Bedford Corn Exchange - St Paul's Square, Bedford, UK
N 52° 08.152 W 000° 28.043
30U E 673324 N 5779174
Bedford Corn Exchange, built in 1874, is one of the many impressive buildings in and around St Paul's Square in Bedford. It was used by the BBC Symphony Orchestra during the Second World War. It was opened in April 1874 by the 9th Duke of Bedford.
Waymark Code: WMQMXJ
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/05/2016
Views: 3
There are two stones set into the Corn Exchange, one each for the start of building and one for the opening. The stone for the opening is inscribed:
This Exchange
was opened April XV MDCCCLXXIV
by the most noble
Francis Charles Hastings
Ninth Duke of Bedford
Geroge Hurst JP Mayor
Wikipedia has an article about the Corn Exchange that tells us:
Bedford Corn Exchange is located on St Paul's Square in the Castle area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.
The building (constructed in 1874) was designed to be a concert venue and meeting space, as well as a place of business. The basement contained offices, cloakrooms, kitchen, hall keepers room and dining rooms. The build took two years and the total cost was £9,000. It replaced the 'Floral Hall' building across St Paul's Square which had been constructed in 1849.
The BBC Symphony Orchestra used the Corn Exchange between September 1941 and July 1945 for public concerts which were broadcast to the nation. The BBC Music and Religious Departments moved to Bedford when it became too dangerous for them to be based in London or their wartime home, Bristol. Around 400 musicians, staff and engineers moved to the town during World War Two.
In 1944, the BBC Proms came to Bedford. Since their birth they had been performed in The Queen's Hall in London which was destroyed by bombs on 10 May 1941. They moved to the Royal Albert Hall until that too became in danger and they transferred to the Corn Exchange for the rest of the 1944 season. The Corn Exchange played host to many star names during World War Two including Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, Marlene Dietrich, Vera Lynn, Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, Gracie Fields, David Niven and Yehudi Menuhin. During this time the Corn Exchange was also used as an Armed Forces Canteen.
In 1995, the Philharmonia Orchestra began a residency at the Corn Exchange. It is still one of the homes of the orchestra today.
Wikipedia has an article about Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford that tells us:
Francis Charles Hastings Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford KG (16 October 1819 – 14 January 1891) was an English politician and agriculturalist.
The son of Major-General Lord George William Russell and Lady William Russell, and the grandson of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, Russell was born in Curzon Street, London, and commissioned into the Scots Fusilier Guards in 1838, retiring in 1844. He was Liberal Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire from 1847 until 1872, when he succeeded to his dukedom and took his place in the House of Lords. In 1886, he broke with the party leadership of William Ewart Gladstone over the First Irish Home Rule Bill and became a Unionist.
He took an active interest in agriculture and experimentation on his Woburn Abbey estate and was President of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1880. On 1 December 1880, he was made a Knight of the Garter. From 1884 until his death he was Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire.
He died in 1891, aged 71 at 81 Eaton Square, London, by shooting himself as a result of insanity, while suffering from pneumonia. After being cremated at Woking Crematorium, his ashes were buried at the ‘Bedford Chapel’ of St. Michael’s Church in Chenies, Buckinghamshire.
He married Lady Elizabeth Sackville-West, daughter of George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr, on 18 January 1844. They had four children.