeston Masonic Lodge was established in 1874 before moving to its current location in 1914 just behind the town hall building. It continues there to this day. Well-known local men of distinction and influence are a familiar sight here, with dapper suits and little cases. They also held meetings in the old National School building but that is being converted into a nursery now.

The Town Hall is perhaps the town's greatest asset and has been used as a cinema from the beginning. It continues to enjoy great popularity in the area. Now sporting surround sound, a bar and conference facilities, we frequently see major film releases very soon after their national release and occasionally on the actual day.

In recent times, the cinema acquired the 'Mighty Paramount Theatre Organ'. This was built for the Birmingham Odeon in 1937 and removed in 1988. After careful restoration, it was installed in the Town Hall building with due ceremony in 1999. This led to a new name - the Penistone Paramount Cinema - from the 'Metro' Cinema, a name unloved by many Penistonians. The cinema tour section reveals its secrets.

Barnsley Takeover - to Sell Off?
In recent times, Penistone Town Hall has been threatened with being sold off by Barnsley Council (who had no part in its purchase). This eloquently illustrates the often fraught relationship we have with our political masters since the change in local governance. Doubts have been raised about ownership of the building in recent times but, no matter who currently claims ownership, there is no doubt about who originally purchased these buildings or that they most definitely ought to continue in the common ownership of Penistone people. There would be a huge protest if Barnsley Council had its way and demolished the building - unless they were to rebuild it better for our use.