Continue with the next part of the history of Trumpington Village Hall.
Display panel about the history of the Village Hall, Centenary Exhibition, October 2008. Photo: Stephen Brown.
Display panel about the history of the Village Hall, Centenary Exhibition, October 2008.
In 1936, the British Legion took over the Men’s Institute and ran a Social Club for the benefit of the village and headquarters of the British Legion. The Trustees agreed to pay the outstanding liabilities of the Men’s Institute and rent the rooms to the British Legion for £10 a year (later reduced to £5 a year). The assets of the Institute included two billiard tables, a chess set and 7-8 cwt of coal.
Party to celebrate the coronation of George VI, 1937.
Party to celebrate the coronation of George VI, 1937. Photo: Margot Andrews. Reproduced in Trumpington Past & Present , p. 115.
The Village Hall was an important local centre during the Second World War. In 1940 and again in 1943, the Hall was let to the Education Committee as a canteen for school dinners and this use continued until after the War. In 1941, the Air Raid Precautions unit set up a feeding centre in the Hall, in case of enemy attack. The Brigade Headquaters stationed at Anstey Hall used the Village hall for dances, with inevitable problems. Evacuees from St James School, Muswell Hill, set up a schoolroom in the Hall and held a Christmas Party there on Boxing Day. The British Legion showed a film on missionary work, with two sittings to accommodate the extra children. The British Legion and Women’s Institute organised a canteen for soldiers living in local camps. There was a National Savings indicator outside the Hall, with a movable seagull which showed the total savings from the village, so that Street Savings Groups could check the progress. In 1944, it was suggested that the new Primary School could be built adjoining the Hall and sharing facilities, but this was not pursued. William Pemberton retired as a Trustee in January 1943 and Mrs Viola Pemberton took his place alongside Mr Saville Peck (now the Chairman) and the Vicar.
Poster for a dance concert by The Anstey Rhythm Revellers, 1941.
The band outside the Village hall at the wedding of Mabel and Percy Seeby, 18 November 1944.
Poster for a dance concert by The Anstey Rhythm Revellers , 19 May 1941. Source: Percy Seeby.
The band outside the Village Hall at the wedding of Mabel and Percy Seeby, 18 November 1944, the day the street lights were turned on again. The band made an arch of their instruments and went on to the reception in the Village Hall (Percy is the figure with the saxophone). Mabel had been evacuated to Trumpington during the war. Photo: Percy and Mabel Seeby.
In 1947, the Pemberton Trustees donated additional land at the rear of the Hall to be used for an extension, to house an army hut and toilets, to be installed by Mr L. Wedd. It was agreed to ask the Council to remove the air-raid shelter from the rear of the Hall. With the addition of the hut, the Trustees agreed to continue to let the rooms to the Trumpington British Legion Social Club, now at a rent of £50 per year (an increase from £10 a year). In 1949, the Trumpington Sports Association formed a Football Section. As there was no changing facility on the Recreation Ground, the Secretary of the Association asked if they could change in the cloakroom at the Village Hall on Saturday afternoons. Later in the year, the Pemberton Trustees agreed to allow a right of access from the farm road to Manor Farm to the rear of the Hall, for the purpose of a scout hut.
Revised list of charges for the use of the Hall, November 1947.
Letter from the Pemberton Trustees about the donation of land for an extension, December 1947.
Revised list of charges for the use of the Hall, November 1947. There was a small addition to the charges after the installation of a gas meter rather than a slot meter. Source: Village Hall archive.
Letter from the Pemberton Trustees about the donation of land for an extension, including land which held an air raid shelter. The agreement specifies the need for stock-proof fencing, December 1947. Source: Village Hall archive.
