2014 Field to the left of the David Livingstone Centre
To the left of the Africa Pavillion Gift shop, at David Livingstone Centre, is a large, open and flat grassy field. I took this picture in early November to put the area into context.
This was the location of Blantyre’s outdoor arena. A circular auditorium once existed at this location, open to the elements, and shaped in a horseshoe on raised earthworks to give the best possible view of the arena.
The open air theatre was created for the launch of David Livingstone
Centre Memorial in 1929. Over the next decade or so, it featured concerts, pageants and plays, all outside, all most probably very cold!
This 1936 map shows the concert venue to good effect with a raised stage near where the current treeline is. Of course there were no gift shop or cafe in that location back then. I’m unsure when it was removed but have the pleasure of recently seeing this rare photo, which is shared here:
1929 David Livingstone Outdoor Auditorium
Source: Original opening guide for David Livingstone Centre 1929