Once the Memorial Hall was built it was used daily (1923-1939)
The Piddletrenthide Memorial Hall
A Short History
The hall was built as a memorial to the 16 men of the village who gave their lives in World War 1 and was opened in March 1923. The event was recorded in an article in the DORSET COUNTY CHRONICLE AND SOMERSETSHIRE GAZETTE, MARCH 8TH, 1923.
As the plaque above the door says
"This hall is erected in proud and loving memory of those men in this parish who gave their lives in the Great War of 1914-1918 and as a thank-offering for the safe return of their comrades."
Memorial to: Frederick Hallett, Henry Robert Hallett, Charles Jeanes, Oscar Payne, William Ransome, Walter Sturmey, Albert John Symes, Walter Thompson
Memorial to: Albert Jehu Baker, James Battrick, George Bollen, Charles Joseph Budden, Thomas Henry Diment, George Fripp, Frederick Thomas Gosney, Thomas James Hicks
A further plaque was added after World War II
Memorial to: Harry Battrick, Frank W Cross
Workman putting the finishing touches to the new hall
Other events: Football Club Annual Dinner - those attending brought their own crockery and cutlery and contributed food.
Other dance evenings - evening dress was worn and music provided by the 'Make You Dance Band'.
The hall was heated by coke stoves and lit with oil lamps.
There was a fulltime caretaker, Mrs Alderman
In the 1980's an extension was built on the back of the hall to provide new toilets, a kitchen and small meeting room/store.
About the same time the main hall was carpeted, covering the original floor tiles.
The carpet lasted for many years until in 2009 the Trustees decided it needed improvement so a smart new vinyl wood effect floor was added.
In 2008 a lunch club had been started in the hall and it soon became apparent that the small kitchen was inadequate. Funds were raised and - with help from Awards for All - a new kitchen created by extending it into the space occupied by the meeting room store.
The hall is also home to the Piddle Valley Players, the Piddle Valley Gardens Club and the Country Dancing Group, the Over 60's, the Parish Council and regular coffee mornings.
The hall can be booked for private events.
Contact details and charges are in the Piddletrenthide Memorial Hall pages of this website
The hall is managed by the Trustees who meet regularly to discuss fundraising, entertainment events, repairs and maintenance.
The Roof, gutters and facias were completely replaced in 2012, with the help of £9312 of grant aid from the Big Lottery Fund and the remainder from local fundraising. The new tiles are a "like-for-like" replacement for the original tiles used in 1923 (several unused original tiles were found in the roof space). The Trustees would like to thank Mark Chutter of D J Chutter Ltd for his invaluable help in managing the project.