Rusper Village Hall centenary

But now it is the hall itself which is being celebrated as Rusper Village Hall reaches its centenary.

It was a hundred years ago this year that Captain Herbert Acton Blake leased land at a nominal rent to trustees for the building of a men's reading room and miniature rifle room under the name of The Rusper Village Hall.

Hall secretary Neal Osborne takes up the story: "In 1929 the freehold of the hall was conveyed to new trustees together with additional land conveyed by Ernest Ratcliff Jones and his wife for extension of the hall. The large extension, generously funded by Mr J H S Holroyd, resulted in the building which is essentially as that in use today.

"Throughout its history the hall has provided invaluable facilities for recreation and education for the inhabitants of Rusper and district."

In recent months, Neal has been retrieving archive material from the hall and scanning it to make sure that it is properly preserved for posterity '“ a fascinating task which underlines the key role the hall has always played.

"We have very little in the village in terms of places for entertainment and we have very little bus service. We are quite isolated. The hall plays a central part in the village. Our regular users include the school that hasn't got a hall of its own.

"We have done quite a lot to the hall over the past 25 years. We have redone the kitchen. We did the toilets. We have concentrated on bringing the hall up to modern standards. It is still quite an old hall, but we have concentrated on making it more fit for the things that people want to use it for today."

Neal added: "In 2008 the management committee embarked upon some ideas to celebrate the centenary not as a way of raising funds but as a way of giving something back to the community. The first event, in early June, was a very successful and enjoyable barn dance. Combined with this was a very good prize draw which featured many fine prizes donated by very generous local businesses."

Also to mark the Hall's centenary, a short history of the hall has been written by one of its present trustees, Neil Matthewson (copies available at 2 from Neal on 01293 871448).

"Future plans include the sponsorship of a project to create a nature area in the adjacent school field. The hall is paying for advisors from the Sussex Wildlife Trust who will advise and involve the children in its creation.

"The Sussex Wildlife Trust members will be at Rusper School on Friday October 9 and will be working on site with groups of children all day. Between 3-3.30pm there will be an opening ceremony.

"Following this, on Friday October 17 there will be a music evening at the hall when New Harmonie will be presenting From Tin Pan Alley to Abbey Road, a journey through popular music, 1890s-1960s. Prices for this are 6.50 including complimentary drinks and nibbles, with accompanied children of 12 years and under admitted free."

Tickets for the event which starts at 7.30pm are available from Neal.

"Finally we are hoping that the year will be rounded off with a New Year's party in the Hall."