Brangwyn Hall - City & County of Swansea, Wales
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Mair Wales
N 51° 36.813 W 003° 57.583
30U E 433549 N 5718493
The Brangwyn Hall (Welsh: Neuadd y Brangwyn) is a concert venue in Swansea. It is named after the artist Frank Brangwyn, whose famous "panels", Paintings originally intended for the House of Lords in London are displayed there.
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Waymark Code: WMD5ZX
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/23/2011
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THE BUILDING: BRANGWYN HALL,
The Brangwyn Hall is a multi purpose Concert & Convention hall, the building is part of the Swansea Guildhall complex, and is used for awards ceremonies and social events as well as classical music concerts and Organ recitals on the large pipe organ.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales frequently use this venue when performing in Swansea.
Among the ceremonies held at the Brangwyn Hall are the annual Chinese New Year celebrations (for the Chinese community in Swansea) and the graduation ceremony for students graduating from Swansea University.
The British Empire Panels / paintings were commissioned in 1924 as a means of commemorating the First World War. Brangwyn, who had worked as an official war artist, was selected by the sponsor, Lord Iveagh, an Irish peer. He chose to create a "decorative painting representing various Dominions and parts of the British Empire", and five finished panels were displayed in 1930. The work was completed in 1932, but the House of Lords had already rejected it as too colourful and spirited, ( Spirited I think is a polite word for topless ladies ! )
The town of Swansea was in the process of erecting its new Guildhall, which included a large assembly hall. The ceiling of this room was raised in order to show off the panels, and the building was inaugurated in 1934.
THE MAN: FRANK BRANGWYN -
Frank Brangwyn, the son of a Welsh architect, was born in Bruges, Belgium in 1867. When Frank was ten his family returned to London. He was apprenticed to William Morris for four years and afterwards travelled widely. As well as working for The Graphic and The Idler, Brangwyn illustrated several books including Collingwood (1891), The Captured Cruiser (1893), The Wreck of the Golden Fleece (1893), Tales of Our Coast (1896), The History of Don Quixote (1898) and A Spiced Yarn (1899).
By the early 20th century Brangwyn had a reputation for large pictures painted in a realistic style. He also designed furniture, carpets, textiles, ceramics, stained glass, metalwork and jewellery. During the First World War Brangwyn was an Official War Artist.
In 1925 Brangwyn was commissioned to paint a set of wall paintings for the House of Lords. These were competed and rejected in 1930. This included the impressive war picture, Tanks in Action. Offers for the murals came from all over the world but they were eventually installed in the Guildhall in Swansea. Sir Frank Brangwyn died in 1956.
For more info on Brangwun, & to see his pictures visit the web site shown below. (
visit link)
Source: - (
visit link)
Personal note: -The Brangwyn Hall Swansea was used for the Geocaching UK Mega Event 2011, and over 1,500 cachers attended.