WELCOME TO

The SALTFLEETBY VILLAGE HISTORY Website

  on

THE HISTORY OF SALTFLEETBY VILLAGE HALL.

Just over seventy years ago, in 1934, the villagers of Saltfleetby decided to form an “Entertainments Committee” and the minute book from that date reveals that they elected twenty five people to serve on that committee. They appear to have been full of enthusiasm because in their first year they had organised whist drives in the schoolroom, a sports day, a New Year social, and were making plans to open two tennis courts in the field behind the school.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 28th November1934 proposed that the funds of the committee be used for the provision of a Village Hall. This is the first mention of a village hall and like today, raising money was a difficult job. Whist drives, Socials, Dancing classes and the proceeds from the tennis courts were the main source of income, and the main venue for these events was the village schoolroom.

It appears to have been pretty hard going, but then of course, the war came along and there are no minutes recorded from April 1940 until October 1945.

At the first meeting in October 1945 it was noted that Mr M. R. Stubbs had offered a piece of land next to St Peters church as a site for the proposed village hall, but the site offered by Miss. Fletcher next to the old Angel Inn was more central to the village, and they were no doubt influenced by the fact that Miss Fletcher granted them a ninety nine year lease together with a peppercorn rent.

The committee decided to purchase an old army hut from Mrs. Taylor of Gowts Farm for the sum of £200, and as the previous eleven years fund raising had only netted £152 a £48 interest free loan had to be negotiated.

This was done and the next problem was to find someone to dismantle, and then erect the hut in its new site. The minutes state that no contractor could be found who was prepared to tackle the job, so a dozen members of the committee volunteered to do the necessary work. Among them, Bert Richardson, Alan Monk, Walt Johnson, Maurice Vines, Roger Chapman, John Vickers and the station master, Mr Oxby.

Once erected the hall was soon put to use, dancing, whist and domino drives, concerts and two open nights for the younger members of the village. There was much enthusiasm for the new hall, and they didn’t appear to have any difficulty in persuading people to join the committees. In 1947 the main committee consisted of thirty two members, and they formed five sub-committees. The works committee consisted of fourteen members, the social and dances committee fourteen, the refreshment committee nine, the whist drive committee six, and the concert committee five. This commitment continued for several years and during this time the hall was lined, a borehole was sunk, flush toilets installed, a bridge built to span the dyke in front of the hall, the four convector heaters replaced by the more efficient overhead heaters, and later the transformation to mains water when it came to the village.

However, by the mid sixties interest in the hall waned somewhat because at the A.G.M. in 1965 the chairman noted that “most” of last years committee were present but no other villagers attended”. In spite of this the committee continued to raise funds for the upkeep of the hall , mainly by organising dances and whist drives, two very popular pastimes in the years after the war.

It is interesting to note that at this time the insurance premium on the building, including public liability was £2-12-6d. In 2004 the same cover was £414-33.

Whist drives, dances and the occasional jumble sale, plus an annual donation from the Parish Council kept the hall solvent after its heydays of the fifties and early sixties.

Its longevity was ably assisted by small bands of villagers who formed the hall committee over the years, and it was one of these committees who in 1988 obtained the services of the following villagers, Bryan and Sue Handley, Dave Peek, Cliff Green, Maurice Pycroft, Mick Teanby, Peter Ellis and Rob Drury and they completely refurbished the hall inside and out. It is not possible to remember all who kept the hall alive but the Morters, Morrises and Greens are just a few that come to mind, and J.W. Vickers Jnr. who was chairman of the village hall committee for fifty years.

At the beginning of 2003 the hall was going through a “low” spell, and it was at this time that Dawn Tait took on the roll of Chair-Person.

During her two years in office she organised the installation of a new kitchen, had the hall decorated but most importantly, resurrected the idea of getting a new building.

Together with the committee she organised events and £7,000 was raised to “kick start” the new building fund.

However, at the A.G.M. of 2005 Dawn was not re-elected to the committee. A new committee was formed and they continued to raise funds, mainly through the very popular monthly bingo sessions.

In the meantime, Louth United Football Club had purchased the village recreational ground and kindly, at no cost to the village, offered to incorporate a new village hall in the sporting complex they were intending to build on the site.

The Village Hall committee accepted this very kind offer, and the result can now be seen on the recreational ground at the west end of the village.

CLOSE