The
Boy’s Club was resusitated and there was a strong and
enthusiastic membership of boys of fourteen and over. The boys
elected their own games committee. Mrs Meager and Mrs Simmons
organised games for the younger boys and a girls on one evening a
week.
To celebrate the re-opening of the club, Mr Leavey
invited professional table-tennis players to give a display in the
hall.
At this time a club was organised for the girls by
Mrs Meager, helped by Miss Benson, then living at Ash Manor, who
taught the girls handicrafts.
Throughout the Second World War 1939-1945 the hall
was in great demand. It was used as the centre for the reception
of evacuees from London, also for the assembling of the gas masks
when a violent storm dislocated the electric lighting and the
vital task had to be completed by candlelight. The fitting of the
gas masks was also mostly done in the Hall. The 35 A.R.P. (Air
Raid Precautions) Wardens in Ash underwent a course of instruction
in First Aid, the Instructor being Doctor Ockwell, then Medical
Officer of Health for Dartford Rural. Several lectures and
demonstrations in connection with A.R.P. services were given. The
W.V.S. (Women's Voluntary Services) working party of which Mrs F.
Goodwin was in charge, met one afternoon a week to work, pick up
fresh supplies of wool and wrap up the parcels for dispatching.
Besides woollen comforts for the Forces, clothes were made for
evacuees. Later Mrs W. Ewbank took charge of this work, and
towards the end of the war Mrs W. Simmons took over. The W.V.S.
membership was at that time 35, of whom nearly all were Women’s
Institute members. The hall was also equipped as a "Rest
Centre" by the W.V.S. members. Once a month some kind of
entertainment was organised, the proceeds of which were handed
over to the Treasurer (Mrs D.G. Meager) for the "Forces
Comforts Fund."
At the end of 1941 the Rev H.B. Hennell died and the
Hall Committee under the chairmanship of H.B. Nicholls ceased to
function.
Soon after the arrival of the new Rector, the Rev
J.D. Vigo, in 1942 a new Hall Management Committee was formed with
the Rector as Chairman, and this Committee, with one or two
changes from year to year is still active. The Secretary and
Treasurer is Mr Dagnall Goodwin of "Cherrystones". |
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After the
War the Kent Education Committee equipped the hall kitchen for
dealing with school meals, and the children have their dinners in
the main hall.
1948 saw the start of another Boys’ Club under the
leadership of Mr G.V. Muller. For a time this was very active, but
at the end of three years many of the members had left, and the
club closed down.
A local branch of the St John Ambulance Cadets was
then formed under the leadership of Mr H.G. Brooks and several
boys and girls of the Village joined. They are still quite active,
several have entered for examinations and have earned
certificates. Entertainments are arranged to raise necessary
funds.
In 1953 an entertainments committee was formed under
the chairmanship of Mr J.V. Muller. The other members of the
committee were Mrs M.J. Muller, Mrs E.A. Hollands, Miss Joan
Pocknell and Mr H.G. Brooks . At the end of 1953 Miss Pocknell’s
place was taken by Mrs D. C. Meager. The support given to many of
the entertainments arranged was very disappointing and at the end
of 1954 the committee decided to discontinue their activities.
A Child Welfare Clinic was conducted in the Parish
hall weekly for thirty-one years from 1920-1951.
In that year the County Health Department, for
economy reasons transferred the Clinic to a central one held had
at Hartley.
A Doctor’s Surgery is held in the hall every Friday
afternoon at 2 o’clock .
All Women’s Institute meetings and Parish Council
meetings are held in the hall as also are all Village
entertainments.
The Hall in 1957
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