Nobs Entertain Plebs

In January 1935, the Western Daily Press reported on an interesting phenomenon at the village hall in Vobster, Somerset. Leading members of society decided to put on a one-act play for the locals. Those taking part included:

Princess Priscilla Bibesco (pictured), the Earl of Oxford, Mark Bonham Carter, Laura Bonham Carter and Raymond Bonham Carter. The Countess of Oxford was stage manager.

Princess Priscilla

It seems that Helena wasn’t blazing a wholly new trail in her family history when she took to movie stardom. if Wikipedia is to be believed, Raymond was Helena's father and Laura and Mark her aunt and uncle.

At the close of the performance, the Rector of Vobster (sounds like a Wilde play himself) called for cheers, which “were heartily given.” However, the private opinions of the audience were not recorded.

Click here to see my book of short stories inspired by Lady Astor's niece

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Woods Ware China at the Serving Hatch - The Book!

I have now put together a book to accompany this blog, featuring all the best bits and much more besides, about the development and use of village halls over the past century. It costs £1.29 for a Kindle download and £3.99 for a printed version. Here's the blurb: "Enter any village hall and look at the noticeboard. The range of activities taking place these days is enough to keep anyone entertained. Cinema evenings, keep fit classes, scouts, Women’s Institute, St John’s Ambulance, lunch clubs, support groups - all keeping the physical and spiritual on the straight and narrow. Where would we be without the village hall? What a marvellous innovation, and one that seems to grow in importance as we realise that we have lost sight of community somewhat, and need to nurse it back to life. You might, if you were in a particularly philosophical mood while hanging around the vestibule, wonder where and how it all began." English village halls have been a fixture of our lands...

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This article is copied from The Illustrated Police News, 14 February 1935: Judge Thanked "Thank you very much, sir, I've got off very light." Remarked John Moore, 76, when sentenced by Mr Justice Hawke at Gloucester Assizes to six months imprisonment on charges of breaking into Whitminster Village Hall and stealing articles valued at 4 shillings and 6 pence. There was a term of 344 days remaining of a previous sentence, and Moore was told that he would have to serve that time. P.S. (Police Sergeant) Howkins revealed that since 1904 Moore had been continually in and out of prison. Since that time he had been sentenced seven times to penal servitude, involving in all 23 years. In addition, he was in 1927 sentenced to four years imprisonment and had served further sentences most of them in respect of house breaking. Moore's last sentence was three year's penal servitude. Moore handed in a statement to the judge, beginning "I most respectfully wish t...

Woods Ware China at the Serving Hatch

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