NOSTALGIA: 90 years of memories at Kennet Valley Hall

In 1931, FRANK Swanton of Overton donated a plot of land that was previously part of South Overton Farm. This country will then become Kennet Valley Hall, which officially opened on September 4 of that year.

In a village scrapbook compiled by the Women’s Institute, they wrote: “The opening ceremony was conducted by the Honorable JHWhitely, a former Speaker of the House of Commons and Vice-President of the National Social Services Council. Fourteen organizations became sponsors and the Management Committee includes a representative nominated by each organization. ”

The total cost of building the hall was £ 475 and a founding meeting was held on 11 November 1931.

Inside the old Kennet Valley Hall

During World War II, the hall was used as a classroom to help a local school that had seen a flood of students due to evacuees. At the time, the club also held regular meetings of the Mother’s Union and Women’s Institute, as well as a boys ’club loosely based on scouts.

Ron Emberlin and Eileen Hamilton, both born in West Overton in the mid-1930s, recalled their experiences as teenagers in the later stages of World War II.

Ron Emberlin said: “One of the first memories I have of the hall was to go there as a family with gas masks, where to my surprise I got a Mickey Mouse because they thought I was too small for a normal whole one.

“It was used as a school for some time because local schools were unable to cope with the floods of the evacuees.

“The housekeeper used it as their headquarters, where they parade, usually on a Sunday morning, and most local children watched it.

“The women’s institute and the mother’s union also held regular meetings there, and dances and pills were also held there.

“When the war was over, the locals took the troops home with a meal and a concert. I and three friends looked out the windows when one of the guests noticed us and instead of urging us to go away. They thought they said we could go see – provided that we stayed behind and were silent.

“The boys had a club loosely based on patrols, and for older people a club where they could play billiards, table tennis and darts in one series, but unfortunately it eventually died. Television.”

Mrs. Hamilton shared many of the same memories and also recalls that there were regular Whist Drives stations where MC was Bert Peck. Dance music was provided by Ben James.

One of his most important memories was the various wedding celebrations held at the old KVH, including his own. He shared a picture of his niece’s wedding.

By pure coincidence, it appears that all three venues for the various social and gaming activities of the local villages were abandoned in 1972-74. First, Scout Hut was demolished in 1974 by a bungalow called Ardcaien.

In 1968, plans were drawn up to renovate the building, add a new extension, and improve heating. The budget was £ 1105. To account for this perspective, the Hall’s annual income, as reported in the 1972 accounts, was £ 100.45. This year rents were £ 51. In the same accounts, it was noted that hall rental rates will be increased: £ 75 for regular meetings, £ 1.50 for evening meetings and £ 3.50 for weddings.

Construction of a new roof

Despite the necessary grants being negotiated and confirmed in 1971/2, as a result of an inspection by a county inspector, the building was later convicted.

By August 1973, Roger Swanton, the son of Frank Swanton, had provided the current site to the Hall Committee. Of the £ 32,000 bill, around £ 24,000 was raised through local and state grants.

Additional funds were raised from the sale of the old site for £ 4,350, and the rest was raised from fundraising events held over the years — gyms, parties, barbecues, dances, etc. The most ambitious project was a three-day event in 1976 – one of the few wet weekends that hot summer! The highlight of the outdoor activities was the Red Devils parachute jump in the presence of Captain Sir Douglas Bader.

Frank Swanton opened the new building on Saturday, September 4, 1976. The opening dance of the evening stood out from the fact that The Autocrats band was renewed specifically to play.

The period from 1976 to the beginning of the 2000s can undoubtedly be recognized as the most successful period in the history of the hall as a Community resource.

Jean-Clement, a resident of West Overton, said: “The founding of the Kennet Valley Amateur Dramatic Society was the result of a discussion that Jennifer Edwards and I had one night at Who`da Thought It.

“We talked about amateur drama and decided we should see if anyone would be interested in putting Panto in Kennet Valley Hall. We called our first meeting in the summer of 1980 and to our surprise there was a lot of interest there, so much so that we were able to dress up our first panther in January 1981. ”

In addition, variety shows and concerts were organized.

In 2000, Hall was chosen as the official loading site for the Millennium Capsule. The previous year, local residents had been invited to write down their memories, which were then placed in a capsule and kept in the tower of St. Michael’s Church and did not open until 2200.

Since then, the hall has undergone many changes and investments.

Once all these updates have taken place, the popularity of the hall has grown rapidly. While traditional community events such as Easter and Christmas bingo and the annual pantomime have continued to be popular, the hall is becoming an increasingly popular venue for children’s parties, weddings and stakeholders such as Embroidery Guild, U3A and the National Trust.

Not to mention the International Cricket Club, which has taken the hall as its cricket pavilion, and Kennet Valley Elementary School, which uses the hall as a base for most of its physical education curricula and parent-related events. This is largely due to the large recreation area as part of the Hall complex. What anticipation the KVH Committee had in 1974 when he chose the perfect seat for our hall.

The year 2020/21 will be synonymous with the horrors of Covid 19 around the world. Society is already changing as a result, but regardless of the changes, KVH remains a unique local service and a very popular place for social and cultural activities throughout North East Wiltshire.