Benfleet Operatic Society began in 1956 as the Benfleet Methodist Choral Society and productions were staged in the tiny church hall Some years later we changed our name to Benfleet Operatic Society and in 1970 moved from the church hall to the larger Appleton Theatre in Benfleet and occasionally other venues such as The Paddocks Theatre on Canvey and even the Albert Hall Our first performance was Christmas Music from Handel's Messiah