Ashwell Village Hall Centenary - 7th December 1922

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Proposed Gateway for the Village Hall

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Village Hall Interior 1930s

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Mens Club Billiard Room in the Village Hall

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Village Hall appeal 1921

Centenary of the Village Hall 

Opened 7^th December 1922 

On 7^th December 1922 the new Ashwell Village Hall was opened by Lord Robert Cecil.  Thanks were given to Mrs Fordham of Ashwell Bury for her generosity in converting the ‘shell’ into a hall, a task which was masterminded by the architect, Mr Morley Horder.

Lord Cecil gave a talk on the League of Nations and then there was the presentation of Red Cross War Service medals.  This was followed by tea and refreshments, which raised £30.  In the evening there was entertainment by Mr Dan Hall and his concert party.

At a public meeting the previous year a large majority decided that a Village Hall would be a valuable asset to village life and that the Maltings, formerly Page’s Brewery, would be suitable for conversion. The building cost £500 and the conversion would be £750, which Mrs Fordham offered to pay. There were a series of fund-raising events throughout the year and the Women’s Institute provided 130 chairs. It was proposed that there would be facilities for a Reading Room, Billiard and Games Room, Public Baths, a large Hall for Concerts and Library.

Initially the Village Hall was much used by the newly formed Men’s Club, a Theatre Club. The Women’s Institute and a thriving Choral Society.