Throughout the last war Hollym
villagers held their whist and beetle drives, dances and other socials in the
village school classrooms. It was the only place they could come together but
they decided they needed a village hall. Anything on a large scale and the
Committee had to use the ballroom at the Queen’s Hotel. A barn in the
village was also used for weekly whist drives. There is a Hull Savings Bank
deposit form dated 6th
August 1947 in the archives for £40 and this was paid into an existing
account. Unfortunately there are no details as to how much was already in the
account. The Committee were very active in trying to obtain a surplus hut from
the Ministry of Education to use as a village hall and it appears there was a
lot of ‘red tape' in those days. Licenses had to be obtained from a
Government Department and applications for grants were also the order of the
day. Nothing changes! A hut in Lissett was offered but there was still no
definite news of transfer of the necessary land. In 1949 the placing of
temporary accommodation was stopped so a more permanent building had to be
considered
.
The whole of the 1950's must have
been very frustrating for the committee. They continued fund raising but
seemed to be doomed in obtaining licenses, grants and an actual building. It
wasn't until around 1960 that permission was actually granted from the then
Holderness Rural District Council to have a village hall erected in its
present position. Mr. Ben Burnham having transferred the ownership of the land
to the Village Hall Committee. Cliff Drescher, with the help of a very active
committee, triumphantly managed to obtain a hut from Spurn Point, which had
been used by the armed forces, and this was finally erected in 1962. There had
to be quite a few alterations to the hut, e.g. a new roof and of course the
inside. A stage was erected, there was a committee room, a small kitchen and
toilets installed. A maple dance floor was also laid and this still remains to
the present day. Apparently all funds were used so a call went out to the
villagers for tables and chairs. In 1965 a small extension to the kitchen was
initiated and in 1970 extra rented land was acquired to be used as the car
park.
There had been many stalwart
supporters for the village hall such as Myra and Austin Mason, Doris and Jack
Lyons, Albert and Gladys Courtney and their son, Michael, Madge and Arthur
Gant, the Flemings, Bob Mainprize, Cliff & Joan Drescher, Harry & Mary
Carmichael, Francis and Laddie Drewery, the Kenningtons, Betty Medforth,
George Steel, Maurice and Edith Boasman, Mr. Hurst and Mr. Clark.
During the 1960's, 70's and 80's
Hollym village hall was used extensively for all sorts of functions but during
the 1990's the use of it decreased and it became an increasing struggle to
upkeep the hall as village life has changed and there is not so much community
spirit as there once was. Agriculture in the village has diminished and we are
perhaps more of a commuter village. However, there is still a committee who
have had the hall refurbished, with new heating installed, who are trying to
keep the village hall as a going concern. Recently they have been awarded
£4,800 from the Lottery 'Awards for All' Fund
to replace the tables and chairs. Fundraising is ongoing with car boot sales
each month, nearly new sales, auctions, etc. to raise the money needed for a
new hall. It is hoped to put in an application for lottery funding to
buy more land and to have a new hall built.
Our present committee is Alan Drescher, Chairman/trustee, John Boasman, Treasurer/Trustee, Pam Mason, Booking Clerk/Trustee, Kathleen Fisher, Secretary, and committee members Maggie Boasman, Barrie Fisher, Bernard Jull, Brenda Matson, Joan Sanderson, Heather Jobling and Jean Dowling.
The Committee organise car boot sales during the summer months. Starting in April they are held on the last Sunday of each month, commencing 8.30 am. Each December a Christmas party is held for the village children.
The hall is regularly used by the Chiplets under fives group who meet on a Monday afternoon (Contact Sueie Boasman on 01964 613472), the Livewire computer club on a Tuesday evening ( Contact Bernard Jull on 01964 612130), Hollym WI (Contact Jean Dowling on 01964 613295), The Parish Council (Contact Fred Dearing on 01964 613926), The Hollym Bowling Club (Contact Eddie Woodall on 01964 625550)
To book the village hall please contact Pam Mason on 01964 612231