WING VILLAGE HALL

Link to the present day - rebuilding works

Bookings To make reservations telephone - 01296 682795 -at any reasonable time. or email - sheilalambert@tiscali.co.uk

History From a copy of an article regarding its Opening:

OPENING BY LORD ROTHSCHILD.
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FITING MEMORIAL TO THE LATE MR. COTES.
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THE HISTORY OF THE SCHEME.
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MR LEOPOLD DE ROTHSCHILD’S GENEROSITY.
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The inhabitants of Wing are particularly fortunate in being the possessors of an exceedingly fine Village Hall, which has been erected at a cost of about £2,000 as a memorial to the late Mr. Charles Cotes. A Village Hall was a most pressing want in Wing, and the building which has now been erected, and which was formally opened on Friday evening by Lord Rothschild, the Lord Lieutenant of Bucks, is worthy of its object, and will undoubtedly be a great acquisition to the place.

THE BUILDING.
The Village hall adjoins the main road, and is adjacent to the Cottage hospital {now the Police Station, Charlotte Cottage}. The design is pleasing, and in every respect comfort and convenience have been considered. Great credit is due to the Architect, Mr. J. J. Heady, of the Ascott Estate Building Department, for the admirable manner in which the building has been designed and carried out. The main Hall measures sixty feet by thirty feet, whilst there is a platform eighteen by thirteen feet in size. A large committee room, in which small meetings can be held, has been arranged so that it can be entered without passing through the large Hall and at the rear, on each side of the platform, there is a spacious dressing room and a lavatory fitted with the most up-to-date sanitary appliances. The dressing rooms are connected with the platform by two vestibules, which communicate with the Hall. They can also be entered from the outside by doors provided for the double purpose of platform entrance or emergency exits. A good kitchen and serving room are provided for festive occasions. The large Hall is heated by the low-pressure hot water system, with five radiators placed at intervals round the sides of the Hall. The ventilation is on the well-known Boyle principle. The whole of the building is lighted by a complete installation of acetylene gas, the platform being fitted with footlights. The interior woodwork is of pitch pine varnished, and the decorative treatment is of a simple character. Employment has been provided by this work for several men in the village.

The London Hospital said that much as they valued Mr. Cotes’ assistance on the Board of management, much as they missed his help and his welcome weekly visits to the wards, they missed most of all his genial presence – as the Sister expressed it, "it was like a whiff of fresh air coming in when he was there." Such a life did not end with itself. It was so inspiring, so fruitful, and he regarded the beautiful building in which they were assembled that evening for the first time as a first-fruit, as it were, of that life and of their thought of it. His friends thought they would like to erect some monument such as he would choose and approve of. They knew he would have chosen something which was at once beautiful and useful, something which contributed to the elevation, improvement, and welfare of those around him, in fact, something that would be (he used the word in the higher sense) to the greatest happiness of the greatest number. So they had that room.

‘THE THOUGHT OF MR. COTES HAD INSPIRED all those kind friends whom he had left behind, and he trusted that all who would have to do with the management of the building, and all who used it would ever bear that in mind and would be actuated by the same spirit, and remember all that they learnt from and loved in him. Of course, as time went on personal remembrance of Mr. Cotes would fade away with those who knew and loved him, but he trusted and prayed that those aims and motives which guided his life, that the sacred memory of his life and his example, might always be treasured in Wing. Under God’s blessing he believed that that building would help more than anything to preserve that sacred memory (applause).

Lord Rothschild, who received an ovation, spoke as follows: - your kind friend and neighbour, my brother Leopold, kindly asked me to be present this evening to open this Wing Village Hall, and I need not tell you that I gladly consented for two reasons. The first is a purely personal one. It always affords me the greatest pleasure to come among those who were my constituents in olden days and so often returned me to Parliament (applause). It is, however, a much greater pleasure to me to be called upon to open a public building which has been built in memory of an old friend like Charles Cotes, a man whom if you knew you could not help loving, and if you knew him well you were aware he was a staunch and good friend (hear, hear). If he was a staunch and good friend to private individuals much more was he a good friend to the village of Wing, where he came to live in the latter part of his life (applause). There was nothing connected with Wing in which he did not take an interest – the welfare of his own church (etc). I consider that by your coming here tonight you are paying a tribute of the greatest respect to Charles Cotes. He alas! Is no longer in our midst. I am sure this memorial would have appealed to him on account of its utility. Charles Cotes was a man who was very practical, and when he thought anything was being done for the benefit of a place he threw his heart into it and was not content until he carried it to a successful issue. I do know a man who practised altruism more than he did and there are many in this village who will bear me out when they remember his great liberality. When this memorial was first started it was decided to restore the Ladye Chapel of the Parish Church and put in a stained glass window to his memory. You know that has been done, and not without an enormous amount of work, which has fallen chiefly on your Vicar. When that was completed there was a balance of £300 or £400, and it had to be considered how that should be expended. If was thought that the best thing for Wing would be a Parish Hall. We found that it would cost at least £800 to build a decent hall. When we got to that point our friend Mr. Leopold de Rothschild interfered and gave us good advice. He said, "If you are going to build a hall build one large enough to accommodate the whole parish. If you build a small Hall additions will have to be made later and it will not be altogether a complete memorial." That sounded very nice, but the question was,

WHERE WOULD THE FUNDS COME FROM?

Our anxiety was of very short duration, for Mr. Leopold de Rothschild came forward at once and presented us with this valuable site. Furthermore, Mr. and Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild also gave very substantial financial support which has enabled us to build this splendid and capacious Hall (loud applause). I now beg to move that a vote of thanks be accorded Lord Rothschild for his kindness in coming here to night to open this Hall dedicated to the memory of one so dear to us (applause).

Loud cheers greeted Mr. Leopold de Rothschild as he rose to address the assembly. He said: - I have only a few words to say to you, as I have been asked to second the vote of thanks to my brother, Lord Rothschild, and also to say how much we are indebted to Mr. Tatham for his kindness in taking the chair this evening. It is said that the idle man never has a moment to spare, but the busy man has time always to do everything he wants, and I can assure you that is the case with Lord Rothschild. There is no man so busy and yet no man who finds time to do so much. And yet when he was asked to come here he came with that willingness so characteristic of him. Although it is not, perhaps, for one brother to praise another, it is to me a great satisfaction to be able to say how grateful I and all we inhabitants of Wing are to him for having come here and for having spoken as he has done (applause). As for our dear friend Charles Cotes, it seems to me nothing could be more suitable than that the Vicar of the parish should take the chair and that one of an ancient faith should declare the hall open, because if there was ever a man who in his whole life showed liberality in the religion of the world it was Charles Cotes. He was a true and loyal Churchman, devoted to every tenet of his own faith, yet his sympathy went forth to the dissenter, to the catholic, to the Jew, and to every man, and he ever lived that good life which was his honour and glory (applause). Let me ask you to thank most cordially your Vicar and Lord Rothschild, and tell them how much we appreciate all they say. The beautiful words which fell from the Vicar’s mouth are the echoes of our own sentiments. We all look forward to enjoying the building for many years to come, and we think and believe it will be a centre of harmony and goodwill (loud applause).

The Hon. Walter Rothschild next spoke as follows: - As another personal friend of the friend of us all, Mr. Charles Cotes, a very pleasing duty has been put into my hands. I have been asked to propose, and ask you to give, a very cordial VOTE OF THANKS TO MR. HEADY, the architect of this building (applause). I am sure you will all re-echo my great regret that owing to indisposition he was unable to attend. The contract has been ably and expeditiously carried out by Mr. Thomas Yirrel, of Leighton Buzzard, and Messrs. Inns Bros. have done the heating and sanitary work in their usual efficient manner. The system of lighting adopted is that of Messrs. Thorn and Hoddle, of London, and was installed by them.

THE OPENING

On the occasion of the opening ceremony arrangements had been made for an amateur dramatic performance, and a large audience assembled in spite of the inclement weather. Those present not only included many of the most prominent inhabitants of the surrounding district, farmers, villagers, and these connected with the Ascott Estate, but there was a large contingent from Leighton Buzzard. Accompanying Lord Rothschild were Mr. and Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild, the Hon. Walter Rothschild, MP, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sassoon, Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Scott, Mr. Antony de Rothschild, and Mr. J. T. Tarver.

The chair at the inaugurative proceedings was taken by the Vicar (the Rev. F. H. Tatham), who was accompanied on the platform by Lord Rothschild, Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, the Hon. Walter Rothschild, and Mr. Malcolm Scott.

The Rev. F. H. Tatham, in opening the proceedings, said they were assembled there to inaugurate that beautiful hall, and to ask Lord Rothschild, the Lord Lieutenant of Bucks, to open it. Of the origin and object of the hall, who built it, and why it was built he would not speak, because that would be explained later in the evening. For the same reason he would not express their heart-felt gratitude to the friends of their dear friend, Mr. Charles Cotes, and particularly their honoured squire, Mr. Leopold de Rothschild- (applause) – for that magnificent memorial. He would, however, like to say a few words about their dear friend of whom they were thinking that day, about the man himself. In the Parish Church, the Church he loved so well and in which for so many years he was a devoted and constant worshipper and communicant, there was a memorial tablet containing some words composed by his life-long friend, Lord Rosebery, in which Mr. Cotes was described as one "who in the midst of the world lived the better life for God and for his neighbour." He (Mr. Tatham) thought they could not have a more beautiful, a happier description of him. The great talents and powers which Mr. Cotes applied to his profession he also devoted to the welfare and interests of all those around him, and every year he lived he developed those powers, and all for the sake of others. Recognition was given to the allotments, the Dispensary, which he founded, and the schools which he looked after. It was not necessary that this hall should be built that the memory of Charles Cotes should remain green in Wing. All those who knew him and those who come after him will bear his memory in love and respect, but this building will recall him more than anything. The inhabitants of the parish of Wing are doubly lucky. They have a hall associated with a great and good name, a hall which has been given them and for which they are not called upon to pay out of the rates (applause). If I am not mistaken, when the last local Government Act was passed a special feature was made of the Parish Council and the Parish Room which was to be built by a penny rate. When these Parish Councils were called into existence it was stated, I think in the Houses of Parliament, that their first object, their principal object, was to enable the inhabitants of a village to SETTLE THEIR POLITICAL AFFAIRS in a capacious room, and various speakers who enlarged on the necessity of a Parish Room spoke rather derisively of the position of the village pump and of the various similar local subjects which would engage the attention of the parishioners. But at the same time they one and all acknowledged that if a Parish Room were built it was to be for the good of the parish, and I am glad those who have built this beautiful Room, on which I compliment the architect – (applause) – have recognised this. Those who have given the land and endowed it recognise that this Room is to be for the good of the parish, and I am glad to see that they did not confine its utility to local politics. They say in their deed of trust that the hall is to be used for all meetings and all purposes, political or otherwise. I suppose by the word political they did not mean only village politics, but imperial politics and everything that concerns the State. The Hall is also to be used for theatricals, for dancing, concerts, and for games of all kinds. Those who have given you this Room hope it will be the centre of village life, and that I trust also. I am sure that the presence of a Room like this, a well-organised Room, in the midst of a village does more than anything to elevate the spirit of the inhabitants and to cement that god feeling and understanding which ought to exist between all the members of one parish (applause). With these few words I declare this Room open (renewed applause).

Mr. Malcolm Scot said: -- I have a very pleasing duty entrusted to me – that of proposing a vote of thanks to Lord Rothschild for coming here to open the hall. I take this opportunity of saying how proud I feel, as the member for this Division, and I am sure you will also feel most proud, that this beautiful hall which as been erected in memory of our great friend, should have been designed by the talent of one of yourselves, and that it should have been built by the united efforts of a local builder and of yourselves in the persons of local workmen. I am sure this is a refutation of those who say that the British workman is deteriorating and that the foreigner is ousting us everywhere. I think it is one proof from you that you all desire still to show that the Englishman wishes to be well to the front in every domestic and foreign affair. I assure you that it is a great pleasure to me to be asked to propose this vote of thanks, and I hope you will respond to it most cordially, and all the more so because I am sure our dear friend Mr. Cotes would have rejoiced to know that a memorial raised to his memory should have been entirely the production of his own home (applause).

Lord Rothschild briefly replied to the vote of thanks.

Mr. A. Somes Heley, the Chairman of the Parish Council, rising from the body of the hall, said that on behalf of this follow parishioners he begged to express their deep sense of indebtedness to all who had in any way assisted in erecting that building, which supplied a long-felt want and which, he was sure, surpassed their greatest expectations. The all deplored the loss they had sustained, a loss that had prompted so many generous friends of their late friend to erect that building, which they knew would be of great service to them. He trusted that as parishioners they would prove worthy of it by making the best use of it they possibly could. They could use the hall for all purposes, and no matter what subjects might be discussed, be trusted they would discuss them in the spirit which was always manifested in the one to whose memory the building was erected (applause). That meant that they had to abolish their puny, petty-fogging prejudices, and discuss all matters with that Christian charity which was so prominent in every action of their late friend. As they looked upon that building not only would they be reminded of the privileges they had lost, but they would be reminded also of that noble life that was spent amongst them. They had a reminder, also not only of their privileges in the past, but also of the generosity of their distinguished and most benevolent neighbour, Mr. Leopold de Rothschild (applause). He had in this matter shown that generosity which was always so conspicuous in all his good works: they appreciated that, and had in that building a perpetual reminder of the privilege they enjoyed in having such a distinguished and benevolent neighbour. Therefore, on behalf of the inhabitants of Wing, he asked Mr. Leopold de Rothschild to accept their most grateful thanks for this further manifestation of his generosity and good-will (applause). He hoped that for many years they might have the pleasure of Mr. Rothschild’s presence amongst them, and they trust, too, that he might derive much pleasure from being in this neighbourhood (loud applause).

This sentiment was met with approving cheers, and the whole audience rose and sang with great heartiness, "For he’s a jolly good Fellow."