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Well lots of things have happened since
we have been away. Pakenham village hall is, as I write,
being pulled down. Poor old place, we wondered what would
happen first, would it fall of its own accord, or would someone
lean on it and it would tumble? What a marvelous old place
it has been. The fun and laughter, the shouts of joy, the
tears and the tumbles, the pantos, the plays and the parties,
the dances and the discos, the weddings and the wakes, all
have emanated from our lovely old hall.
A passer-by at a cursory glance would see, in its later
days, a ramshackle, tumbledown old place, but to us, we would
see a palace of festivity, the centre of our little world
of Pakenham. Remember the night when Rabbit Peck fell through
the floor? The smoke filled Bingo nights, when poor old Arthur
King couldn't call the numbers for coughing? We always thought
Arthur was going to die from coughing himself to death on a bingo night,
but then they banned smoking in the hall, and he died in the pub instead!
The quietness and concentration of the Whist Drive, when suddenly at
a single command, a movement of chairs, a shuffling of feet, and the
players would rotate to their next position. Remember Derek Wales children's
parties?
Years later, those huge Christmas parties, where all the
parents brought the food, Annie Rose organised the presents,
Ian Hooper was Father Christmas, Eddie Dyer was Big Ears,
Max was Noddy, Jan did all the work and everybody had a great
time.
The pantomimes; first night nerves, the total fear
of going out on stage, forgetting your lines, the relief
of laughter, the exhilaration of applause, the rush to change
scenes, change costumes. The rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals,
the planning, the lights, the corny gags, the front of house,
the scenery painted. From the first by Pauline Freeman to
Frances Brown & Theresa Godwin on to Barbara
Westgate and Denise Ashley, the successes remain legend, as do the
performers.
The concert party, the Harvest supper, Fred and
Brenda Clarke, 120 people seated, Brenda ran it like a
military operation. Jan Bacon followed on to cater for a
packed hall. Barbara Beevor, Frances Brown, food for all
Jumble sales, W.I., Mothers Union, art club. Talks, arguments,
meetings, Royal British Legion tea, Jim Palfry taking the
salute, all memories, all gone, wonderful memories, we will
always remember you, you wonderful old hall.
Rest in peace.
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