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A Short History of Cullingworth Village Hall
As published by Cullingworth History Group in 2006 in “Cullingworth, a glimpse of the past Vol. 2” Author: Ken Batchelor
In the late 1960s keen members of the village community decided to start fund-raising towards the creation of a Village Hall. A small band of enthusiasts formed a committee and set about the task of raising the several thousands of pounds that would be needed to launch the project.
Dances were held in the YMCA in Mill Street and a sponsored walk from Morecambe to Cullingworth, over several days, were just two of the activities undertaken. In 1967 the Cullingworth Old Age Pensioners’ Group, now known as the Over 60s, came up with the idea of asking villagers to pay £1 to have their name embroidered on a tablecloth. Mrs Grace Anderton painstakingly embroidered 508 names of people living in the village. It must have taken her many hours to complete. (A photograph of part of the cloth and a list of names is included in the book.)
Eventually a suitable building became available in Keighley, standing on the site of the present Damside Car Park. It was the redundant Salvation Army Citadel Hall and, following negotiations, was purchased for the sum of £2,000.
"Progress" led to a site for the village hall
A site needed to be found for the erection of the building and the clearance of the cottages in Coronation Street and Francis Square provided the opportunity for the scheme to progress.
People have since remarked that the houses were prematurely demolished, as with careful modification they could have been saved as affordable housing in the village. The properties could have been completely renovated to become a desirable feature in the conservation area.
However, it was the fashion then to destroy many sound buildings, a policy we have lived to regret.
In the early days the hall was used to provide entertainment for the villagers in a period when the simple pleasures were much appreciated. Whist drives, bingo sessions, dances and youth club were the activities taking place under the care of the trustees. In the original constitution, drawn up with Bradford Local Council, the owners of the land, the trustees numbered 26. The land is leased to the Hall Management Committee at a peppercorn rent.
In the early days a playschool operated in the hall staffed by parents which gave a start to toddlers and was much appreciated. Since those days a Pre-school has been in existence for many years and is regularly inspected by OFSTED. It is open morning and afternoons Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday .and Friday, with mornings only on Thursdays. The Over 60s Club meets on Thursday afternoons, when a programme of entertainment is provided for older members of the village.
A long established activity is the Cullingworth Amateur Dramatics Society (CADS). The group started life as the St John's Players before the war, meeting in those days in the Sunday School building (now demolished) in Halifax Road opposite the Vicarage. The change of name came about in the late 1960s and following the opening of the Village Hall in 1973, the first show presented was “Cat among the Pigeons”. CADS is still very active putting on various plays, musicals and pantomimes.
1974 it opened
This photograph shows the gathering of the people most involved in the venture and it is nice to realise that some are still active in the hall scene today, some 30 years later.
A grant from the EEC was used to extend the front to provide a committee room, toilets and storeroom and recently a ramp was installed to provide access for disabled users. If it were possible to raise the necessary funding to rebuild in stone this would enhance the centre of the village and could provide several small rooms for small groups, together with a large hall capable of being divided if required. The original cost of the hall was a struggle to raise but it would go nowhere in providing a replacement today!
Thanks must go to everyone involved over the years in keeping the project alive and particularly to the present Chairman, Ralph Beards, who has guided the management for the last 7 years.
Ken Batchelor
This photograph was taken on the Official Opening of the original Village Hall on Saturday 6 April 1974.
Mrs Janet Whitehead, Mrs Pam Price, Mrs Betty Crabtree, Mr Frank Jagger, Chairman, Mrs P Clayton, Mrs Stella Ward, Mrs Terry Stammers, Mr Maurice Bennett, Mrs Margaret Bennett, Janet Wilkinson, Mrs B Smith, Mrs Barbara Thompson, Secretary, Mr Harry Lobley, Mr W Minniken, Mrs Downey, Councillor Mrs Emily Hall, Official opener Last Chairman of Bingley Urban District Council before it was taken over by Bradford Metropolitan Districl Council, Lynne Bennett and Barbara Slater, the little girl in the bottom right of the photograph, is of course Barbara Knowles, the manager of Cullingworth Preschool, based in the new Village Hall.
The village hall proves to be no white elephant, as some had forecast
Over the decades the original hall was used by thousands of people for all sorts of events and activities. From choir performances to political debates, from fundraising cafes to amateur dramatics, the village hall brought so many benefits to the people of Cullingworth. It clearly evidenced the need for a village hall and that, once the building had reached the end of it's life, it would need to be replaced. Hence the story of the new village hall.
The White Elephant
Mr Frank Jagger (top right in the photo above) made the white elephant picture which hung above the stage in the old Village Hall.
When the hall was first built its emblem was a white elephant, and it was the opinion of a lot of villagers that it would become a “white elephant”. However, it was well used and with a constant repair and maintenance programme remained in good shape for many years until it was recognised that a new hall was required
Frank's daughter, Sally Driver, and granddaughter, Katie Driver, visited the new Village Hall and saw the same white elephant picture proudly restored and hanging in the foyer.
