In
1965 – the Golden Jubilee of the Women's Institute movement – the Federation of WIs organised
a village scrapbook competition. The aim was to collate a picture of British
village life at this point in time. Over 2,600 villages responded with
pictures, descriptions, poems and commentary from several members of the
community. Paul Jennings collated the results into a book called “The Living
Village”, published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1968. I have a Country Book
Club edition and it certainly has made for fascinating reading. It is a
snapshot of a time when the last of the old rural traditions were just hanging
on by a thread.
Of
course there are several mentions of village halls. One section talks about
memorial halls and here is a quote from the scrapbook collated for the village
of Bramcote, a village on the A52 just west of Nottingham. I haven’t visited
it, but now I fear it is merely a suburb of the city rather than a rural
village.
“The Memorial Halls which were erected in so
many villages after the 14-18 war have done a great deal towards enriching
village life. There is surely no better way of commemorating those who died for
their country than by making that country a better place to live in, and the
Memorial Halls have helped in no small way to do this. Bramcote’s is constantly
booked; badminton clubs, Pathfinders, W.I., handicrafts, children’s dancing
class, socials and youth dances, school meals service, produce shows and
Christmas fairs, not to mention the baby clinic run by the Welfare State every
fortnight in the hall.”
Jennings
comments:
“At Bramcote
the Community Association, among many other activities, ‘purchased a 3-length
extending ladder, 3 decorating and pasting tables and a blowlamp; these are on
hire at a very nominal charge to members’.
This
is a portrait of a very dynamic hall and gives a great insight into the usual
activities of the mid 1960s.
I
am pleased to say that Bramcote Memorial Hall is still thriving. You can find
out more through bramcotetoday.org.uk but here is a list of current activities
taking place there:
Playgroup,
bridge, chess, dance classes, garden club, kickboxing, pilates, slimming and tai
chi.
The
emphasis is still on community wellbeing – keeping fit both physically and
mentally – although new ideas have been embraced the bottom line remains the
same.
Some
Google review quotes:
·
Tango lessons
every Wednesday
·
Good clean
place for a painting workshop
·
Great place
nice atmosphere
·
I didn't visit
this place. I just walked past it. From what I can see from the outside, it
looks pretty nice
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