Blackpool tower ballroom

Jason Connolly

Blackpool tower ballroom

I shot this some while back now maybe a year or so ago in Blackpool tower ballroom in lancashire and forgot to upload with the others I shot..
Shot at Blackpool Lancashire.
Shot with a Nikon D70s and 18-70mm lens

Here are some historical details about the Tower ballroom from Wikipedia:

The original ballroom, the Tower Pavilion opened in August 1894. It was smaller than the present ballroom and occupied the front of the tower complex.The Tower Ballroom was built between 1897 and 1898 to the designs of Frank Matcham who also designed Blackpool Grand Theatre and it opened in 1899. It was commissioned by the Tower company in response to the opening of the Empress Ballroom, in the Winter Gardens. The ballroom floor is 120ft x 120ft and is made up of 30,602 blocks of mahogany, oak and walnut. Above the stage is the inscription, “Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear” from the sonnet, Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare. Each crystal chandelier in the ballroom can be lowered to the floor to be cleaned which takes over a week.

From 1930 until his retirement in 1970 the resident organist was Reginald Dixon, known as Mr Blackpool. The first Wurlitzer organ was installed in 1929, but it was replaced in 1935 by one designed by Reginald Dixon. The resident organist is Phil Kelsall who has been playing the organ at the Tower since 1975 when he started in the circus. The ballroom was damaged by fire in December 1956, and the dance floor was destroyed along with the restaurant underneath the ballroom. Restoration took two years and cost £500,000 with the restaurant becoming the Tower Lounge.

The BBC televised the Come Dancing series from the Tower Ballroom for many years and it has also hosted shows from Strictly Come Dancing including the grand final of the second series on 11 December 2004.
The Blackpool Junior Dance festival has been held each year in the ballroom since 1964.
Dancing was not originally allowed on Sundays, instead sacred music was played. The ballroom also originally had very strict rules including – “Gentlemen may not dance unless with a Lady” and “Disorderly conduct means immediate expulsion”. The Tower Ballroom has been voted the most magnificent ballroom in the world

Blackpool tower ballroom belongs to the following groups:

European Everyday Life (add the place!), Faded Seaside Glamour, Former DPF Members and United Kingdom Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Blackpool tower ballroom by Jason Connolly
  • Rosalie Dale IPA

    Rosalie Dale IPA

    Very opulent Jason – you have certainly done this justice.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks Rosalie my friend..

  • Irene Burdell

    Irene Burdell

    This ballroom must have cost a fortune in it’s day , it is so beautiful , I wonder how many people go in there and actually notice haow lovely it is/
    A fantastic shot Jason.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    This must have done iren, they wouldn’t do this today, too many greedy poeple in for the money now and not the passion either I think, thanks irene for the wonderful comments on this shot..
    I have put some info about the ballroom from wikipedia on the the photo details..

  • Maximus

    Maximus

    Wow Mate awesome. :)

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks max mate..

  • midzing

    midzing

    beautiful shot,,,, well done

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Cheers Midzing..

  • bidkev

    bidkev

    Awesome Jason, Very strange to think that all this beautiful decor was host to “Monday Night is Beat Night” in the 60’s and that the Mods and rockers used to get stuck into each other….......won’t tell you which side I was one :-)

    nice one mate.

    kev

  • bidkev

    bidkev

    Oh! and in the interval, Reginald Dixon would come up out of the floor seated at his organ, and we would all chuck stuff at him :-)

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Way before my days Kev, might just have remembered some of the mods in the early 80’s but was omly a nipper then LOL, thanks mate..
    Thanks for sharing you memories mate..

  • Rebecca Lee

    Rebecca Lee

    Wow – this is quite stunning! I really like the angle and the lighting! Very nice work! :)

  • Jason Connolly replied

    It’s great toread your comments Rebecca, cheers for that..

  • Trevor Fellows

    Trevor Fellows

    great shot m8 this place amazed me as a kid and still dose now lovely work m8

    Trev.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Still amazes me too mate, thanks for that trev..

  • Catherine Veal

    Catherine Veal

    i remember your series Jason and loved them.This one is fantastic how beautiful it is. Well done.x

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks catherine for the lovely comments..

  • Noelene Davies

    Noelene Davies

    Fabulous and beautiful place Jason, stunning capture and HDR.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Glad you like the shot Noelene.

  • kalaryder

    kalaryder

    What fabulous decoration, like the dance motion at the base of the photo too

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks kala, yep, one of the pitfalls of trying to hdr and moving sot, glad you like it my friend.

  • Smudger

    Smudger

    no limits to this mans work wonderful

  • Jason Connolly replied

    LOL thanks mate..

  • SharonD

    SharonD

    Wow, what detail. Great shot Jason.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Sharon, i really appreciate that my friend..

  • Steve Liptrot

    Steve Liptrot

    I didn’t know you danced as well! Multi talented. Great shot Jason

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Well, you know mate, like you say I’m multi talented LOL ;-))

  • Lois Romer

    Lois Romer

    wow jason this is just over the top in decorating. great pic

  • Jason Connolly replied

    And they wouldn’t do it like this today, cost too much, thanks my friend for the comments.

  • georgieboy98

    georgieboy98

    Amazingly beautiful photo mate of a wonderful place. Yet you know in all the years we lived in Blackpool I never once went into the Tower buildings, let alone took the lift to the top. But it was the first place all our visitors would ever go to! All the best, Peter

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Peter, This is the most amazing place in Blackpool, even though I have 2 left feet LOL, I can come here and just watch the dancer and look at the ornate architecture and murials on the ceiling, it is a wow ballroom..

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Forgot to say, thanks Peter for dropping by mate.

  • Zolita McGuicken

    Zolita McGuicken

    I haven’t been there since i was a child, still looks so grand. Love the moving people at the bottom, makes it

  • Jason Connolly replied

    It hasn’t changed at all, i am sure, thanks Zolita..

  • Tainia Finlay

    Tainia Finlay

    WOW what a perfect capture of an English icon, fabulous!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    It is that Tainia, thanks very much for the comments and visit my friend.

  • Denis Dalby

    Denis Dalby

    Ahh, that Blackpool ikon, that cathederal of kitsch. I did a lot of prospecting for local gold in there. Also saw many a scrum between Burnley, Blackburn, Bolton or Ramsottom et al. I always made an excuse and retired to the bar. Thanks Jason.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Enjoyed the comments Denis, sounded fun LOL…

  • Bryan Peterson

    Bryan Peterson

    Nice capture Jason—glad I dont have to dust the place.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    LOL, I know Bryan, imagine changing a light bulb LOL…Thanks my friend.

  • Jeff Stroud

    Jeff Stroud

    Beautiful, great shot… capture the texture and lushness of this interior!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Cheers jeff..Glad you dropped in and left your comments..

  • Lois Bryan

    Lois Bryan

    oh my goodness!!!! It’s breathtaking!!!!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    It certainly is and more so when you are there for real..

  • Heather Rivet IPA

    Heather Rivet...

    stunning work

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Heather, thanks so much my friend.

  • Sandy Stewart

    Sandy Stewart

    WOW,....amazing perception of height and distance, as well as color and detail throughout!!! :)

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks for your special comments Sandy, cheers..

  • Clive King

    Clive King

    Great image Jason. Lovely perspective.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks so much Clive..

  • Tom Gomez

    Tom Gomez

    Super HDR …

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Cheers Tom, glad you like it..

  • Curtiss Simpson

    Curtiss Simpson

    Wow Jason this is outstanding, love it !

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks a lot Curtiss mate..

  • Barry Norton

    Barry Norton

    Great capture Jason

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Glad you like it barry..

  • Robert Berry

    Robert Berry

    Another nice piece of work my friend… They just keep coming..

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks so much Rob..

  • Nathan Walraven

    Nathan Walraven

    Wonderful shot!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks Nathan..

  • Shaun Whiteman

    Shaun Whiteman

    Great shot Jason, superb details.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Cheers Shaun..

  • Janet Fikar

    Janet Fikar

    Wow! So much color and texture. The whole series is marvelous!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Well pleased you enjoyed the series Janet, thanks..

  • Squealia

    Squealia

    wow so ornate, lovely shot

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Thanks so much Celai..

  • TFFDavid

    TFFDavid

    Absolutely magnificent photography.

    I’d love to be this good, honestly, it’s brilliant.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Mate you are, but thanks anyway pal….
    Glad you like it David..

  • Sean Jansen

    Sean Jansen

    amazing detail and perfect lighting.

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Great comments mate, thanks alot for looking in..

  • Jason Connolly

    Jason Connolly

  • kalaryder

    kalaryder

    I like the ghostly figures, think it works well, I was complimenting you on them :(

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Hi kal, Don’t be sad..You know.. I wasn’t being off with you my friend and I really thank you for your compliments on my shot.
    I meant to say HDR is like low shutterspeed effects with the ghostly dancers if you know what I mean, I like the dancers too.
    Sorry I wasn’t meaning to upset you…

  • mrscboretti

    mrscboretti

    Love the series! Great job!

  • Jason Connolly replied

    Cheers Christine, appreciated.

  • Mollys1

    Mollys1

    A great shot and great architecture!

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