Edith Poole Opening Timberscombe's Newly Refurbished Village Hall, 7th May 2006
Title
Edith Poole Opening Timberscombe's Newly Refurbished Village Hall, 7th May 2006
Subject
Description
A colour newspaper photograph of Mrs. Edith Poole of Timberscombe cutting the ribbon to reopen the Village Hall on the 7th May 2006, after being closed for four months of refurbishments.
On the 19th July 1950, the National Council of Social Services made an agreement with a group of Timberscombe residents, who had formed the Timberscombe Village Hall Committee of Management. The title may have confused some people as the village did not actually have a village hall. The purpose of the agreement was to establish such an accommodation suitable for local recreational and sociable activities. The first step was to secure the land, which was 416 square yards of Glebe land, part of the church rectory farm, leasing it from the Diocese of Bath and Wells at £5 per annum.
After that, the National Council of Social Services agreed to provide a temporary building, consisting of two connected timber nissen huts, built during World War II and mounted on brick and concrete foundations. Now remembered as the Old Village Hall, it can be see at SP-089. It and the land continued to be leased until 1964 when the building was sold to the Village Committee for £190. By the 1970s it was clear the timber structure needed to be replaced and in 1976 it was sold to a local farmer to house his sheep and the New Village Hall was erected. On August 8th 1977, the land was also purchased by the Village Committee, ending more than a quarter century of leasing.
The New Village Hall was designed and built by Devon Lady of Honiton, Devon. The cost was in the region of £15,000, largely raised by grants, as well as donations and fundraising activities. £78 was secured by selling the timber of the former huts.
The new hall, along with a new car park, was opened in on the 30th August 1976 by Tom King, the M.P. of Bridgwater. The New Village Hall's committee was headed by Chairman James Henderson. The Hon. Secretary was Wendy Hewlett and the Hon. Treasurer was Jane Taylor. The Committee's members were Edward Cole, Helen Duffy, Archie Dyer, Mavis Grabham, Wendy Hellewell, Robert Hewlett, Dorothy Lamacraft, Herbert Medway, Jeffrey Miller, Bill Neil, Derek Poole, Stephen Prole, Douglas Sharp, John Taylor and Beryl Whitaker (1).
In 2006 the hall was closed four months for extensive renovations, including a storage extension, toilets and a ramp for the disabled, complete renovation of the men's and women's toilets and new lighting. A second re-opening was in order and Mrs. Edith Poole was asked to cut the ribbon. The photograph seen here was published in the West Somerset Free Press under a headline stating "Village elder opens new-look hall", with a sub-headline of "7th May 2006". Mrs. Poole was born Edith Seward on 14 May 1911 in Chard, Somerset (2). She was one week away from her 95th birthday at the time of the ceremony.
Edith Seward married Frederick William Poole, born at Taunton in 1907, in October 1934 at Dorset (3). By the 1939 England and Wales Register, the couple were living at Devonia Cottage, Cowbridge, Timberscombe, where they settled for the rest of their lives. Frederick worked as Motor Van Driver (4). Their son, Derek Poole, was born July 1942 (5). On Boxing Day 1964, Derek married Gwyneth (Gwynie) O. Palfrey and the younger couple later moved into Cowbridge Cottage, semi-detached to Devonia, where they remained until Derek's death in October 2011 (6).
Frederick Poole died in 1996 and Edith passed away on 11 September 2007. They are buried together at St. Petrock's Churchyard (7). For the ribbon cutting ceremony, four generations of the Poole family attended. Mrs. Poole's great grand-daughter, Lisa Gummer presented her with a bouquet of flowers (8). She is pictured holding that bouquet on the right edge of the photograph. Lisa was the daughter of Angie Gummer, daughter of Gwynie and Derek Poole, who married Mark Gummer.
Standing beside Lisa is Wendy Hellewell, the village hall chairperson in 2006. The newspaper story, printed below the photograph, reported that over 90 residents attended the ribbon cutting. The article continued, describing how the ceremony marked the completion of the four-month rebuilding program and that the Village Hall was already in use by groups including playground, school and youth clubs, churches, the Jubilee Club for over 50's, the bowls club, keep fit and dance classes, as well as the parish council.
Much of the history of both the old and new village halls is gathered, with great appreciation, from TimberscombeVillage. com and as written by Lesley Webb.
On the 19th July 1950, the National Council of Social Services made an agreement with a group of Timberscombe residents, who had formed the Timberscombe Village Hall Committee of Management. The title may have confused some people as the village did not actually have a village hall. The purpose of the agreement was to establish such an accommodation suitable for local recreational and sociable activities. The first step was to secure the land, which was 416 square yards of Glebe land, part of the church rectory farm, leasing it from the Diocese of Bath and Wells at £5 per annum.
After that, the National Council of Social Services agreed to provide a temporary building, consisting of two connected timber nissen huts, built during World War II and mounted on brick and concrete foundations. Now remembered as the Old Village Hall, it can be see at SP-089. It and the land continued to be leased until 1964 when the building was sold to the Village Committee for £190. By the 1970s it was clear the timber structure needed to be replaced and in 1976 it was sold to a local farmer to house his sheep and the New Village Hall was erected. On August 8th 1977, the land was also purchased by the Village Committee, ending more than a quarter century of leasing.
The New Village Hall was designed and built by Devon Lady of Honiton, Devon. The cost was in the region of £15,000, largely raised by grants, as well as donations and fundraising activities. £78 was secured by selling the timber of the former huts.
The new hall, along with a new car park, was opened in on the 30th August 1976 by Tom King, the M.P. of Bridgwater. The New Village Hall's committee was headed by Chairman James Henderson. The Hon. Secretary was Wendy Hewlett and the Hon. Treasurer was Jane Taylor. The Committee's members were Edward Cole, Helen Duffy, Archie Dyer, Mavis Grabham, Wendy Hellewell, Robert Hewlett, Dorothy Lamacraft, Herbert Medway, Jeffrey Miller, Bill Neil, Derek Poole, Stephen Prole, Douglas Sharp, John Taylor and Beryl Whitaker (1).
In 2006 the hall was closed four months for extensive renovations, including a storage extension, toilets and a ramp for the disabled, complete renovation of the men's and women's toilets and new lighting. A second re-opening was in order and Mrs. Edith Poole was asked to cut the ribbon. The photograph seen here was published in the West Somerset Free Press under a headline stating "Village elder opens new-look hall", with a sub-headline of "7th May 2006". Mrs. Poole was born Edith Seward on 14 May 1911 in Chard, Somerset (2). She was one week away from her 95th birthday at the time of the ceremony.
Edith Seward married Frederick William Poole, born at Taunton in 1907, in October 1934 at Dorset (3). By the 1939 England and Wales Register, the couple were living at Devonia Cottage, Cowbridge, Timberscombe, where they settled for the rest of their lives. Frederick worked as Motor Van Driver (4). Their son, Derek Poole, was born July 1942 (5). On Boxing Day 1964, Derek married Gwyneth (Gwynie) O. Palfrey and the younger couple later moved into Cowbridge Cottage, semi-detached to Devonia, where they remained until Derek's death in October 2011 (6).
Frederick Poole died in 1996 and Edith passed away on 11 September 2007. They are buried together at St. Petrock's Churchyard (7). For the ribbon cutting ceremony, four generations of the Poole family attended. Mrs. Poole's great grand-daughter, Lisa Gummer presented her with a bouquet of flowers (8). She is pictured holding that bouquet on the right edge of the photograph. Lisa was the daughter of Angie Gummer, daughter of Gwynie and Derek Poole, who married Mark Gummer.
Standing beside Lisa is Wendy Hellewell, the village hall chairperson in 2006. The newspaper story, printed below the photograph, reported that over 90 residents attended the ribbon cutting. The article continued, describing how the ceremony marked the completion of the four-month rebuilding program and that the Village Hall was already in use by groups including playground, school and youth clubs, churches, the Jubilee Club for over 50's, the bowls club, keep fit and dance classes, as well as the parish council.
Much of the history of both the old and new village halls is gathered, with great appreciation, from TimberscombeVillage. com and as written by Lesley Webb.
Creator
West Somerset Free Press (the photographer is not credited)
Source
Publisher
West Somerset Free Press
Date
7 May 2006
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Edith Poole at New Village Hall opening / Timberscombe / Village Centre
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Village Halls / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
9.5 X 13 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
10.5 X 14.5 (VILLAGE HISTORIES)
10.5 X 14.5 (VILLAGE HISTORIES)
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1)TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Village Hall History, written by Lesley Webb and as recalled in February 2022 by Wendy Hellewell, an original member of the Timberscombe Village Hall Committee (2) 1939 England and Wales Register (3) 1939 England and Wales Register and England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (4) 1939 England and Wales Register (5) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 (6) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005, County of Somerset Bridgwater Constituency Register of Electors, 16 February, 1993 to 15th February, 1994 and findmypast.co.uk, forebears.io/ England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 (7) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (8) West Somerset Free Press article headlined "Village elder opens new-look hall" and "7th May 2006", May 2006
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2020
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
St. Petrock's History Group VILLAGE HISTORIES
St. Petrock's History Group VILLAGE HISTORIES
Item Reference
SP-091
Technique
Copy of original newspaper photograph
Citation
West Somerset Free Press (the photographer is not credited), “Edith Poole Opening Timberscombe's Newly Refurbished Village Hall, 7th May 2006,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 5, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3410.
Comments