Roller-sports and pageants on wheels
In a successful bid to broaden its appeal to the wider public and sporting participants alike, the administrators of Edinburgh’s first purpose-built exhibition space began devising a series of competitive events with the added thrill of being played on roller-skates.
A roller-hockey match was staged on 31 March 1924 and a report followed next day in the Edinburgh Evening News.
INDUSTRIAL HALL MATCH.—A team representing the Industrial Hall Skating Rink met representatives of the 7th Hussars at Annandale Street last night before 3000 spectators.
The Hussars, winning the toss, started off by scoring in the first minute of the game. After the bully-off the Industrial Hall team recovered, and Perratt scored, followed closely by another from Carter. The home team at the cross-over led by two goals to one.
Play was very close and interesting, the goalkeeper of the Hussars saving his side repeatedly. Sergt. M‘Cush got off on his own and scored, followed by an individual run by Perratt, who scored the winning goal just on the call of time. Result: Industrial Hall, three; 7th Hussars, two.
In later matches that month, the Industrial Hall team played hockey teams from Dunedin and Bellevue, and in the following month took on an Edinburgh Select XI and Bellevue at roller-football.
[Image: TimBB66, Wikipedia Commons.]
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On 17 April a Sports Night was held, with a grand programme of events which included a Half-Mile Speed Contest for gentlemen, and for ladies a Find Your Boot Race, a Needle and Thread Race, and a Special Race. As well as 'valuable prizes’, contestants could look forward to some exhibition skating by the instructors.
The full military band of the 7th Hussars was at this time providing musical entertainment for skaters at 2.30pm and 7.00pm daily, admission 6d.
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On 10 April a Grand Fancy Dress Roller Skating Carnival was held with:
Prizes (Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s) for the most original, most artistic, and most comical Costumes to be awarded by a Committee of Ladies. Carnival opens at 7 p.m. Grand March Past and Judging at 8 p.m. prompt. Excellent Music by full Military Band [the 7th Hussars, this time not on skates]. The finest and most extensive Roller Skating area in all Britain. Admission sixpence.
The winners were reported the next day:
A fancy dress roller skating carnival was held in the Industrial Hall, Annandale Street, Edinburgh, last night, where there was a large assemblage. The prize winners for the most original costumes were: Ladies—1, Miss Bradley (a novelty girl); 2, Miss Ross (a Chinese girl). Gentlemen—1, Mr Syme (a gladiator); 2, Mr Harrworth (a harlequin). Most humorous costume: Ladies—1, Miss Dagman (a Dutch girl); 2, Miss Carson. [sic] Gentlemen—1, Mr Chadwick (an absent-minded beggar); 2, Mr C. Moore (nobody’s darling). The most appropriately dressed couple—Miss Meiklejohn (Santa Claus) and Mr Allan Richardson (a Russian dancer). The judges were Mrs W. J. M‘Laren, Miss Brunton, Mrs Still, and Mrs Williamson.
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An event on 24 April again attracted the attention of the Edinburgh Evening News. It reads rather like a regurgitated press release.
The roller skating carnival, held in the Industrial Hall, Edinburgh, last night, took the form of a pageant of the nations.
About 70 skaters participated, 48 countries being represented. Judging of the costumes was by public ballot, and the prize was awarded to a lady and gentleman representing Scotland—Mr D. Manson and Miss Thomson, who appeared respectively in the characters of Rob Roy and Helen MacGregor.
The competitors paraded in front of the grand stand, and a few bars of the National Anthems of each country were played as its representative passed.
In some cases, as in that of Scotland, nationalities were represented by two persons, a lady and gentleman, and in other cases by three individuals. There was a large attendance of spectators.
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The roller-skating season on Annandale Street had been scheduled to cease on 7 June, but – in the absence of anything to replace it – continued, with dancing every night, throughout the rest of the summer.
With the exception of a Grand Sacred Concert on 21 September, in which the Band of the 7th Queen’s Own Hussars and Miss Vida Vallance (solo vocalist) performed to raise funds for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, there seem to have been no events beyond roller-skating in a cavernous space purpose-built for major commercial exhibitions.
Could the Industrial Hall’s organisers pull a rabbit out of the hat in the autumn? Find out here on 5 September.
The next article in this series will appear on 5 September. For previous coverage see:
