During
March 1968 a few parishioners
held a meeting with a view to
rousing enough interest to build
a new parish hall. The existing
building was very outdated with
few modern amenities - we all
remember the limited facilities!
It was perceived that within a
short while the building would
become unusable by virtue of
being condemned for such public
use.
A
committee of 14 was convened.
This eventually rose to 22 as
various bodies elected
representatives to join the
committee.
After
approaching various landowners
the current location was
acquired from Mr. Donald
Sandercock, along with a
suitable parking area.
There was
a small fund of some £200 in the
bank, raised for such a venture
before WW II but left unused due
to lack of local support. |
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Mr Dennis
laying the
Foundation Stone |
Alderman
Foster opening the Hall with
Alfred Sandercock (Chairman
Parish Council) Reg Burden
(District Council) John Rogers
(Parish Council) & Rev Simpson |
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In May
1971, Mr. Arthur Cleave, of
Bude, was asked to cut the first
turf and a second was cut on
behalf of Mr. Smale who was too
unwell to perform that task but
gave a contribution of £100
towards the fund.
The
following July there was a large
crowd at the site of the new
parish hall to see the
foundation stone being laid by
Mr. Walter Dennis, of
Launceston. Mr Metters
(architect) presented a silver
trowel to Mr Dennis with which
to lay the stone.
Bricks
were auctioned and after being
signed by the purchasers were
cemented into place by two
bricklayers.
Altogether
the cost of the project was in
the region of £15,000 including
all associated costs such as
professional fees, curtains,
furniture and plants. Cornwall
County Council and the
Department of Education and
Science together gave grants in
excess of £9,000 towards the
project, leaving the remainder
to be raised by the villagers.
Fund-raising was forever evident
throughout the village with a
variety of activities: Whist
Drives, film shows in the
Methodist schoolroom,
fancy-dress activities such as a
pram race created much amusement
and, more importantly, money!
A 10-mile
sponsored walk took place with
participants ranging in age from
7yrs to 73yrs. The route was
from Week St. Mary to
Marhamchurch and back to the
village via Titson and
Hannaford's Mill - first man
home was Graham Orchard with Roy
Cobbledick second. Over £450 was
raised at this event.
A
successful 'Banger Race' held
near Langdon by kind permission
of Mr. Ellis, helped to
contribute to the funds.
Gala Day
at Plymswood was a major
fund-raising event culminating
with a real 'barn' dance,
raising several hundred pounds
for the appeal.
On the 3rd
Gala Day (1970) a fancy dress
parade for the under-11's was
held and winners were: 1st Prize
'Off to the Moon' Stephen
Martin, 2nd Prize 'Cornish
Pixie' Teressa Edwards and 3rd
'Mrs Mop' Rachael Horrell.
Saturday
8th April 1972, at 2.30pm the
new parish hall was opened by
Alderman K. Foster, Chairman of
Cornwall County Council. It was
allegedly a bright sunny day
with a chill wind. A good crowd
was there to hear the Alderman
praise the villagers for their
efforts and emphasise how
important it was to have a place
of meeting in such an isolated
village. He further added that
he was sorry to hear that the
school may soon be closed with
the pupils having to travel to
nearby Jacobstow. (See:
Village School).
In excess of 400 people sat down
to a tea in the new Hall that
afternoon.
During the
afternoon a peal of 5,040
changes in Plain Bob Major was
undertaken at the parish church
and a special thanksgiving
service occurred on the
following Sunday, conducted by
the Rev T. Simpson.
By the
time the hall was open only a
small amount had to be found,
some £850 which was soon
realised by future events.
During the
first few months of use of the
new parish hall the bookings
were encouraging. The doctor
used it for a surgery; there
were skittles teams using it;
social functions and outside
interests helped to swell the
coffers to cover the running
costs. |
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In 1971
the following open invitation
was published:-
WEEK ST. MARY
PARISH HALL APPEAL FUND
TO THE PARISHIONERS,
EX-PARISHIONERS AND ALL WHO
HAVE AN INTEREST IN OUR VILLAGE
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It is now
3 years since a Parish Meeting
formed our Committee and
entrusted to us the task of
providing a Parish Hall worthy
of Week St. Mary. The Hall is to
be round in shape and of a very
modern appearance, and one the
Committee Members feel the
Village will be proud to own.
The
Village so far has raised over
£3,750 since the project was
first started and this, together
with the Grants from the
Department of Education and
Science £7,238 and the County
County Council £1,800, on a
total expenditure of £15,383.
This price includes everything,
the Land, Solicitors' and
Architects' Fees, building the
Hall and the equipment needed
for the light fittings, right
down to the doormats. This
leaves us with approximately
£2,600 to raise. A start has now
been made on the Hall, and
naturally the sooner it is built
the sooner we will have
somewhere to hold again, the
many activities which usually
take place in the Village.
We now
appeal for funds, either as
gifts or as interest-free loans,
which can be sent to any
Committee Member or direct to
the National Westminster Bank
Ltd., Launceston, Cornwall.
Thank you
for your support
Alfred
Sandercock
Chairman:
Mr. A. Sandercock, Clifton
House, Week St. Mary,
Holsworthy, Devon
Secretary:
Mrs. R. M.
Orchard, Plymswood, Week St.
Mary, Holsworthy, Devon
Joint Treasurers:
Mrs. K. Uglow, Goscott, Week St.
Mary, Holsworthy, Devon
Mr. P.
Gubbin, Brendon Barton, North
Petherwin, Launceston, Cornwall. |
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TIMETABLE ON OPENING DAY
2.30 pm Opening Ceremony
by
Alderman Foster
3.30pm -
6.30pm
High Tea
in the Hall
4pm and
5pm
In the
Marquee Punch & Judy shows
Sideshows
and Stalls
along with
H. Johns and his electric organ
7pm
Concert in the hall by the
Whitstone
Male Voice Choir and others
8pm Dance
in the Hall (Admission 50p)
with the
Texans Dance Band
Sunday 9th
April at 8pm
Thanksgiving Service with St.
Gennys Silver Band
Thursday
13th April
Bumper
Whist Drive
Friday
14th April
Dance with
Johnny Pett at 9pm - 1am
Saturday
15th April 2pm
Beagle
Meet at The Green Inn |
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FOR PARISH HALL BOOKINGS
AND DETAILS OF FACILITIES, ETC
PLEASE CLICK HERE
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