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The "St.Anne's Club" was founded in the 1870s and was originally located in Wood
Street. In the 1880s it was dismantled, rebuilt between the two entrance lodges on St.George's Road
and renamed the "St.George's Institute".
In 1916 the Ashton Theatre was to be built on this site so the club was again moved, to within
the gardens and renamed the "Ashton Institute".
St.George's Gardens
viewed from St.George's Road c1890. Between the two entrance lodges on
St.George's Road is St.George's Institute.
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FIRST PUBLIC HALL
"What might be described as St. Annes first public hall was the Institute, which
up to 1915 was at the St. George's Road entrance of Ashton Gardens. It was removed bodily into the
gardens and given a new architectural aspect by the Council's surveyor, the late Mr. J. Stanley
Sawdon, who, by the way, also designed the Ashton Pavilion.
In the 1880s the Institute served a dual purpose, a concert and meeting hall
during the week and Congregational Church services on Sundays. The early residents spent many
pleasant hours at tea parties, concerts, lectures and prize distributions.
The first Congregational ministers— Rev. A. Somerville and Rev. Corney Lee —held services there
until Mr. Porritt built St. George's Hall. Then it became a club—the St. Annes Institute—in which
the celebrities of those days spent their leisure time with billiards, dominoes, chess and whist.
The picture, kindly supplied by Mr. David W. Greaves, will revive happy memories."
Lytham St.Annes Express,
1937
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