Below is a sample of some of the pictures and text of the Rathmell Reading Room Centenary Exhibition which took place over the weekend of 16/17 October 2010.
The Rathmell Reading Room
in the centre of Rathmell Village, was built by
Laura Elizabeth Geldard in the first decade of the 20th Century. Prior to this
the villagers had the use of a room at Cappleside, the Geldard family home
and a room was used as a reading room in Chapel Cottage for a time. Minutes
record billiard tournaments, a reading room and discussions about a new
reading room. In January 1909, Mrs Geldard showed the committee plans for a
new reading and billiard room which she proposed to build the following year.
The Reading Room was formally opened by Mrs Geldard
in November 1910, admission 6d. (there is some confusion as to the year as later a
date of 1911 is recorded - however as 1911 records show a lot of committee activity,
1910 is more likely) Two days later a celebration dance was held, admission 1/-.
Initially the room was used as a ‘reading room for daily papers’ etc., but
subsequently came to be used as a Village Hall and has been available (rent free
or for a nominal rent) for use by Rathmell residents, ever since.
As already stated, 1911 was a busy year - a stage licence was
applied for; a caretaker employed; a piano and billiard table sought;
subscriptions discussed and last but not least a lock and key was requested for
the W.C. Among other activities over the following two years, Cookery and
Dressmaking classes were introduced. Maybe they were too ambitious or they
did not get the support from the villagers they expected as by 1912 the
Reading Room was in debt and the committee accepted a loan from Mrs.
Geldard. They pressed on, but by 1915 had to sell the seating. In 1916 a
proposal to close until the end of the war was turned down and later a compromise
suggestion was agreed to close the Reading Room between May and
November. In August of the same year the billiard table and remaining chairs
were sold for £17.0s.0d.
In November 1916, a well attended Public Meeting
decided to reopen and raise funds by having a concert. The next year saw a
number of ‘social gatherings’ and by November a balance of £9.lls.7d. was
recorded after a proposal to send a Christmas gift of 10/- to men in the Navy
or Army who were from Rathmell or had parents living in the Parish. In 1918
there was a report of profane language being used in the Reading Room, but in
that year and the next, little use was made of the building during the
summer months. In September 1919 a Social Club was started which met
weekly at Cappleside; a year later the venue was changed to the Reading Room.
Also in 1919 there were complaints of lads congregating in the Reading Room
porch and harassing folk. It was decided to ask Mrs. Geldard to put iron gates
on the porch. T
he AGM of 1923 passed a proposal to call a Public Meeting to
‘decide whether the Reading Room be carried on or closed’
The Public Meeting voted against closure but obviously didn’t produce the
necessary support as by November 1924 a decision was made to close until
further notice. Despite this decision the Reading Room was kept open and
closed only during the summer months.
A letter was received from Mrs. Geldard in September
1927, offering to let the Reading Room have the upper room back - this had
been incorporated into the attached cottage in 1916. So the 1917 minutes end
on an optimistic note with the Reading Room to be restored to it’s original two
large rooms and a decision to trade in the old billiard table for a new one.
No doubt if we take a look at later minute books
they will tell of similar ups and downs in the everday
story of a community hall in a Yorkshire village but
it will be the story of a unique building going by the
name which one recent visitor said just
‘rolls off the tongue’ … Rathmell Reading Room.
1924: 30 year lease drawn up and charitable status acquired. An extension for
kitchen and toilet was built costing £750. A ‘Grand Sale’ raised £350, the
remainder funded by a grant from the Department of Education. A small rent
levied and all property insurance and repairs to be carried out by the owner.
1997: a new lease drawn up, the rent became ‘peppercorn’, all insurance and
repairs became the responsibility of the Trustees (present day committee).
So the Reading Room continues
run by the managing Trustees (the committee) with
4 Holding Trustees having a watching brief. History does continue to repeat
itself in that there have been and are at times, struggles to attract support and
new committee members but somehow the Reading Room carries on, largely
with thanks to people like recent retirees from the committee who had served
upwards of 20 years each as very active members. In the past the Reading
Room was an important part of local rural life and a hub of social activity. In
the present day it could play a part in forging links between ‘old’ and ‘new’
villagers, aided by modern means of communication namely
The Rathmell Website & Newsletter. |
