Barrfields Pavilion Theatre
Barrfields Pavilion Theatre was built as a Public Hall and Theatre on the site of Mansfield House (image below) formally known as South Kirklands. In 1818 the resident was Thomson Honeyman. In 1834 Dr Hugh Lang lived there who made his fortune in the West Indies and was one of the first people to order a purpose built yacht from Fifes of Fairle. In 1894 it was home of Dewar Paton. In 1929 the house was demolished for the new Barrfields Theatre.
The Barrfields Theatre was officially opened by a Mrs Barr on 11th April 1930. Mr Robert Barr (image above) had previously purchased the house and grounds of Mansefield and gifted them to the town. He also donated £1,000 towards the new building. The name for the new theatre was appropriate officially changed to Barrfields.
The first show was held on the 11th April 1930 with 1,000 people present. Initial shows were performed by local Largs groups. The first lease of municipally owned Barrfield shows was in 1930 by a Mr J Mungo from Prestwick.
In 1931 Mr Harry Kemp , the cinema and amusements king of North Ayrshire, began his run of 10 summer shows. In 1940s George Bowie began his long run of entertainment. In 1950 Mr Louis Freedman the Glasgow bandleader won the lease but he lost money. In 1952 Mr Bowie took over again and presented shows into the to 1960s.
Many of the Scottish great acts of the time performed at Barrfields, Rikki Fulton and Jack Milroy ,Andy Stewart, and The Alexander Brothers all entertained locals and visiting holiday makers alike. In the 70s popular acts like Billy Connelly and Gallagher and Lyle performed in the theatre.
In 1971 the swimming pool was built. In 1995 a new visitor centre was added and the theatre was refurbished. This included a winter garden, shop ,Café and the Vinkingar historical attraction.. The theatre is now owned by North Ayrshire Council and can entertain an audience of 500. Today Barrfields is still very popular combining professional touring acts along side productions from the Largs Players , Largs Operatic and the Largs Youth Theatre.
Broomfields Cadet Stand Pavilion
In the late 1880's an open air theatre was built on the Largs prom on the site of today's Children’s Skate park and prom kiosk. There was limited seating inside the pavilion for a small fee however most Largs folk stood on the slopes of the Broomfield watching for free. The entertainers would pass a cup through the crowd to raise funds. The pavilion became so popular that the council eventually build ramps along the slop to hold more people.
This open air theatre soon was known locally as the Cadet Stand which was named after the entertainers who worked there.
The first entertainers to perform were the Joe Wesleys minstrels. They were the initial regular summer time entertainers on the at the Cadet Pavilion from the late 1890s. They performed to large audiences of well turned out and probably very cold locals and holidaymakers who watched from the glass slope overlooking the pavilion.
By June 1904 rival entertainers on the foreshore included fiddlers, dancing bears, bagpipers orchestras, German bands and acrobats as well as showmen playing the latest hi tech gadget of the day which was the portable gramophone.
Also featured at this time was a children’s minstrel company which included a violin and harp singer. A strong man and an Irish comic were very popular who were joined with a vocalist during the summer.
From 1909 Wesleys group were replaced by the Smart Set Cadets a dapper concert party who dressed in smart naval uniforms. After this the pavilion became known as the Cadet pavilion. The troupe gave two performances a day at 3 pm and 7.15 pm between June and September with extra performances a day added for the Glasgow fair fortnight.
They combined music hall shows usually beginning with upbeat opening chorus which continued into individual spots and sketches. The shows all ended with a cheery final ensemble. Sawyers entertainers performed at Largs until 1928
Alvin Sawyer was born 1874 in Tarmage Ohio. His Smart Set Cadets were a music hall act that used to travel around Britain in the early 20th century. Notably, they did concert parties in Prestwick and Largs in the summers. Sawyer was his stage name. His real name was Alvin Moore. Although born in the U.S., Alvin and family had moved to England by the time he was seven.
He grew up at Whitley Bay near Newcastle Upon Tyne. The above picture shows Alvin with his family in 1928 on his retirement. In the middle is his wife, Nellie Sawyer (Moore) who he married in 1910. She was also his pianist, composer, and music director. Their three children are Alvin, Kenneth, and Lois Moore (Joyner). Ken and Lois were both born in Largs at 55 Main Street, just opposite Largs station.
When the new Barrfields Pavilion was opened in Largs in 1928 ,Alvin was offered to run it, but apparently he preferred to retire down south in Rottingdean where the family lived in a cottage named Cumbrae after the Isle of Cumbrae opposite Largs.