HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-08-31, Page 11THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1988. PAGE 11.
Walton Wl Hall marks 50 years in style
On August 19, a concert and
dance was held at the Walton
Community Hall in conjunction
with a barbecue by the Walton
Area Sports Club at the Ball Park to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of
having the hall in this location.
Jeanne Kirkby, curator of the
Walton Women’s Institute had a
display in the basement of the hall
with pictures of Institute special
meetings, a picture of a soccer
team that was formed for Walton,
Orange lodge members and what
they wore to meetings, improve
ments that were done to the hall
through the years were listed and
photos of the hall where it formerly
sat. Jeanne did a lot of research for
the book she had on the History of
the Walton Hall.
USED AS A METHODIST
CHURCH
In the early 1870’s The New
Connexion Methodists were hold
ing their church services in the
Leadbury School S.S. No. 7 with a
circuit minister from Seaforth. In
1873 they joined with the Brussels
circuit and led by their pastor Rev.
Robt. Davey, erected their own
church in Walton. It was located at
the corner of Huron County Road
12, North Gravel Road, 14th
Concession McKillop Township on
property then owned by Andrew
Morrison. The building was con
structed by Mr. Leatherland from
Seaforth at a total cost of $2,000.
In 1874 Walton became the head
of the Methodist circuit. Names in
that early congregation included
the following: Dundas, Grigg,
Neal, Campbell, Fulton, Craw
ford, Bennett, Marshall, William
son, Dennison, Thompson, Pol
lard, Forbes, Leeming, Hackwell,
Barrows, McGavin, Roe, Watson,
Johnston, Berry, Swallows, Rein
art, Morrison, Porter, Dennis,
Ingram and Bray.
In 1884 the church trustees
purchased one-half acre of land
from the Hewitt farm in Walton (S,
E. corner Lot 1, Con. 18 Grey),
intending to relocate the building
more centrally. During Rev. R.S.
Baker’s ministry in 1903, this task
was undertaken. Wm. Riley from
Londesboroheaded up the project.
The 32 feet by 48 feet building was
loaded into a wagon to be pulled by
Joe Carter’s team and captain.
George Barcliff, a Brussels con
tractor, pouredacement wall to
serve as a base and with the
assistance of Jim Gibson, Bill
Andersonand Wm. Bennettthe
hall was reconstructed on what
today is Howard Hackwell’s lot.
The house still on that property was
then used as the parsonage.
Through 52 years of service as
a Methodist Church a great
number of pastors served the
Walton Methodist congregation. A
jubilee was held in the church to
celebrate 50 years of Methodism in
Walton and area in 1923. In 1925
the union of Congregations -
Presbyterian and Methodist
Churches moved to the much
newer Duff’s United Church in
Walton. The unity building was
then sold to the Orange Lodge.
USED AS AN
ORANGELODGE
The Orange Lodge was esta
blished in the Walton Area in 1869.
The new hall was used regularly
until 1938. Except for shingling the
roof in 1931 improvements were
not made to the building during
this period.
PURCHASED BY THE WALTON
COMMUNITY CLUB
Before 1938 community dances
and events had been held upstairs
of the hall. When Doug Ennis
purchased this building from the
Orange Lodge in 1938, it was
closed to the public, then convert
ed to living quarters. A committee
was formed and decided the lodge1
needed a place to meet in the
community, so the lodge was used.
Wm. J. Humphries, a prominent
Waltonbusinessman, made the
motion that the old church building
be moved down into the village and Bennett’s store to organize the
remodelled. printing and issues of shares and to
On Dec. 2, 1937 they met in get estimates for the move. Harry
Walton
Compiled by Mrs. Betty McCall. Phone 887-6677
Couple visits Alaska
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Huether have
returned from a tour of the Yukon
and Alaska. They also visited with
Ray and Leona Nelson in Vancou
ver and celebrated with the
Webster families in Big Valley,
Alberta, the 89th birthday of Jack
Webster of Edmonton, Alta.
Mr. and Mrs. Graeme Craig
attended the funeral of Harvey’s
brother, Edwin Craig in Ottawa
last Tuesday.
A number of relatives and
friends from the surrounding area
attended the funeral on Saturday in
Glencoe of Raymond Lair, formerly
of Blyth, survived by his wife Betty
(Young) Lair, son Paul of Langley,
B.C. and James at home.
We reserve the right to limit quantities to normal family requirements.
WE DELIVER
CALL 887-9226
PRICESIN EFFECT
FROM AUGUST30TOSEPT. 3
PRODUCE
ONTARIO
Carrots
SPANISH TYPE
Onions
8 OZ. CELLOSNOWY WHITE
MushroomsWESTON PLAIN
WESTON’S
375 G. PKG
Tissue
WHITESWAN
WHITE OR BEIGE
Facial
Carrot Muffins 1.69
SEEDLESS
Green Grapes! .29
Valencia jfxrx
Oranges | .
I R Z
WESTON
BRUSSELS
VILLAGE MARKET
Visiting Sunday with Ruth Tha-
mer were Volker and Shirley
Hertlein and Crystal, London,
John and KimThamer, London,
ClintandJudy Emmrich, Jamie
and Katie, Walton and Ruthie
Thamer, Kitchener.
Church
services resume
This coming Sunday, Church at
Duff’s United resumes at 10 a.m.
September 4, following the mini
ster’s holidays. The U.C.W. exe
cutive is to meet next week, check
the day on the bulletin this Sunday.
The joint meeting to be on
September 14 when a guest will
show slides.
Hart of Seaforth was to be the
contractor. Then Silas Johnston
and Gilbert McCallum were as
signed the task of serving a deed
for the hall and the hall site. Names
of the Original Shareholders of the
Walton Community Hall were
registered in the book. Many of
these are deceased now.
The building had a few pro
blems, divisions were poured to
create a kitchen area and a ladies
waiting room. Costs were mount
ing, 122 shares had been sold to 87 1
community shareholders. Chairs
were purchased, work was finally
completed with insulation and
painting the interior, ceiling lower
ed and a new floor for dancing.
A special concert and dance was
held on the opening night of the
community hall, dancing went
from nine until two with the Huron
Corn Huskers.
Some of the orchestras that
played in the hall were: Huron
Corn Huskers; Kirkby, Watt and
George Love, Sr.; Arthur’s; The
Hill Billies; Pryce’s Orchestra; The
Melody Mixers; Ian Wilbee; Ken
Wilbee; Ross Pierce; Brown’s
Ferrier’s and Henderson’s.
PURCHASED HALL
The Walton Women’s Institute
MON.-SAT. 8-6
THURS. & FRI.
UNTIL 9 P.M.
purchased the hall in May, 1975.
The Brussels Horticultural Society
offered to supply flowers for the
bed in front of th ehall, it has since
been landscaped.
In the early 1960’s most of the
orchestras in the area began to
become unionized and therefore
tooexpensive tobe hired for the
weekly dance, consequently the
hall was used for more in commun
ity events such as showers,
receptions and card parties.
When under the hall board, a
whirl of activities such as bazaars,
regular weekly dances, farm
machinery shows, film nights,
euchre and lost heir parties, stag
parties, concerts and plays gave
the community hall a busy and
prosperous start.
Even the Women’s Institute
which allowed free rent for their
meetings from 1957 to 1963
because of the many improve
ments they added to the building
then a monthly fee was charged. In
1966 the W.I. received their water
from Torrance Dun das a nearby
neighbour. In 1967 the ladies
installed cupboards in the kitchen,
an oil burner was installed in 1970.
The Institute started improve-
Contlnued on page 14