Everest Hall, Llanfair Waterdine

Everest HallThe Saga of the Everest Hall

Llanfairwaterdine Church of England School was built about 1850 of local stone with a high pitched slate roof. It consisted of a rectangular main room, about 60ft. by 17ft., with a small lobby or extra classroom on the north side near the east end. Attached to the east end of the main building was a three bedroom Head Master's House. Between the north wall of the school and the road was a playground. About 1900, an extra classroom was thrown out at the west end, divided from the main room by sliding glass and wood doors.

About 1947 came a threat of closure. A few years later, the numbers of pupils having been greatly reduced by all the "over elevens" being transferred to Knighton "Secondary Modern" or Presteigne "Grammar" schools; Llanfairwaterdine became a one teacher school. In 1960 the school finally closed.

The school was the only meeting place for all the village functions and in August 1960, a public meeting was called to decide what could be done. We had hoped that the building would revert to the village, but we were told that if we wanted it, we would have to pay £200 for it, a large sum in those days for such a small community to find. In spite of the fact that owing to the threat of closure it had been badly neglected and was in a very bad state of repair, it was decided to buy it. The roof leaked, the windows and doors let in howling gales and the walls had peeling plaster. It was "heated" by two small fireplaces, one in each room and a large and ancient "Tortoise" type stove which had about given up the unequal struggle.  We were helped and advised by the Hon. Secretary of the Shropshire Association of Parish Councils who was also the Officer for the National Council of Social Services.

After much correspondence and more meetings, we found ourselves in a vicious circle. To get a grant for "improvements", we had to have a place to improve. If we bought a place to "improve", we might forfeit the grant on the purchase price!  However, the purchase price being promised, we took the plunge and in 1961 bought the building as a Village Hall, the Trustee to be the Official Trustee of Charity Lands. We then had a house-to-house collection in the district. A list was made of the necessary repairs and alterations and a staggering estimate of costs emerged. In spite of the fact that we would get a 50% grant, some of us were really worried – Would it ever be used enough to pay its way when done?

At last a start was made. The roof was stripped and retiled. During this time we could not use the hall for money raising efforts or even, for a short time, for our WI meetings after a lump of ceiling narrowly missed our President's head!  People not on the committee kept asking what was being done with their money.  However, by 1963 the overhead heating was installed and though a lot remained to be done, the Hall could again be used. We had been given stacking chairs and tables and had put a sink with double draining board into the "little room". Meanwhile, the north wall had to be stripped to the bare stone and re-plastered. Then came the choice of colour for "interior decoration". There had been an outcry at the ghastly colour scheme chosen by the architect, so the WI was asked to make a choice. A small number of us got together and after some discussion chose pale grey walls with slightly darker paintwork. The ceiling was white with black beams; the chairs and tables were red with grey legs. Red washable curtains, given by the WI and made by one of the members, made the place look warm and gay. The MU gave a clock. By this time funds and grant were running out. The original "doubters" were getting keen and "Do it yourself" started. Members of the committee got busy and removed the remains of a rotten fence between the playground, now a car park, and the road and built a wall and hung and painted two new gates. The yard had small part paved with blue bricks, but the rest was mud and potholes. They bought loads of hard core, borrowed a roller, and did it up. Next they decided to build an "annexe" along the south wall, to comprise kitchen, ladies and gents, (till now inadequate "boys and girls" of the height for children) and the storeroom, more "do it yourself"! The kitchen was made large enough to use as a Committee room and was fitted with sink (moved in from the little room) with a cold tap and a Creda water heater, a second-hand electric cooker and an electric boiler. They also built fitted cupboards with worktops, which could be used for a buffet.

The Hall was opened in June 1968 by Lord Hunt, Baron Hunt of Llanfair Waterdine in the County of Shropshire, hence the Hall's name. All was made ready for the ceremony with a decorated platform in the car park. However, it poured with rain – a real deluge and he had to open it from the inside! He unveiled a large picture of Mt Everest, taken from his book, the "veil" was a Ghurkha flag made for the occasion by a WI member in honour of the Sherpas. There is a small inscription on the frame to commemorate the date.

After the sink was moved into the new kitchen, the glass partition was taken down and the stage moved into the "little room".
The stage curtains had been given many years ago by Lord Hunt from proceeds of his talk on the Expedition, given in Knighton shortly after his return.

Next came the horror of discovering extensive dry rot in the woodwork at the west end of the building. This was dealt with by experts, but the plastering was done by two members of the committee, both farm workers by trade. Up to now the last major operation, a new floor, was laid by the then Chairman and his two sons.  Now, early in 1975, the main hall has been redecorated.

The Committee is formed of elected members and representatives of all interested organisations and "bodies" – i.e., PCC, WI, Choir, etc. The Hall is vested in the Charity Commissioners and is strictly a Village Hall. It is in constant use, not only by village organisations, but is also let to "outsiders". The Committee are active in running dances etc., with the result that they have been able to continue with improvements and to buy extra chairs and tables, sufficient for all contingencies. They have also held  several functions, the proceeds from which they have most generously given for the Church Restoration Fund.  (Mrs Nancy Cummings 1975)

The Saga Continues

Over the years many projects have been undertaken and completed resulting in the following:- 

Many people, especially committee members, have worked tirelessly and voluntarily to realise our Hall as it is today. In the early years everything was done on a voluntary basis but as we became successful in raising monies through the many and varied events staged in the Hall and through successful Grant applications, we were able to employ professionals to carry out the larger projects. Our Parish Council donates £500 annually from the Parish Precept towards the cost of running the Hall, thus enabling the whole parish to contribute towards keeping our valuable community building. The W I secured a substantial grant in 1999 towards refurbishment of curtains, carpets, staging etc. The Parish Remembered Book Club is also generous in their support as are the Parish Charities and many individual people.

Regular Dinner Dances were organised by Committee members with the ladies producing the food, the men running the bar and entertainment sought and arranged by our resident "Entertainments Manager"- Davy Matthews. Regular monthly Friday night dances were held for several years and together with the Dinner Dances were a great source of income and put our finances on a sound footing, even though our Barmen were greatly challenged by the introduction of decimalisation in 1971 !!!
The BBC held Any Questions in our Hall on 26th May 1972 - great excitement!!

We have celebrated "The Conquering of Mount Everest" on its 25th and 50th Anniversaries when John, Joy, Sally, Sue, Prue and Jenny with their families joined us, as did many locals, old and new and those who had moved away. We held an 80th Birthday Party for Lord Hunt with many "old" friends present.

We celebrated the Queen's Silver and Golden Jubilees and also her 80th Birthday. We also celebrated with our then President, Aubrey Clee, on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

For the New Millennium we held a parish party in Everest Hall with local talent entertaining us, excellent food and anticipation for the future.

Many varied fundraising functions have been held, raising monies to keep the Hall afloat but we are indebted to the numerous organisations who regularly hire the Hall: the WI, Parish Council,  Parish Charities, Llanfair Singers, Yoga Group, Circle Dancers Lunch Club, and Parochial Church Council.

In addition local families have used the Hall to celebrate Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries and for that matter - any excuse for a "Bit of a Do". Two Companies of Cadets from the Midlands takeover the Hall for several weekend stays.
In 2001, the whole valley was "shut down" by the Foot and Mouth with the Hall closed for many months as gatherings were cancelled. Thankfully, we recovered.

On reading through the Minute Books for the past forty years, so much has happened, some very sad events but mostly happy ones with the whole community coming together to enjoy themselves. Too many happenings to include them all in this saga, but hopefully you will take time to read through the Minute Books at some stage in the future and I wonder if the first Officers of the Village Hall, way back in the 1960s realised just how useful their purchase would prove to be in so many different ways for our community.

One little note caught my eye - "in late 1977, Anthony Gwilt was paid the sum of £2.00 to catch the mice in the kitchen"!
Where were you Anthony when we needed you in later years - happily problem solved for the present time.
The Members of our Management Committee have changed over the years but a small group of them has been in situ for most of the 40 years, how many businesses these days would be grateful for that sort of loyalty! We meet on the first Monday of every month and apart from the Foot and Mouth outbreak this has not varied. Thank you to all past and present Committee Members for their dedication and support.

It would not be wise to single out individuals who have loyally served on the Committee but I am going to mention just three people without whom our Village Hall would not be here today.

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