Centenary Church and P.S.A. Institute and Shop, Rosemary Lane, Lancaster

PERSONS desirous of submitting TENDERS for Alterations and Additions, to the Centenary Church and Building P.S.A. Institute and Shops in Rosemary-lane, Lancaster, may see the Plans and Specification at the Church from Tuesday, 11th. to Thursday, 27th inst. Tenders to be sent in to the Architect by noon on Friday, 28th. Bills of Quantities will be supplied. N.B.—The committee do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any tender. Preference will be to the Contractor supplying the sole tender. ROBERT WALKER. FRIBA, Windermere. 5 July 1899. [Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser 7 July 1899 page 1 – contracts]

The PSA Institute in Rosemary Lane was designed by Robert Walker in 1899 as an assembly hall for the Trustees of the attached Centenary Church on St Leonard’s Gate. It comprised shops, offices, a billiard room, and an assembly hall. By 1907 the hall - “Cromwell Hall” - was being rented by James Atroy to run short bioscope films. In 1912 James Atroy sold the moving picture rights at Cromwell Hall to Michael J. McGee who continued the enterprise until 1922. Adjacent to the Hall, some rooms were used by the Church’s Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (PSA) Institute.

Reference    Building News 21 July 1899 Page 88 – contracts
Reference    British Architect 28 July 1899 Page viii – contracts
Reference    Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser 7 July 1899 page 1 – contracts]