Cleethorpes Memorial Hall Trust

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Reference WMO/265883

Address:

Grimsby Road

Cleethorpes

DN35 8AH

England

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Status: On original site
Type: Freestanding
Location: External
Setting: Roadside
Description: Hall
Materials:
  • Glass Glass
  • Metal Copper
Lettering: Raised
Conflicts:
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
About the memorial: Location The hall is situated at the junction of the A180 Grimsby Road & A46 Clee Road, at the bottom of Isaac’s Hill, Cleethorpes. There is an entrance from off Clee Road and a car park at the rear and side of the premises. The memorial is the hall, built in 1960, to commemorate the lives of the people of Cleethorpes who died in the Second World War. The names of these people are listed on a Roll of Honour which flank the main entrance to the hall. There is a further plaque over the door and a plaque inside the vestibule commemorating the opening of the hall on 26th October, 1960, by the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Earl of Ancaster. The hall consists of an assembly room, with a wooden floor, to hold 600 to 700 people, with a stage & changing rooms. There is a second smaller hall behind the main hall for 150 people, and 6 smaller rooms. One of these rooms is used as a bar, and there is a cafeteria and large kitchen. The whole structure was built as privately organised venture paid for by direct public subscription, for use of the people of Cleethorpes. History of the Memorial The scheme to honour the Second World War dead of Cleethorpes was first mooted in 1946 when government grants were promised, and Alderman A.W. Cox, the then mayor of Cleethorpes opened the subscription list for the building of a memorial hall. A site for the hall was given to the fund by Sidney Sussex College of Cambridge; the bursar of this college is still one of the four trustees that are responsible for the building. Local people gave of their shillings and sixpences, societies dug deep and the relatives of the war dead all provided money for the hall fund. However for 10 years nothing was done and no building took place. The money was invested; the site stood empty and local children played games upon it. At a meeting of the organising committee on 29th January 1956, Alderman Hall announced that commencement of the building of the hall would take place in the summer of that year. The memorial hall fund had £34,000, and the projected cost was £76,000, but the difference was going to be met with government grants, which though expected, had not yet appeared. Various reasons were given as why no building had taken place so far; post war restriction on building materials; a clamp down on capital expenditure; freezing of government grants; building costs continuing to climb. The meeting of 29th January, 1956 was shown a plan of the proposed building and an artist’s model as displayed below:- The hall was to be built in 2 stages: 1 There would be a Hall, foyer, and some adjacent rooms. The hall and stage would accommodate up to 1000 people for’ public functions, concerts, and dramatic performances and a meeting place for local events and organisations. Flanking the hall on its right hand side was to be built a cafeteria and large kitchen. 2 A gymnasium and changing rooms. Car Parking space would be provided and lawns and trees would surround the building complete with an ornamental pool backed by a tablet inscribing the names of the war dead. However as reported in the Grimsby News of 24 February 1956, there was a freeze on all government grants for 6 months, but the committee was still confident that work would start in the summer using the funds collected. Then on the 19th February, 1960, Alderman Cox reported that building would definitely start in the very near future, but after consultation with architects and others the design of the structure was radically altered for that which had been envisaged in 1956. The Ministry of Education had failed to come up with any grant, and building costs for the original plan had risen to £96,000, so the trustees had decided to build the hall using their own funds which at that time amounted to £30,000, still an estimated £5,000 short. The ‘Grimsby Evening Telegraph’ carried a report of this meeting together with a sketch of the proposed building as below:- The assembly hall, stage and changing rooms would hold between 600 and 700 people, with a secondary smaller hall behind for 150 people. There would 6 adjacent rooms with a kitchen, cafeteria and a cloakroom. The timber framed building would have a copper roof, and public gardens and a car park would surround the structure. In fact work on building the hall started in March of that year, by a Chesterfield company who specialised in Pre-fabricated structures and proceeded very rapidly in spite of a poor summer. The below photograph shows the hall only 2 weeks before its opening as reported in the ‘Evening Telegraph’ of October 13th, 1960. The hall was finally opened at 3pm on Wednesday 26th October by the Earl of Ancaster, the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. It was dedicated by the Right Rev. Kenneth Riches, Bishop of Lincoln and the function was attended by Alderman A. R. Cox, as the photo above testifies. The Mayor of Cleethorpes, Councillor A.H. Turner thanked Alderman Cox for his efforts and the choir of Cleethorpes Girls Grammar school sung 2 anthems “How lovely are thy dwelling” and “Loyal Hearts and True”. After the opening, the general public were, according to the Evening Telegraph, “free to wander into the silver painted foyer and file past the bronze plaques commemorating the Cleethorpes men & women who had lost their lives in the 1939 to 1945 war and into the pastel decorated rooms” There was a big shining new kitchen, and ‘Heat in air’ insulation system the vary latest in heating systems. The public could admire the curved copper roof and the public gardens and seats along with the new car park, however there was still a sum of £5,000 to be found to pay for rest of the building. It was planned that the smaller hall would be fitted with gymnastic equipment for use by local people if funds could be found to pay for it. A leaflet of the opening from Grimsby Central Library The Cleethorpes Memorial Hall was therefore built by local people for the people of Cleethorpes. However, its funding has often caused its own problems and nowhere more so as in 1982. In April of that year concerns were raised by local organisations as to the fate of the Hall. The Pier had recently been sold by the Cleethorpes Borough Council into private enterprise, and fears were being raised as whether the Hall would soon follow. There were rumours that the management committee of the Memorial Hall were about to sign over the hall to a local businessman and Archie Needham who had a catering company. The local committee defended itself by saying that the hall would still be able to be used by local people but that the catering company were planning to invest £40,000 into the running of the memorial Hall. They also said at that time that the hall was used throughout the year for 71 days by local organisations. A public meeting took place at the hall on 1st July, which according to the Evening Telegraph was pretty stormy. A number of letters appeared in the paper to the effect that the hall had been constructed by local people for local people as a war memorial for those who died in the Second World War. Concerns were being raised that rents to use the building would increase sharply and that local organisations would be unable to pay them. It was even suggested that the local Council should offer a subsidy to help pay the running costs of the hall, but the trustees of the Hall could not agree to this proposal. As a result of the meeting all of the members of the management committee resigned, and the Hall carried on being independent of the local Council. Recently there has been some questions as to whether persons from outside the original Cleethorpes Borough Council area can serve as trustees or on the management committee. The hall is still used by local organisations, shows are still performed on the stage, Ken Dodd appears every year, and there is a pantomime at Christmas and New Year. On the day I visited the hall to take the above photographs in April, 2004, people were clearing up the hall after 3,000 children had attended a local dance festival there, ready for the Blood Transfusion people to use the hall’s function rooms. This year the Lincolnshire Family History Society is to hold its party in the hall. There is one paid member of staff, the caretaker, all the rest are volunteers. The management committee are always looking for ways to improve the facilities of the hall. In 2003, with money from a grant of £25,000 and from car boot sales and lettings, over £40,000 was used to improve the toilets, security lighting system, a disabled entrance, new curtains for the stage and a hearing system was installed. The heating system installed in 1960 is still there today and the committee are looking for ways to improve it, costing around £100,000. This is a war memorial that is very much a place for the people of Cleethorpes, but is still a “privately organised venture supported by public subscription” and proud of it.
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THIS MEMORIAL HALL WAS OPENED BY THE RT. HON. THE EARL OF ANCASTER T.D.LL. AND DEDICATED BY THE LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN ON 26TH OCTOBER 1960. 1939 ROLL OF HONOUR OF CLEETHORPES RESIDENTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR II 1945

Royal Navy BAKER A.J.C. FAULKNER J. REVELER T. S. BARKER J. F. FLETCHER L. J. RILEY V. J. BLAKE K. GELLETT H.A. RILEY W.S.R. BRAITHWAITE H. GRANT I. R. ROUSE G. A. BROCKLESBY M. B. GRANT L. SALENIUS S. CARRATT W. HEMINGWAY J. A. SEARBY A. W. CLARKE C.C.W. HOLLIDAY R. L. SIMMONS E. H. COCKING S. G. ISITT A. SIMMONS W. E. COOPER N. G. JOLLIFFE L. SQUIRE W. P. COULBECK R. LAMBLEY G. TEMPLEMAN J. E. CROME R. LITTLE C. A. TWITCHETT R. N. CROOK E.A.H. MACKRILL W. H. VICARS C. W. CRUMP R. C. MALLIBAND F. VINCENT S. R. CURPHEY K. MALLIBAND G.G. WATKINSON F. DALE L. MALTBY J. E. WILSON W. H. DUNK J.W. PATTERSON A. W. FENTY J. EVERETT J. L. PRIEST F. INCH S. MERCHANT NAVY ALDERMAN R. W. J. LING H. M. SMITH H. F. AUSTIN G. J. LOGAN J. A. STOCKS G. BAKER S. C. McCARTHY P. SUTHERLAND S. C. GIRLING A. McCARTHY T. SUTHERLAND W. V. GORING A. McLEAN D. C. WELTON A. HANNATH C. L. NUMA H. E. C. WILLIS R. HOLLIDAY M. C. PATERSON W. W. WILSON SMITH N. J. IRVINE L. PATTERSON W. W. J. PELL W. L. ARMY ALLENBY J. FYFE J. PARKIN D. ARMOUR B. H. GALE F. PERRY W. F. BARNSLEY L. GISLAM H. C. PHILLIPSON K. BATES H. N. GOODWIN R. ROBINSON F. G. BEE S. GRAY S. ROLLINSON K. I. BELLAMY A. GREEN H. ROWNTREE H. BETTS A. F. HACKNEY L. G. RUDLAND A. W. BLAKENEY J. HARRISON G. H. B. RUSSELL L. E. BLYTH F. HIBBITT G. SANDERS G. BRADLEY E. HILL J. R. SCHOFIELD K. I. BRADLEY H. HOUGHTON M. SHOWLER J. BRAY E. INKSON D. SMITH H. E. BROWN J. W. IVERSON H. F. SOULSBY R. J. BROWN M. A. JEWITT W. R. STOKES T. W. CATCHPOLE J. S. JOHNSON J. SYLVESTER W. R. A. CHAPMAN F. JOHNSTONE W. THOMAS E. CHERRELL J. W. JONES H. THOMPSON G. H. COO A. G. JONES S. G. THORNDYKE J. E. COOK A. R. LILLEY A. VOSS J. B. CROSBY J. LILLEY J. WADE A. CROWE W. R. LINDOFF B. T. WAKEFIELD F. L. DAWES H. J. MARFLEET V. K. WEST C. DOUGHTY A. L. McPHUN W. S. WILCOCK J. DREWRY J. A. MORRIS H. WOMERSLEY J. ELLIS A. R. MORRIS R. WOOD A. B. ELLIS E. J. NUTTELL E. H. WRIGHT K. P. ARATT G. W. NUTTELL H. A. TAYLOR J. R. FRENCH A. J. OSBORNE J. RALPH K. INCH A. ROYAL AIR FORCE ATKIN R. HANNATH E. PRICE T. BAKER C. HARRISON S. QUICKFALL J. F. BAKER R. A. HEATH J. H. REEVE W. BOSWELL G. T. JACKSON H. T. RILEY C. P. BROWN C. H. JENKINS J. W. ROBERTS A. E. BUTLER K. JOHNSON W. ROSS R. D. BUTLER R. B. LOCKWOOD F. J. ROWLEY R. CARTER J. A. LOUGHTON J. A. SLEIGHT K. F. COULBECK L. MARPER W.A. SPROSTON H. COWHAM R. MILLER W. E. STEWART L. CROFT E. M. MORRIS P. S. THOMAS E. DAVIES N. F. L. MYERS S. TURNER G. E. DOLBY H. NEWMAN T. TURNER H. H. EYLES J. H. NORTH R. WATSON D. F. FIELDS A. H. OSBORNE A. M. (G. C.) WAUD K. J. GARSIDE R. B. OXBOROUGH G. A. WELLS W. R. GOOD D. J. PHILLIPSON E. R. WRIGHTSON B. GOSSOP H. POWER K. J. NURSE C. CIVILIANS ATKIN R. HANNATH E. PRICE T. BAKER C. HARRISON S. QUICKFALL J. F. BAKER R. A. HEATH J. H. REEVE W. BOSWELL G. T. JACKSON H. T. RILEY C. P. BROWN C. H. JENKINS J. W. ROBERTS A. E. BUTLER K. JOHNSON W. ROSS R. D. BUTLER R. B. LOCKWOOD F. J. ROWLEY R. CARTER J. A. LOUGHTON J. A. SLEIGHT K. F. COULBECK L. MARPER W. A. SPROSTON H. COWHAM R. MILLER W. E. STEWART L. CROFT E. M. MORRIS P. S. THOMAS E. DAVIES N. F. L. MYERS S. TURNER G. E. DOLBY H. NEWMAN T. TURNER H. H. EYLES J. H. NORTH R. WATSON D. F. FIELDS A. H. OSBORNE A. M. (G. C.) WAUD K. J. GARSIDE R. B. OXBOROUGH G. A. WELLS W. R. GOOD D. J. PHILLIPSON E. R. WRIGHTSON B. GOSSOP H. POWER K. J. NURSE C. FISHERMEN & MINESWEEPERS ACTON H. FARROW C. POPPLE E. E. ALLEN A. G. FISHER J. PRESTON F. W. ASKEW R.A. FOLEY J. REVELL W. AUSTWICK C. H. FORD H. S. RICE T. (Snr.) BACON A. E. FORSTER J. RICE T. (Jnr) BAKER A. E. FULLER S. J. RICHES W. BALLS A. A. G. GARNER G. L. RINGROSE W. E. BARGEWELL A. GLADWELL S. T. RIX F. BARKER A. O. GREEN O. W. ROWBOTHAM R. T. BARKER F. E. HACK J. R. RUSHBY L. BARRATT A. HALLAM G. SILVER J. H. BASS S. HARNESS H. SMITH G. BAXTER G. E. HARPER T. E. SMITH G. A. BEESLEY T. S. HARTLEY A. E. SQUIRE D. F. BLACK H. HEBDEN J. SQUIRE J. T. BORE C. F. HUBBARD T. G. ST. PIERRE W. BRAY E. A. HUGHES T. E. STURMAN J. W. BROCKLESBY W. A. HUNT H. C. SWABY T. O. BROUGHTON C. S. JARVIS H. H. TEMPLEMAN W. A. BROWN W. JENNER A. F. S. THOMPSON G. W. BRUNSON J. A. JEROME H. J. THOMPSON W. H. BULLOCK F. KELLY A. THROWSER A. BURROWS T. LARSEN A. M. UNDERHILL G. CALL F. J. LOVE G. S. UPTON J. F. CARLTON W. MARLAND A. B. WARD R. CARTWRIGHT T. H. MARWOOD L. WEBB J. A. COOK A. W. MILLER A. E. WEBB W. E. COULTAS H. NEWMAN R. A. WEIR W. CRISP H. H. J. NIXON W. H. WESTERMAN A. S. CUTTING G. O’ LEARY M. WESTWOOD G. H. DANN J. E. O’ SCANLON WHITCOMBE J. A. DENISON C. PARKINSON J. R. WHITE A. C. M. DOBSON C. W. PEARSON J. WHITTLETON R. W. P. DUNN A. E. PECK R. WIGGLESWORTH C. H. R. DYKE R. A. PERRIN F. A. WILLIAMS C. EDEN M.C. PETERSON L. H. WINN E. D. ELLIS A. D. PHILLIPS R. R. EMMISON W. PHILPOTT E.

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