Our Historic Building

On 19th September 1876 Norwich’s first roller-skating rink opened to an evening of music, skating, feasting and splendour. Over 1,000 people attended to skate in the large indoor rink and listen to music provided by the band of the 1st Royal Dragoons. The rink had been designed by local Norwich architect, Edward Boardman, and built by local building contractors, Lacey & Lacey, at a cost of £9000 including all fittings and skates.

Despite the success of the opening night, roller-skating in Victorian Norwich was short lived. Just one year later, the building was converted into a vaudeville theatre with a capacity of 1,200 people. Comedians, dancers, singers, quick-change artists and performing dogs all took to the stage here over the following two years.

In 1882 the Salvation Army booked the now empty rink for their first meeting in Norwich and fitted out the building to seat 2,500 people. It was filled to capacity when General William Booth visited Norwich for the first time and led the Sunday meeting imploring Salvationists to ‘Rouse Norwich from one end to the other!’ By 1891, the rink had fallen into a bad state of repair with members of the congregation using umbrellas to keep the rain off! The following year, the Salvation Army built their own Citadel in Norwich.

Image: ‘The General Leading the Great Demonstration at the Rink, Norwich’, The War Cry, 25 July 1885. Salvation Army International Heritage Centre.

The Laceys were a prominent family of Norwich builders and, as well as being responsible for the construction of the skating rink, they also built Framlingham School in Suffolk in 1863, the rebuild of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital in 1879, Agricultural Hall in Norwich in 1882 and the Town Hall in Great Yarmouth in 1888. In 1894, following the death of James Lacey, the business transferred to his nephew, Frederick Lacey, and his Manager, Mr R. G. Lincoln and Lacey & Lincoln Ltd was born. Lacey & Lincoln occupied the old skating rink as a warehouse and builders’ merchants for almost 100 years until the business went into liquidation in 1993.

The rink’s new owners, Philip and Jeannie Millward, began a major programme of restoration to return the Grade II listed building to its former glory. This included blast cleaning the internal structure, insulating and re-slating the roof, replacing balustrades, installing utilities and complete re-wiring. In 1994 the old skating rink re-opened to the public as Country & Eastern, now the museum shop, selling home furnishings, clothing and jewellery. Established in 1979, the philosophy of Country & Eastern has always been to support the crafts of artisans in South and South East Asia, this includes woodblock printing, hand-loom weaving, rug weaving, embroidery and wood carving.

The South Asia Collection is cared for and managed by The South Asian Decorative Arts and Crafts Collection Trust (SADACC), a UK registered charity founded in 2010. The mission of The SADACC Trust is to record, conserve and promote the arts, crafts and cultures of South and South East Asia and adjacent countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia. The old skating rink provides an unusual and dramatic backdrop for the museum displays. As well as sharing the collection through museum displays, events and talks, we are also pleased to share the history of our wonderful building.