Detling Village Hall - A Little Bit Of History John Brown's Reminiscences of Detling Reading Room
The Reading Room was given to Detling by Mrs Cave Brown in about the year 1889. Mr Rugg, who was then Lord of the Manor, gave the ground for it.
There were at that time in the Village a number of young lads who worked in the locality, as garden lads, grooms, farm workers etc. and who wanted somewhere for evening recreation. To start with they hired from Miss Dawson a room, where Mr Hadlow now lives, and carried on there for sometime. Then came the gift of the Reading Room, and the Trustees were the Vicar and Churchwardens who might be in residence.
A Secretary and Committee were appointed to arrange details of management. There were honorary members and subscribers who helped to finance expenses. The members paid 4d. per week. There were games such as Draughts, Dominoes, Cards, and a Bagatelle Table and Tippit was a favourite; also a number of books. After a time there came a change, and the younger lads left to themselves became unruly and the Room was closed.
Just after the First World War it was taken in hand by the first Mrs John Brown to help the older children and with the help of subscriptions from generous folk it was enlarged at the East End about 5 or 6 feet and with an additional entrance. It was open three or four nights a week from 6 to 9pm and Mrs J Brown taught them various things, such as Rush-Work and Basket work during the first hour, then games for an hour, finishing with a Dancing Class, at which a Mrs Black came from Maidstone to assist. Mr J Brown, with the assistance of Mr George Kitney and Mr Jack Roots, painted the interior, including the roof, throughout and also the exterior.
During the Second World War, the Room was used for Welfare work and then a First Aid Centre and Wardens' Post, Mr Bailey being the Supervisor.
It has since been used for the Women's Institute Meetings, Sunday School, British Legion, Football Dressing Room, and various other Meetings, and many a Jumble Sale has been held there.
It has served its purpose in many ways, and now we have our Village Hall, a much larger and of course more convenient one and trust it will be much used and appreciated; but we shall always remember with gratitude our little "Reading Room".
