History of Trumpington Village Hall: 1908, Opening of the Hall

This is the second part of the history of Trumpington Village Hall. For an introduction to the series, see 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. Photo: Stephen Brown.

The corner stone of the Village Hall was laid on Tuesday 11 February 1908 by Mrs Patience Pemberton, when she was presented with a silver trowel. A sealed bottle was embedded in the stone, containing a daily paper, some coins of the realm and an inscription on paper as follows:

“This corner stone was laid on Tuesday Feb.11.1908 by Mrs Patience Frances Sophia Pemberton lady of the manor of Trumpington and giver of the site, in the hope & with the prayer that by God’s blessing the building of which it forms a part may, as it is intended to do, promote the religious moral & intellectual welfare of the village of Trumpington. Architect Walter H. Brierley. York. Builder. William Saint. Cambridge.”

Corner stone, 1908 construction of the Village Hall. Photo: Stephen Brown, October 2008.
Corner stone, 1908 construction of the Village Hall. Photo: Stephen Brown, October 2008.

Corner foundation stone. Photo: Stephen Brown.

The original date stone above the entrance door, 1908, Trumpington Village Hall. Photo: Andrew Roberts, 22 October 2008.
The original date stone above the entrance door, 1908, Trumpington Village Hall. Photo: Andrew Roberts, 22 October 2008.

Entries from the Children’s Chronicle for 1908
written by the headmaster and children, January 1909

Events during 1908 at Trumpington

Ernest Haslop, aged 10 years
Cannon Pemberton had a new reading room built for the men to go to at night. It is called the Village Hall and the Trumpington Men’s Institute. It can be divided into two parts, by pushing some folding door back. The site on which it is built on was Mr Pembertons. It was begun to be built early in March

May Stearn, aged 11 years
A nice large room has been built which is called Trumpington Men’s Institute to which about 60 men have joined. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs Pemberton and she was presented with a silver trowel.

Gertrude Bass, aged 11 years
An Institute was built opposite the Post Office for young men to go in the evenings instead of going to the public house.

Charles Chamberlain, aged 12 years
The Institute is for men to go to at night, to play games such as billiards, wist, draughts and cards and they can read the daily papers.

Canon and Mrs Pemberton. Source: Antony Pemberton, October 2008.
Canon and Mrs Pemberton. Source: Antony Pemberton, October 2008.
Invitation to the opening of the Village Hall, 22 October 1908. Source: Village Hall Archive, October 2008.
Invitation to the opening of the Village Hall, 22 October 1908. Source: Village Hall Archive, October 2008.
Original plans for the Village Hall, elevations, 1907. Source: Village Hall Archive, October 2008.
Original plans for the Village Hall, elevations, 1907. Source: Village Hall Archive, October 2008.

Continue with the next part of the history of Trumpington Village Hall.