High Wych Memorial Hall

1922 - 1939
(From an original article by Theo Van de Bilt, Official High Wych Historian)
In November 1922, a plot of land adjacent to High Wych Churchyard was donated by Arthur Salvin Bowlby, with a view to erecting a Village Hall on the site.
The relative deed of gift was duly signed by Arthur, together with Henry Foxwell Buxton, a brewery director, and Horace Fuller Rackham, a clerk in holy orders and vicar of High Wych at the time
The Hall was to be dedicated to the memory of Bishop Johnson of Colchester, a former vicar of High Wych, and to the officers and men of High Wych who gave their lives in The Great War 1914 - 1918. (Photograph Album) The Hall was to be known as High Wych Memorial Hall and the three signatories of the original deed of gift became the first three trustees. According to the same deed of gift the Hall was to be used 'for the purposes of physical and mental recreations and for holding meetings in connection with religious and philanthropic objects'.
It was left to the discretion of the trustees how exactly to interpret this but the deed did specifically state that 'the premises shall at no time be used for the purpose of revolutionaty propoganda'!
Work on construction began quickly and within just 4 months the Hall was completed. An article in the Herts and Essex Observer described the Hall as a 'handsome building of brick and red slates'.(Photograph Album) The Hall soon became meeting place for High Wych Village Club, the Women's Institute and High Wych Men's Club. The Hall was also used for meetings of the Scouting organisation - the Boy Scouts, Wolf Cubs and Girl Guides - now known as Scouts and Guides.