The History of Barrow Village Hall

The Village Hall dates from 1890 when a Parish meeting was called to discuss the possibility of procuring a place for public meetings, which might also be used as a reading room. The Marquess of Cholmondeley offered what was known as "Houlbrook's Building", attached to Pump Farm, at a nominal rent; and the first Trustees appointed were Dr. Foster, Rev H. A. Arnold (Rector), Messrs. Hugh Lyle Smyth, Edward Paul, George Okell, Henry Beswick and Abraham Darlington.  Mr Shallcross' tender of £115 was accepted for carrying out the required alterations and Dr. Foster and Mr Darlington undertook to collect donations.  The Hall was formally opened by Mr J Tollemache MP on April 25th 1892 with a concert given by the Misses Lyle Smyth, the Misses Okell, Miss Taylor, Messrs. Dronfield, Lawton, Harris and Hughes.

At first the Hall (known as "The Public Hall & Reading Room") was open during the winter months only.  In 1895 there were "Dressmaking classes for Females" and Carpentry for men. The Library was opened in 1898, at which time the charge for a Public Dance was £1, to end not later than 2am!  Ten years later the Billiard Room was added, as it is recorded on marble: "This room was presented to the Parish in memory of George Okell Esq who died October 13th 1906 by his widow & family”.

In 1919 one of the outbuildings (previously a store) was adapted for use as headquarters for the "Comrades of the Great War", which in 1921 became the Barrow branch of the British Legion, and subsequently the Royal British Legion.  During the late twenties and thirties it was also used as headquarters by the Boy Scouts run by James Corless, the schoolmaster.

In 1952 the chairman of the committee, Col L.M. Synge, bought the two adjoining cottages with the yard and garden on the dispersal of the Okell estate and presented them to the Trustees after putting them into good repair; thus providing a small but useful income from rents.

In the 1960's it was becoming increasingly clear that the building and its facilities, particularly the toilets, were not of a high enough standard to satisfy the needs of a much enlarged population, although the Women's Institute had recently carried out valuable improvements to the kitchen. At a committee meeting in April 1967, when Mr V A Arnold  had succeeded to the chairmanship after 40 years as Treasurer, it was reported that generous government grants were then available.  A sub committee under the chairmanship of the new Treasurer Mr G E Tregoning was appointed to investigate and report back.  The Barrow Fete Committee resolved to devote the whole of its income to his project until further notice and in 1968 a Public Hall Development Fund was established with the treasurers of the Hall and the Fete as trustees.

By 1971 the fund amounted to £1185.  Costs were just beginning to steeply and when the Secretary for Education & Science (Mrs Margaret Thatcher) announced that grants for such improvements would be available to a maximum of 50% from her Department and 25% from Local Authorities, the committee decided to press ahead with reconstruction in the summer of 1972.  The Main Hall was extended 12ft towards Mill Lane, to increase the seating to 150; an extension was built on the south side for toilets; part of No 2 Hall Cottages was incorporated to provide a committee room and a caretaker's store; the kitchen was renovated and re-equipped; the Billiard table was old and the room redecorated for general use and renamed The Okell Room.  Including purchase of kitchen equipment and 180 second hand chairs, the total cost was £21,528.

Fetes 1968-73 produced £1560, other functions £104, and donations from individuals £2770.  Government and County Council grants totalled £11,300, and the Rural District Council made a special grant of £3,000 towards the shortfall.  The gap was filled with private interest free loans amounting to £3,000, which were repaid out of income during the following years with substantial help from the Parish Council.

In 1972 the property was vested in the Public Custodian for Charities under the name of Barrow Village Hall, and a new constitution adopted giving each of the principal organisations in the parish the right to nominate a member of the management committee.