The Hall Today
The hall today is in rather a state and will need a lot of work to bring it back into community use, but together we can make it happen.
A Building Lost To Time
Imagine the hustle and bustle of the 'Saturday Night Dance'. Friends meeting together after a long week at work, ready to let their hair down and bust a few moves on the dance floor. Couples drinking tea and biscuits around the stoked fire. Music and laughter ringing out throughout the hall. Together we can bring it back to life.
An invoice dated April 1920 shows timber to build the hall cost £2000 and stone dressing, damp course and cement an extra £400.
Moses Harrison of Street Farm dressed this stone and Fred Robinson (wheelwright from Chelmorton) did all the joinery. Charles Melland of Great Low donated the land on which to build the hall and the 9th Duke of Devonshire donated the adjoining field for a recreation ground (originally intended to be a bowling green).
Heating the hall was an ongoing battle - we have years and years worth of invoices and receipts from Buxton Corporation Gas Works for deliveries of coke and later coal from J Wright, coal merchant, Buxton. We know a stove was installed in November 1932.
Lighting was equally time consuming - with the constant need for paraffin and methylated spirits as well as lamp repairs.
We know some of the equipment that used to be in the hall - we have receipts for moving a piano from Buxton to Pomeroy
(8 shillings charged by J W Bainbridge, Haulage contractor and furniture remover of Grange Rd, Buxton). We have many receipts for piano tuning done by W F Walker of Burbage and later Goddard and Whitelegg of Buxton (anyone remember Goddard's music shop?) An oval ring board and a dozen rings cost 7/6 in 1929. We also have a letter dated 1931 thanking HRP Lomas for his "wonderful gift" of chairs. We have receipts for dice, playing cards and score cards. There was also a small desk from when the hall was used as a reading room.
We have receipts for bands appearing at Pomeroy War Memorial Hall as far back as 1930. "The Imperials" and Donald Fidler (band leader) are mentioned - the going rate for a band in the early 1930's was £3. Later bands included Nadin's Band, Hindlow Accordion Band, Piggery Band, Parker's Band and Florrie Wain, piano player.
A Space For All
We know about refreshments at the dances from receipts - standard fare was loaves, fancies, pies, potted meat, sugar, butter and fruitcake. For children's parties they ordered biscuits, jellies and fruit. They also liked a brew - the hall bought a tea urn and infuser for £276 from Holme and Ash Ironmonger, Market Place, Buxton.
The Old Fire
The Original stove was installed in November 1932 as we have a receipt for £126. Described as a large stove with piping, it came from Flagg Chapel! A Tortoise stove was installed in 1950 and cost £838. This was repaired by Billy Wain in 1968. This is the one you can see in a sorry state in our photo.
Exposed Beams
The original exposed beams of the hall read 'Erected in pursuance of Act of Parliament for public singing, dancing and music or other public entertainments'.
Photography Competition
This was our entry into a 'Village Hall Photography' competition. As it was close to Halloween at the time we were trying to depict the irony of our hall being only fit for use by ghosts.
Tea Anyone?
Although The Pomeroy War Memorial Hall may have long been forgotten by many, the 'Spirits' of its former days linger on.
Photography Competition
This was our entry into a 'Village Hall Photography' competition. As it was close to Halloween at the time we were trying to depict the irony of our hall being only fit for use by ghosts.
Tea Anyone?
Although The Pomeroy War Memorial Hall may have long been forgotten by many, the 'Spirits' of its former days linger on.
The Three Witches of Pomeroy
Here we have the scene of three witches from the halls committee casting spells on a young local boy, setting him to work on the unwieldy task of cleaning the hall.
The Three Witches of Pomeroy
Here we have the scene of three witches from the halls committee casting spells on a young local boy, setting him to work on the unwieldy task of cleaning the hall.