Hall

THE JUBILEE HALL

From the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald May 10th 1935 Clifford Chambers

The village was gaily decorated with flags and bunting for the Jubilee Celebrations. The festivities commenced with a service in Church conducted by the Rector, the form being the same used at St. Paul's.

The afternoon was devoted to sports for children and adults, prizes being given for each event. In a large barn kindly lent by Mr. Bluck, the children sat down to tea, and afterwards received Jubilee mugs at the hands of Mr. G. Douty.

At 6 o'clock all the adults were entertained to a dinner which comprised a plentitude of good old English fare. After the meal, there was an excellent entertainment which took the form of conjuring and ventriloquism. The day ended with a large bonfire on Martins Hill and the fine display of fireworks. To commemorate the Jubilee, in the afternoon Mr. and Mr. Rees-Mogg opened the new Village Hall which will be a great acquisition as the village has been without a hall for over two years.

Photo:Clifford Chambers in the 1930's:Celebrations of George VI and Queen Elizabeth's Coronation in 1936 Photo:Homes and Buildings: aerial view of village 1938

It was in 1957 - about 8 years after Mrs. Rees-Mogg's death that a meeting was called at the Jubilee Hall and the Minutes of that meeting presented a sorry picture.

The Jubilee Hall was in an unhappy situation. Expenses were heavy and there was no possibility of a reduction in hire charges. The Rector, Rev Cecil Lake suggested that an extension could be made to build an additional room for general purposes.

A year later the Hall was STILL in a very unsatisfactory situation, so a new Chairman was elected – Tony Green with Miss Hodgson acting as both Secretary and Treasurer, the members being Mr. A Dodd, Mr. Richardson,. Radbourne, Mr. G. R. Gillett, Mrs Hudspith and Miss James, and the Rector ex officio – also representatives of the village organizations

First of all – the most urgent was seen to – the cutting of the grass and attending to the guttering of the the Jubilee Hall IMMEDIATELY! By October 1959, the financial position had improved with £52.4s.9d in hand, and an application was made to Gloucester for permission to grant any party hiring the Jubilee Hall, setting up a bar, and this was completed by May 1960.

By 21st March 1961, the Hall had received the gift of a water heater in the kitchen from Miss M. Adams, but there was an urgency for external painting of the Hall, but no money available. And in 1964, it was agreed to start Bingo at the Hall. In April 1969 the Hall had £106.14.2d in the Bank partly due to the installation of a bar. At last plans for the exterior or interior of the building were in hand!

On 28th March 1969 it was reported the MEB were in the process of re-wiring, and the builders had completed the porch roof. But now another problem had occurred, eight feet of dry rot and decay in the Hall floor. And this section needed complete re-flooring. So it was expected the final cost of this work would be nearer £500, the Hall paying as much as they can, and the balance coming from the Church.

In April 1971 the WI came to the rescue and thoroughly gave the Hall a good clean-over – cleaning and polishing the Jubilee Hall floor, window sills and kitchen. By July the same year several quotations had been received for the exterior and interior painting – the one chosen, Messrs Brookes of £239, the Church paying £100 towards the cost of £105.93 for the exterior

After a lot of discussion, it was decided that as user bodies of the Hall were mostly represented on the PCC, the Hall sub-committee would not continue as such, but would now be run by the PCC,. However the Secretary/Treasurer would still be kept separately, and Mrs. Ullyatt would be asked to keep on with this appointment and would be accepted onto the PCC.

Now things were happening fast, for by June 1972 the Hall were purchasing material for new stage drapes and Mrs. Bramwell and Mrs. Ulyatt had agreed to make them.

On 7th August 1975, an electric slot meter was installed by the MEB at a cost of around £39 , organised by Mrs. Pauline Ullyatt. Then on 31st May 1979, Mrs. Ullyatt reported that new curtains had been fixed to the hall windows and the trestle tables were being repaired. The new window curtains and pelmets were already in position

In 1961 the door curtains in the Hall had been made and hung by Mrs. Ullyatt at the suggestion of Mrs. Kingston who saw the need for a blackout when films or slides were shown.

THEN CAME THE BIG CHANGE IN THE PARISH!

The next Rector would be living at Welford, not Clifford, and Clifford Rectory would be sold. As the Rectory was a place where many Church meetings took place, arrangements had to be made to have a room or rooms added to the Jubilee Hall. Gloucester was asked if we could employ our own Architect to do alterations with any plans being sent to Gloucester for their consideration. They in turn will let us know how much they would be prepared to allow us, towards the cost.

And from the Minutes of 15th July 1981, the Minutes read:-.

“ The Churchwardens had met with Winston Walker who had, since, sent notes on our ideas to enlarge the toilets, kitchen and additional room for the Rector's office, and these were read out by Dr. Bramwell.

It was agreed to accept his ideas for the toilets and the Committee room, but to ask if it was possible to extend this room to make a private office for the Rector. It was also decided to ask him if he could sketch his ideas for the kitchen and to suggest to him the possibility of moving the stairs to the other side of the stage to allow for expansion to the kitchen there.

10th September 1981 A sub-Committee of the two Churchwardens, Mrs. Ullyatt and L Salmon, Mrs. J. Hancox and Mrs. Bramwell will meet to discuss the proposed alterations to the Hall on 30th September, and these plans will be discussed with Mr.Winston Walker. The plans will be brought to our next Council meeting.

10th November 1981 Draft plans were shown and explained by Dr. Bramwell, and the Architect thinks these extensions will cost in the region of £40,000/£45,000. Dr Bramwell will go to see the Planning Department at the Council to see if our ideas would need any modification before they would be allowed to be passed, and then we should press Gloucester to see how much they will be prepared to put up.

14th January 1982 Hall extension. Dr. Bramwell discussed this with local Planning Department who preferred we put a pitch roof instead of a flat one on the new extension. This will put up the cost, but he had had the plans revised and they were now ready to be forwarded to Gloucester together with the estimated costs. Dr. Bramwell would forward them together with a letter being sent to the Rector (Canon Hawkins) and Mr. Ullyatt giving arguments for the necessity for this extension due to the closure of our Rectory, and asking for considerable help with the cost. And a fete was planned for 16th June for funds towards the cost of the Hall alterations.

26th March 1982 Dr. Bramwell read a copy of the letter he wrote to Gloucester with our proposed plans and the estimated cost of £42,000. He then read Gloucester's reply, and they agreed to give us £25,000 towards the cost. We agreed to accept and Dr. Bramwell will write to them. He will also see W. Walker to see if we can nulify the costs and get the plans in for passing.

Mr. Walker has given his costs so far at a very modified rate of £400 which it was agreed to pay - £200 to come from Hall funds and £100 from Fabric Fund plus £700 donation given to Hall.

29th April 1982 Gloucester willing to grant us £25,000 towards the cost . Thanks to Mrs. Ullyatt for all her work she and her husband do at the Hall.

1st March 1983 Tenders had gone out to six firms, five returned: lowest £24,672: top £36,531 for completed job. Winston Walker checking these over with surveyor and Moss' tender being the lowest will be signed.

And, at last on 13th March 1984, the Parochial Church Council met in the new Committee room at the Jubilee Hall under the chairmanship of Rev. George Baisley, the Hall extension at long last being completed and the furnishings now under way, Mrs. Bramwell kindly making up the curtains fr the extension. The main hall floor was to be professionally cleaned and sealed now that all building was complete. The decorating of the main hall to be left until it was known how much Gloucester are paying of the extension account and how much we may have to pay.

When the Hall was completely paid up by Gloucester, it was agreed to have an official opening by the Archdeacon. On 24th September 1984, it was recorded that the Extension, as far as was known, has been paid for by Gloucester of £21,000, we still awaiting the final account by Moss. The Rector's Office to be the only responsibility of the Church Funds. The two Quartermain paintings for the Rector's office have been valued at £500 each. Dr. Bramwell to get these insured.

Then in May 1985. Dennis Reynolds felt it necessary to put 6” insulation over the Hall and stage, this coming to £193.20 plus VAT. Dennis and Lawrence Salmon started on this work on 18th September that year

Mrs. Joyce Dale had left a bequest of £1,000 to the Hall. Dr. Bramwell had already bought 40 new chairs out of this at the cost of £403. It was decided that, from the balance of £600 we should buy some more trestle tables to replace the old wooden ones, and perhaps 20 more new chairs. As there were sufficient funds in the Hall account, it was decided to go ahead with painting the main body of the Hall.

On 8th January 1986 the Minutes stated Insulation credit received £84 – bill came to £157. Materials supplied for sides, and working party to lay this. Electrics - L. Salmon thought it would be a large job to put electrics all on one wall. This to be left until kitchen is done. Floor not done. Dennis Reynolds to investigate this and report. Painting not done – now to be left until roof insulation done. Tables and chairs – extra chairs bought. Small sample table on display which was examined by all and agreed to purchase 6 of these at at cost of £220. New cups had been bought to replace badly chipped ones. 6 new trays also to be bought. Cleaner – position to be advertised at £2 per hour to see if we could get someone back.

On 20th February 1986 it was reported that Dennis Reynolds and Lawrence Salmon had completed the Hall roof insulation and they had enough material left to do both sides of the stage roof and thanks were extended to them for completing this work. Hall floor – Dennis Reynolds had this in hand and hopes to be able to report on this at the next meeting. Cleaner left until AGM as Dr. Bramwell wishes to retire from the position of Secretary/Caretaker. He was thanked from the chair.

Lawrence Salmon took over the job of Secretary Caretaker in May 1986. and reported on 28th January 1987 that he was now responsible for bookings and fees, passing on the latter until the end of the financial year in March when he would have whole responsibility.

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AT THE HALL The Womens Institute Mrs. Rees-Mogg introduced the W.I. to the women of the village in 1938 by having an enormous party of over one thousand people in her garden. Some of these guests were from abroad as the party was part of a worldwide celebration of the Associated County Women of the World. The lady-villagers who attended, walked down the drive back home unanimous in two things:- "Yes - it was a lovely party" and "We must start a Womens Institute in our village"

Unfortunately, the War intervened, and it wasn't until 1945 that, at last a W.I. was established with Mrs. Rees-Mogg as President, Miss Dunkley secretary, and Mrs. Timperly the village head-teacher as treasurer. Miss Dodd with her great music ability, trained a choir of members for carol singing, and of course, she made sure that every member could sing with confidence at the beginning of each monthly meeting, the stirring words and music of 'Jerusalem'.

Notes from Maisie Wilkes "I joined the W.I. in 1948. W.I was 'jam and Jerusalem' then, but became a much wider thing later. We had a Drama Group, as well as a Choir. The Drama Group used to entertain at Christmas meetings not only for our own W.I. but for villages around like Preston, Long Marston etc. We also entered Drama Competitions, travelling to Earlswood, and Solihull to take part, and were very successful.

The Choir and other members sung carols round the village on two nights of Christmas week, sometimes tracking through the snow to houses just outside the village. And we had a hand-bell ringing team which also travelled to other W.I.'s

We entered National Competitions of the W.I. and won awards for our Village Scrap book; supper table and many more.

The W.I. thrived during the 1950's/60's because then the W.I. mums of young children, were able to leave their children in care of dads those nights. The W.I. moved on from 'Jam and Jerusalem' then and the topics and talks were more varied and we had started to expand to do more County work and even more competitions

The Drama Group had a lot of fun much to our producers disgust at times. On year, we had to do a hospital play, when four or five of our members at that time were pregnant."

Photo:Clifford Chambers in the 1980's:Founder members WI celebrating 50 years

W.I. AND THE SLIDES AND TAPE WE SENT TO NEW ZEALAND

Avril Salmon (then Taylor) attended her first W.I. meeting at Clifford Chambers when she arrived in the village in 1967, having been heavily involved in the W.I. in the village she had come from. Within a year, she had been put on the Committee and given the job of “New Zealand Link” This involved sending correspondence to the link Secretary in New Zealand, Mrs Isla Tait at Gore W.I. after every monthly meeting.

Not quite sure how this 'link' had come about, she was told that Gore W.I. in New Zealand had sent our W.I. food parcels during the last War. When Avril found out many years later, that our W.I. didn't start until 1945, the older members, with their memories, had passed on, so no-one was able to tell her the facts.

However, she wrote letters each month to Isla which she tried to make as interesting as possible. A few months later, she accompanied her letters with little sketches of the humorous bits that took place each meeting of our W.I. But there were some meetings that weren't all that interesting for her to illustrate – or even write about.

Then she had the idea of sending photos, but as the idea of this correspondence was to have it shared amongst all the members of the Gore W.I., photos were not really appropriate.

So she put in her camera a film that would produce transparent photos. And why not – she thought – accompany these slides with a recording of W.I. members talking about the slides – so members of Gore W.I. will enjoy both views of our village and slides of various activities that went on in our village and around the area. Avril asked the W.I .members at the next meeting what they thought about it and would any of them be willing to record a message on the tape to be sent with the slides. The result was a 'yes' and a few put up their hands who were willing to help in the recording.

So after taking photos around the village and the area, and being given more photos by the members, she trundled round the village over many evenings for some weeks, with her very heavy tape recorder, and took recordings.

It was good! And successful! Avril always took care that a reasonable gap existed between each recording, so the voices did not overlap each other. All the members – except one – were willing for Avril to operate the tape as they talked about the photos in their hand.. Only one preferred to be in charge of the tape herself, so Avril left the tape with her, pointing out that the tape was in the right position for recording, with several seconds of tape well past the last recording, and all she had to do was move one knob, at the same time as moving another knob and the recording would start.

This member came to see Avril a few days later very apologetic. She had somehow recorded over part of the previous recording. But when Avril listened to the tape later, she found that fortunately, in an amazing way, both voices could be heard together and the previous recording could be heard easily over the last recording. So she left it, and when she sent the transparencies and the tape to Gore W.I. she explained the problem and hoped they would hear clearly the previous recording.

It was a long time before she ever thought about the slides again. She continued writing to Isla for many years – even though she was no longer able to go to the W.I. meetings. She had married by then and had her first child, but when baby No. 2 came along, he was a child who believed in screaming loudly from 7.00pm to 11.00 pm so all the whole village could hear – and Avril's husband found it was a bit too much for him! And that was the end of Avril's attendance at W.I. meetings though she carried on writing and sending Christmas cards to Isla until Isla's death, and she continued – and still writes – to Isla's daughter.

It wasn't until a friend mentioned to Avril what happened to the tape and slides, that Avril thought she would write to Isla who by now had left her W.I. due to ill health, and she found out that both tape and slides had been returned to Clifford some years later, to the then Secretary, Maisie Wilks. Maisie at the time Avril received the message from Isla, had become very ill and had died. Also the W.I. had ceased to exist, for it was replaced by Chamford.

After a message that she placed in the monthly Clifford News, Avril found the tape and slides had been left with Mary James and with no W.I. now existing, it was decided that the tape and slides would be left with Mary on behalf of Chamford.

However, there was no link with Gore W.I. from Chamford, so Avril, after many difficulties lasting several years, managed to acquire both tape and slides once more. But, unfortunately, found that some of the slides were missing.

But here they are, voices – many of whom are no longer with us – and the slides with just the voices only, where the slides are missing. So click onto here – and enjoy these voices from the past and the slides bringing back so many memories.

FILMS AT THE HALL

During the War the Vicar of Quinton drove every Thursday to Clifford Chambers with the back seat of his car full of projector and stand and latest popular film (black and white of course) and anything else he needed to put on a film show at the Jubilee Hall. Each Thursday he would set it all up, and once the Jubilee Hall was full of an audience of children and adults (and many had to stand as all the seats were taken very quickly), he started the film and then left his audience to watch the entertainment while he went off to the New Inn Pub for a drink

Most probably he had done the same at Quinton, for he seemed to know just when to leave the Pub and go back to the Hall in order to switch over the film to the next instalment – start it again, and go back again to the Pub to finish his drink.

It was a very popular entertainment, with many feeling they just couldn't wait until the next Thursday before they had this fascinating entertainment..

Maurice Woodfield remembers that for a few Thursdays they had to have this entertainment in the Village School as the Jubilee Hall had been taken over for something else. This or course meant a slightly longer walk for the Vicar to reach his drink at the Pub.

There was also dancing every Saturday but not always at the Jubilee Hall. The dance group went from village to village in the area, and the people followed them wherever they were – and sometimes it was Clifford Chambers' turn to have them. .

Chamford

By the late 1980's, many members were wishing their husbands could come along to the Meetings. And then, when it was realised there were not enough volunteers to form a W.I. Committee, nor likely to be in the future, a vote was taken. It was then very clear that the general feeling was to start an association which would involve men and women, meeting once a month.

A competition was held for the best name for this new association. The winner was Claire Woulfe with 'Chamford' i.e. first part of 'Chambers' and last part of 'Clifford'.

Clifford Wives

"Clifford Wives were formed in November 1965 by Norah Worth who lived at Red Hill Coach House. They were originally called 'The Young Wives', but when the original members aged and were not so young, it was changed, first to St. Helen's Wives, and then to Clifford Wives, so it could be open to all ladies whether they were a Church member or not."

Clifford 60's Club

Clifford 60 Club was formed in May 1973 by Mary James and Maisie Wilks, with over 50 members, meeting once a fortnight, but in the 1990s, membership had reduced dramatically in numbers, and for many years became just a monthly lunch at the New Inn in place of the fortnightly meetings."

Quest Club – told by Avril Salmon “.....arrived at the Jubilee Hall in September 1982 when the Rectory was sold and what had been called the Sunday School and Children's Church then changed its name to Quest Club. Christine Wheeler and I had been left in charge of this work by Miss Baker, and we were totally unprepared for it! I had a toddler and Christine's son was only a year older. We started in the September. By November, I realised another baby was on the way, and Henry arrived on 27th May the following year, but by then Christine also found a baby was on the way too! So, with her taking over completely during May, I then had to take over completely in August when Calvin was born. It was a struggle . We were helped with the material published by Scripture Union which gave us brilliant ideas on how to tell the Bible story and add to the story, various activities that really attracted the children - involving craft-work, puzzles, games and cooking.

Numbers grew, and by 1989, many siblings wanted to come too. So we used the Rector's Room for the under 5's with a teenager taking them, first Sara Salmon then aged 14, and when A levels took over her life, Helen Sage then aged 14. Both girls also used the Scripture Union material which they found very helpful and the little ones really looked forward to their session on Sunday mornings. When exams loomed for Helen, then one of the mothers took over, Jen Snow and continued to do so until 1998 when the work came to an end.

Christine and I took the 5-8s in the Church Room, but when the older ones reached the age of 12, I knew we had to start another group, this time meeting one evening in the week in the Church Room.

By this time, with both Henry and Calvin starting school full time, Christine had started work again, and had gone into the managerial side. This meant weekend work. Volunteers took over Christine's side of the work (the activities) while I concentrated on the Bible Story and the best way to make it really interesting and applicable to the children. Our two regular volunteers were Janet Reason and Sarah Collins, with Sarah having an amazing gift at craft work. There were some Sundays neither of them could manage, but other volunteers took their place.

Lawrence helped me with the evening Quest Club for 9's to 13's; mainly team games in the main hall which they enjoyed thoroughly, ending with the spiritual side with plenty of questions and interesting discussions. By this time we were calling the three groups Infant Quest Club, Junior Quest Club and Senior Quest Club.

And we carried on growing in numbers - 33 young people coming regularly, and we had to start another group - 14's to 18's , first of all meeting in my house. There were nine altogether in this group, and we called ourselves Yoyo (You're Only Young Once). Welford had three young people in that age group, and they joined up with us. This brought some relief to me, as Welford volunteered to take them 3 Sunday evenings each month and I had them on the fourth.

Then, of course, they went to University, and my 9-13's came into this group - 12 boys and one girl - and all they wanted to do was play football!

They definitely had to go into the main room at the Hall. No-way was I going to have them in my small living room. We joined the Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs, and were able to buy a table-tennis table, and also some 'five-a-side' football posts to put in the Rec. We also took them on outings to ten-pin-bowling, ice-skating, and to the snowdome, and, for the older ones, paintballing. But they were not interested in discussions or quizes or anything they considered boring, boring, boring. We brought speakers in on First Aid, Self Defence and even Wine Making - but still it had to be football more than anything else.

By this time, I had approached my 60th birthday, and one of the last events we had before I became ill, was a Strawberry Cream Tea with music provided by the talented children in our three main groups. And it was on that very day I caught a virus with very nasty side effects, one of which was that my thyroid glands were attacked, and the start of my back-trouble that I still suffer with. So, with me lying on a board fixed under the mattress of my bed for 5 months and doing nothing else except two trips a week to physiotherapy, everything had to come to an end. This was in 1998.

And now the Church room is no longer used by children, as there is no Youth work for the children of this Parish, and the Rector's room hasn't been used as a room for the spiritual needs of the Parish since that year.”

Easter Breakfast

"Why not hold an Easter Breakfast", the Scripture Union Magazine suggested one Palm Sunday many years ago, "and invite the Church family along?"

It was too late that year to organize one, and after discussion Avril and Christine thought it a Great Idea to have one in the Jubilee Hall for the following year. Avril made a note at the end of her diary, and at the beginning of the following year, she entered it in her new diary, at the same time, placing an article about it in the January Parish Magazine, followed by references to it in the February one.

In the March Magazine, she put requests in for food, crockery, toasters, and hostess trolleys, and peoples' individual preference for food - and the response was amazing!

Ninety people said they would be coming. In the two weeks before Easter, 90 name-places were made of different shades of card in the form of a round stone fastened to an equal number of 'tombs.' (which kept the name-places upright). A table-plan was blue-tacked to the wall of the hall, and as people arrived, (those who hadn't been at the Easter communion service arriving first, and the others coming later), they were able to find their places easily at the tables. And there, in front of them was the grapefruit, or cereal, or yoghurt they had ordered; the next course being toast and croissants kept warm in the hostess trolley.

On a table by the stage was a large wicker basket full of painted eggs. "How many children are coming?" asked Betty Dench when she volunteered, not only to hard-boil the eggs but paint them also and decorate them. As so many people were coming including guests staying with them, plus their children, we weren't quite sure, so we gave her the number of children then living in the Parish, and hoped for the best. Consequently, not only the children, but our senior citizens went home that day with a beautifully decorated egg.

One table was reserved completely for our noisy teenagers who, when all the food was eaten and people were sipping their coffee/tea/fruit juice, performed a humourous play on the stage called "The Sin Busters" which brought plenty of laughter coming from the adults and, when the Sin Busters fought against the two baddies by firing foam sprays at them of all different colours, even louder laughter came from the children. The baddies were pretty well covered with this stuff by the end as they ran off the stage and through the hall, scattering the foam in all directions as they passed the tables. Fortunately the foam came off easily.

We repeated the Easter Breakfast for many years, each time putting on a different type of entertainment. When Christine left Quest Club, Clare Lewis helped with the Easter Breakfast, and eventually took over the organising completely with Avril just helping. Then when a few years later Avril became ill, Clare was joined by Jen Snow helping.

But when first Clare moved out of the Parish and later Jen too, Easter Breakfast just came to an end, and was no more. It's a pity! We still have the hostess trolley with us though, given to the Jubilee Hall at the time of the first Easter breakfast. In fact, it was last used Christmas 2010, and still worked well.

Clifford Jubilee Hall a refuge for a homeless family.

Bobby – (an American citizen) and Emmanuel (a french citizen) and their two year old son Jonathan (born in the u.k.) arrived in the village, living at The Manor – Bobby as gardener at The Manor. But their stay there wasn't long!

Bobby with his long hair tied back, and Emmanuel were from what one would describe as the hippy set, and Bobby had been caught growing canabbis in the Manor greenhouses

They were thrown out straight away with their little boy, and they came to Avril seeking help. Brian Oulton allowed them to stay one night only at his flat; after that they slept in a child's tent pitched on the lawn of Doug and Clare Lewis' house in The Nashes. But that night, it poured with rain. The tent was not waterproof – so more had to be done for them.

Tony Reason took control. The Jubilee Hall was used as a refuge for them for a few days while Tony sorted out the legal work, first of all to get them married in order that both could go back either to America or France, and to sort out with Social Services a place for them to stay until all the legal work had been done.

In the meantime, Emmanuel had wonderfully transformed the Jubilee Kitchen into a homely living room and kitchen, and the Rector's room into a bedroom, using rosy pink material draped over the lights to soften the room and a large mattress on the floor with colourful bedding. .

The wedding was fixed at the Registry Office, and Bobby with a braided cap on his head, Emmanuel with flowers under her hat, little Jonathan speaking both English and French behaving himself beautifully, Tony (with camcorder) and Janet, Clare and Avril all suitably attired for a wedding and holding bags of confetti, attended.

Social Services found a B & B for them in Stratford, and later a caravan, so Tony, in particular, could relax knowing we had done all we could for them.

It wasn't so good for the family. Bobby's father said he would have Bobby back to work for him permanently, in USA, but Emmanuel's family had a proposition regarding Emmanuel and Jonathan. Her father, in France would pay for private schooling near his home, for his little grandson, and give work to Emmanuel, but although he had no objection to Bobby visiting his wife and son, Bobby was not to live with them! He was not a citizen of France – neither did he hold a French passport. The private school offered to Jonathan would give him the best education that Bobby and Emmanuel could ever wish for. The other grandfather in USA could not offer that. So the last we heard was that Bobby was living and working in the USA and Emmanuel and their son were living permanently in France.

A sad story, but what a story to add to the events going on at our Jubilee Hall.

GREAT FUN AT CHRISTMAS AT THE JUBILEE HALL – 2010! Avril Salmon's story

“Fourteen people were coming to us for a Christmas celebration, who included two very active children, one active toddler and one baby crawling everywhere - so we booked the Jubilee Hall for the Tuesday after Christmas, so that the children would have plenty of room to move and have their being.

Then the ice-weather came, and builders' sand was spread over the pavement and the path leading up to the Jubilee Hall. People coming to events, walked in and out of the Jubilee Hall, and the sand spread its dust over the mat in the entrance hall and into the hall. The hoar frost came. The world looked beautiful, but the inside of the Jubilee Hall looked even more sandy, especially the mat.

Then a thaw came and, at last we were able to scrape and sweep up the sand and place two bucketfuls in a plastic container and place it beside the sandbags for future use. In place of the sand, we sprinkled salt, and Avril could start cleaning the Hall mat and floor.

She started the first on her knees scrubbing it with a nail-brush - but it worked, and the mat didn't look quite so yellow. On her knees she began washing the main Hall floor - and this was when she heard the sound of water coming, as it seemed, from a plug near the Hall floor.

It was 'The Leak' that had puzzled the Hall Committee for some two years, once it was realised that the Hall's water bill was higher than it should be. Searches could not find 'The Leak'. The plumber was called and the matter was dealt with.

Then the snow came. It was when Avril had finished cleaning the main Hall floor and started, the next day on the floor of the smaller room, that she found out no water was coming from the taps. "Oh no!" groaned Lawrence who, at that time was caught up in helping to prepare the Church for a candlelit service (with P.A. which had to be brought from the Jubilee Hall to the Church.)

This time the plumber was unable to come out, but acting on his suggestion, the heating was turned on in the smaller room at a low temperature. The door leading to the kitchen remained open, but the other closed, so that the heat would circulate into the kitchen. Lawrence opened the doors of the cupboards under the sink and draining tops, so that heat would reach the pipes inside.

Then, on Christmas Eve, when Avril went to the Jubilee Hall to start decorating for the celebration, she found water pouring down on the inside kitchen window, bouncing off onto the draining boards below and from there, onto the floor. "Oh no! groaned Lawrence leaning on his broom, his face grey from exhaustion as he attempted to sweep the snow from his garage door. "Oh no!" and his eyes closed in despair.

Worse was to come, for inspection revealed that water was also pouring from the light in the gents' toilet. Water was seeping from under the fridge in the kitchen - which didn't come from the fridge, but somewhere among the pipes. The plaster around the kitchen window was damp. All stop taps were turned off - everywhere.. The light circuit bringing light into the toilets and the main hall were also turned off. Avril still worked, decorating the main Hall each day, until late afternoon, and had to fumble her way out to the entrance door and Hall path in the dark.

But the Hall looked good with the dark green curtains decorated with Christmas baubles; one large Christmas tree in one corner with a half-moon of chairs plus four children's chairs, all resting on warm red carpeting. Tables placed alongside the stage, were laid for 14 people with decorated cloths and candles. Many thick candles were placed on the stage on tinfoil in front of the decorated green curtain, and scented candles were on all the window sills. A small silver Christmas tree by the hatch, and a taller silver one at the other end of the stage all added more light.

"You're not lighting those candles" said Lawrence when he first saw all the candles. But we had to, with the Hall in darkness. Only plugs were working in the main Hall, so we used two of the Jubilee Hall lamps to give a little more light.

It was beautiful - but hard work, as we had to bring so many jugs of water to place in the kitchen, and some more in the ladies toilet for washing hands, and two buckets of water to flush the toilets.

The Hall supplied us with a hostess trolley for warming up the plates and sausage rolls etc. The toys kept below the stage, were brought up to keep the children amused, and they loved racing up and down the length of the Hall with small bicycles and prams and baby walker (with the baby in it!). There was a Thomas the Tank Engine tent to crawl into. We portioned off a section of the length of the Hall with chairs draped over with duvet covers (Thomas the Tank Engine being one, and a Manchester United another!) plus sheets, so that a railway could be set up and played within that area, so little babies didn't crawl in and break it all up.

And our Christmas celebration was all in candlelight. Delightful!

'Great Fun' you ask? Well - yes - for you couldn't possibly say we had a boring and dull time over Christmas. Hard work - but yes - it was fun - Great Fun!”