The 'Pav'

A Short History of West Park Pavilion (Jersey) 1886-1999 by Alex Glendinning

It was built to house Rowland's New York Circus in 1886, became a Skating Rink (under the aegis of the Jersey Commercial Association) in 1896 and doubled as a wet weather Concert Hall alternative to the Triangle Park, was rebuilt as a Ballroom in 1931 - which lasted until the 1960s - became a cabaret venue (in the summer) and live gig venue (in the winter) from the 1970s to the early 1990s and a rave disco in the mid 1990s until it closed down in 1996.

The building, West Park Pavilion and The Tin Shack before it, Behan's West Park and the Inn on the Park after it, has seen many changes over the years. Now it looks as if all of this is coming to an end in 1999 with developers having put in plans to put up a block of flats on the site.

I am presently researching a book to commemorate the passing of a Jersey institution. If you have any memories, photographs, playbills or articles about the building that you would like to share with me please contact glen@itl.net

Particularily interested in the Circuses (William Rowland and successors 1886-1896); the ballroom dancing demonstrators and professional dance partners, plus the cabaret dance performers of the 1930s i.e. Jack and Jill, Ella Scutts, Billy Rolls and Dorothy etc. and bandleaders like George Coleman (London) and Jack Chapman (Glasgow). Can you help?

QUOTE from Stan Corfield (crooner with the resident Les Watson Band 1947-1954). "On New Year's Eve (1998) at 9.30 in the evening, my wife and I drove past and there was this ghost, a shadow in the dark, empty. Once, if you wanted to go there on New Year's Eve, you had to get a ticket by July!"
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