Gregg Redford

The following article featured in the GRANTHAM JOURNAL on the 25th April 1914. The Hall Family of Whatton Manor were at this time benefactors to Aslockton. Sophia Hall had funded the building of the church (dedicated to St. Thomas) in Aslockton. Montagu Hall was for some time the Chairman of Aslockton Parish Council gave the land for the building of a new Parish Hall. The old one the ‘Mission Room’ (now Cranmer’s Cottage) was also owned by the Hall Family and had fallen into disrepair.

The ‘New Rooms’ as the building was called was demolished and replaced by residential housing, the proceeds of the sale of the land contributed to the building of the Thomas Cranmer Centre.

The transcript of the article is reproduced in full below.

New Parish Room

Wednesday, April 22nd was a red-letter day in the history of Aslockton where a new Parochial Room was opened by Captain M. H. Hall, of Whatton Manor. There were teas at 4.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. together with a concert, which included instrumental music, songs , and a dramatic sketch, entitle, “He, She, and the Poker.”
At the opening, the Vicar (the Rev. J. Standish) explained the lines upon which the deed for the room were drawn. In the first place, it is to be used as a Sunday School and for other purposes conncted with the Church of England, and secondly under a Committee, or Committees, of Management, it is to be used for other meetings having in view the spiritual, intellectual, moral, and social needs of the parish and neighbourhood.
Captain Hall, who has gven one of the best sites in the village for the new room, after expressing his appreciation of the building and the value and need of such in the neighourhood, and his hope that it would be fully and continuously made good use of, declared the new room pen.
Mr. Wright, of Aslockton, then spoke as a Nonconformist of the many social advantages that he hoped would accrue from the work already accomplished. He said that he was at one with the Vicar in desiring and being anxious to work for the young men and omen of the parish and neighbourhood, and that he would do his best to help in the cause they all had at heart.
Votes of thanks were heartily passed to Captain Hall and the Vicar, after which a short concert was given to a crowed audience, the programme bing provided by Miss L. Bates, Miss Armstrong, Miss Vogel, the Misses Standish, Mr. Edwin Hadley, and Mr. Neville Smith.
The room has been built according to the plans of Mr. W.R. Gleave, and is commondious and artistic building. Mr. Smith, of Newark was the contractor.
The total cost, including furniture &c., will run to £ 400, of which sum, half is still to be raised.
Thanks are due to Mr. F. Stokes, Mr. John Mee, a Committee of ladies and helpers, too numerous to name, for making the inauguration such a success.
A visitors book was circulated, in which the names and signatures of 173 appear.
On the platform, the following parishioners an d others gave their support to Captain Hall and the Vicar:-
Mr. Bissill, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. W. R. Gleave, Mr. enneth Hill, Mr. Kirkby, Mr. John Mee, Mr. W. F. Payling, Mr. F. Stokes and Mr. Wright; and apologies for inability to attend were received from Mr. Walter Black, Mr. T.S. Cheetham, Captain Sopper, and Mr. Norman Stafford.