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The Village Hall
To View the Latest Lee Memorial Hall Development Project
Newsletter 8 - January 2010 :- Click Here
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History The proposal to build a village hall in Lee originated at a vestry meeting in September 1919 when it discussed ways of commemorating the service rendered to the country by a very large proportion of the parishioners. 76 men served in the war, of which 16 died. Following public subscription and general village fund-raising, a Trust was set up in July 1923 to erect and maintain a Memorial Hall in memory of the inhabitants of Lee who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914-1918. The original trustees were Mrs. E.Tugwell, Lt.Col. R.Longstaff and the Rev. W.F.MacMichael. Lt.Col. Longstaff laid the foundation stone on 16 August 1923 and the building was completed in 1924 at a cost of £990. Mrs. Tugwell bequeathed the land on which the hall was built to the trustees. Miss Avice Drake-Cutliffe presented the clock in the tower in memory of her late brother, Lt. B.H.H.Drake-Cutliffe. |
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Following
the 1939-1945 war, proposals were made to extend the hall in memory of those who
fell in the Second World War. The extensions were to provide modern sanitation,
improve the kitchen facilities and to extend the eastern end of the hall to
provide committee rooms and improve stage facilities. During 1947-1961, the
local community raised funds and a grant was obtained to finance the project.
Mr. & Mrs. Pilley donated the additional land required. Mrs.C.E.J.Gover,
wife of the Rector of Bratton Fleming and daughter of the late Rev.
W.F.MacMichael, who was vicar of Lee and one of the original trustees, opened
the extension in 1962.
In
1994, the late Mrs. I.Pilley bequeathed School Meadow (also known as Pixie
Meadow) to the trustees. This field adjoins the hall and had been used for many
years to hold events in it. Refurbishment was made to the field over the next
couple of years, including drainage, fencing and planting a fuchsia hedge
alongside the road. This work, and especially the fuchsia hedge, won for the
hall in 1996 an award from the North Devon Conversation Society of The Endymion
Shield.
Over the years, the trustees have made improvements to the hall and its facilities. Electric lighting was installed in 1937, with the hall being one of the first places in the village to obtain this. Improvements have been made to the kitchens, toilets and the stage – much of it to comply with new regulations. Facilities for the disabled have been installed in recent years including a wheel chair access ramp and a loop system for the hard of hearing. Heating of the main hall started as a solid fuel open fire, which was replaced in 1967 by an oil stove. Electric heaters were added in later years to supplement the heating. These were superseded in 1999 by a modern oil-fired central heating system for the whole building. These improvements to the hall have been recognised by the award in 1994 of the National Westminster Bank Trophy for the best run village hall in North Devon, having been runner-up in 1992.
Uses
In the early days, the village hall was the main centre of village activity. A popular social club was run successfully seven days a week. The activities available included snooker, billiards and darts. In addition, dances and whist drives were held and it was usual for an amateur play to be put on each winter. After the Second World War, it was through these activities that funds were raised for the proposed extensions. Other organisations in the village, such as the Women’s Institute which was started in Lee in April 1926, used the hall for their regular meetings.
The
advent of television changed village life and saw the demise of the social club
and resulted in the decline in the use of the village hall. Nowadays, the
village hall is used mainly by various village organisations for their meetings
and social activities. These organisations include the Women’s Institute, the
Lee Flower Show, the Lee residents’ Association and the Parochial Church
Council. In addition, the Lee Village Players periodically put on a play and
private hirings use the hall for birthday parties and wedding receptions.
Organisations outside the village use the hall occasionally, with North Devon
District Council being the main one for local, district and general elections.
Hiring Charges
The current
hiring charges and availability may be obtained by contacting the
Booking Secretary, Kate Seekings, Tel: 01271
867068 email:
kate@southcliffehall.co.uk.
Notable Features
Several paintings of early trustees and benefactors hang in the hall. These include:-
l Miss. A.Drake-Cutliffe, watercolour by Grahame Penn of Lincombe (1992).
l Lt. B.H.H.Drake-Cutliffe, oil by Lilian Cheviot.
l Mrs. E.Tugwell, photograph.
l Mrs. I.Pilley, oil by Sybil Trist, Lady Richardson of Lee.
l Mrs. J.Spurgin, oil by Sybil Trist, Lady Richardson of Lee. She was a trustee for 40 years.
By
the entrance door to the hall is a semi-circular shaped recess in the wall 48
inches high and 13 inches wide. It is currently used for a fire extinguisher but
originally it held a large 11 inch naval brass shell case from the First World
War. A brass plaque on it originally is now mounted on a wooden plaque above the
recess. This states that it was presented to the people of Lee by the National
War Savings Committee to commemorate their notable subscriptions to War
Securities during Gun Week 1918. The shell was voluntarily surrendered in the
early days of the Second World War to be used as munitions.
In
1995, an illustrated map of the village was drawn and painted by a local artist,
Grahame Penn. This 48-inch by 38-inch map is framed and hangs on the north wall
of the hall. The Women’s Institute organised the map and members of the WI did
the cross-stitch work.
The
Bishop’s Stone sited on the NW corner of the hall. See explanation under the
Church.
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Click picture to enlarge |
THE LEE TEXTILE WALL HANGING On the 16 December 2000 this framed patchwork measuring 38 inches by 31 inches was unveiled to commemorate the Millennium |
To
recognize the Millennium, the Lee patchwork group have designed and made this
commerative wall hanging to be displayed in the Lee village hall. The hanging
has been designed by Hilary Widlake, a member of the group. As
the village have adopted the fuchsia as their symbol, this became the
inspiration for the main design of the hanging.