The Original Village Hall
The Memorial Hall
At the beginning of the First World War, Asquith, Prime Minister, appointed as his secretary of State Lord Kitchener. Kitchener predicted that the war was likely to be protracted and he saw a need for a large army to sustain it.
The Royal Engineer Corps expanded considerably from 25,000 men in 1914 to 315, 000 in 1918.
On the home front, they engaged in activities to sustain the war effort and there was of course a need to house the troops. A Major Armstrong designed a series of schemes for hutted camps in various parts of the country and engineers were appointed to supervise construction.
60 feet long, 20 ft wide, 10 feet high
To sleep 30 men, 15 either side
a gangway ran down the centre to table and benches.
Land was requisitioned to accommodate comps notably at Ripon. At the end of the war some huts were surplus to requirements and one was acquired by Arkendale villagers.
Hubert Houseman's grandfather was one of a number of villagers who went to Ripon and transported the hut in pieces on horse and cart back to the village.
Land was offered by Mr Sampson Senior and the hall was rebuilt with the Addition of an ante-room for toilets and kitchen. We do not know if the corrugated iron cladding was added here but it seems likely the original hut was only made of wood. Ground rent was paid by the committee to Mr Sampson Senior. The hall was heated by coke stoves in the early days.
In 1985 Mr Arthur Sampson, son, donated the land to the trustees of the hall and the hall became a registered charity - a remarkable act of generosity for the man who by then lived next to the hall in a modest bungalow, built in the 1960s. The new hall stands on the same piece of land.
Village Institute opened at Arkendale - The Knaresborough Post, 30 Oct 1920
At Arkendale on Tuesday the opening of the village institute - a converted army hut - in the form of a social evening.
The proceedings were opened by Rev. H. C. Knight asking Mr & Mrs Nussey to declare the institute open and to unveil the roll of honour to those lads who had gone from Arkendale and the vicinity to answer the call of King and country.
Mrs Nussey, in a few choice words, voiced the feeling of the villagers in their gratitude to the brave lads and also in the need of a suitable hall where recreation, social and musical, could be indulged in.
After this the concert progressed most favourably up to the interval for refreshments, when the proceedings terminated in a sudden and tragic manner. Mr Watson, a respected and honoured villager, had a seizure, which, sad to relate, terminated fatally before medical assistance could be secured. This cast a gloom over the entertainment, which was forthwith concluded. The party, who had journeyed from Knaresborough, have promised to give another concert towards the end of November.
The programme given was as follows: Humorous song ("I'm a Dada" - Mr Harry Wilkins - encore "Bonny Mary of Argyle"); song "Come to the Fair", Miss Parry Jones; song, "The Floral Dance" Mr Arthur H Kitching; song "In an old-fashioned house", Madame Nellie Briggs; song "Until" Mr Joseph Carson; humorous song "one minute to seven" Mr Harris; pianoforte solo Mrs Phillipson; recitation "Mr Brown had his hair cut" Miss Parry Jones (encore "Proposals").
27 November, 1920 - Arkendale Memorial Hall. [notes]
Whist Drive in aid of building fund. 24 games. Very good cakes & Mrs Atkinson & Mrs Brooker served tea and coffee. Prizes presented by Mrs Alan Fyfe. [details.. ] Rev HC Knight was MC - excellent. Raised £7 6s 6d.
28 Jan 1922
Whist Drive and dance in Memorial Hall on Fri 10 Feb. 15 tables. Jazz band - Mr Sutcliffe, Knaresborough. (Dance also on Shrove Tuesday).
16 Dec 1922
Concert Arkendale Memorial Hall on Wed 6 Dec. Mr Leonard Houseman & party entertained. For St. Dunstan's. £10 0s 3d raised [write up - not copied]. Concert by schoolchildren Arkendale. Midget Minstrels. Fri 1 Dec. In aid of Christmas tree fund [good write up - not copied]
30 Dec 1922
On Friday last, the schoolchildren of Arkendale had their annual tea and Christmas party and Christmas tree in the Memorial Hall. Over 70 [big write up - not copied]
Extracted from Knaresborough Post by Ruth Wilcock.