NEWS RETURNS TO INDUSTRY HALL

In this streetscape of Blyth from around 1920, we see that our weekly newspaper office of that era was located at the southwest corner of Queen and Dinsley. That paper was called the Blyth Standard, owned and published from 1910 to 1934 by J.H.R. Elliott.

Blyth circa 1920
Queen and Dinsley looking south

In the past month, our current paper, The Citizen has moved to the same site, Industry Hall.

Industry Hall June 2012

This building has served many purposes since it was built in 1888.

To name just a few:

• Upstairs was the main concert hall for the village. Pauline Johnston gave a concert here about 1896.
• Meeting room for many groups including Village Council.
• Blyth Standard
• Telephone central office, first on second floor later on first floor.
• Red Cross meeting room
• Sibthorpe's billiard hall, barber shop, soda fountain
• Wolf Cubs and Boy Scout troop.
• Blyth Library
• Village Office and council chamber
• OPP Police Office
• Insurance/investment office

Can you add any functions for which this building was used?