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The second Doyleston Hall to WW2
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TitleThe Second Doyleston Hall to WW2
DescriptionThe second Doyleston Hall was built after the first was burnt down in 1894. It was opened unfinished in 1897.
In the early years, it was used for electioneering, as a polling booth, Sunday School, dancing classes, and technical and dress-making classes.
One of these early classes was the Doyleston Cooking Class which held a concert and dramatic entertainment in 1898 and then a demonstration of “ordinary cookery” the following year.
Functions were held not only to raise funds for Doyleston projects, such as the public library but in 1906 a concert was held to help pay for painting St Mary’s Church in Irwell.
It was like other halls in the district, becoming renowned for its dances, balls, smoke concerts, and euchre tournaments, and also for being the home of the very popular local Druids Lodge (U.A.O.D. no.17).
The hall also catered for the more mundane such as annual meetings, including the Athletic Club and the Hall Management Committee.
As also occurred in the Dunsandel Hall in 1914, there was a patriotic dance in aid of the Poor of Britain and Belgium Fund.
Later during WW1 there were dances to raise money for the Red Cross and Lady Liverpool Parcels Fund, then sad farewells and warm welcome home functions for the soldiers who made it back to Doyleston.
It is interesting to note that the soldiers (and Sister Aitken) who returned, or relatives of men who were buried overseas, were presented with gold medals bearing suitable inscriptions, while those at Dunsandel were presented with brush sets.
After WW1, a number of groups raised funds for their organisations by arranging dances, concerts, and the like.
These included the Hall Committee, Ellesmere Technical Association, Cricket Club, Football Club, Ellesmere Brass Band, Religious Groups, and the Doyleston School.
The Ellesmere Gun Club held their famous “duck dinner” in the hall on at least one occasion.
There was even a children’s fancy dress ball in 1924.
In 1921 the Hall Committee purchased a fine British Strohmenger piano for about 200 guineas which was used for the first time on show night.
Of course, it had to be paid for and there was a dance arranged in April 1922 but the debt continued for some time.
Films started to be shown about this time, perhaps in competition with the Leeston Town Hall.
By 1925 the hall needed a supper room and other improvements and even months prior to the “really big bazaar”, fundraising began in earnest.
People from all parts of the district thronged to the 2-day event.
It is interesting to note that the Miniature Rifle Club had a special interest in helping with the bazaar for if the sum raised exceeded £350, the supper room would be built to the full length of a shooting range.
£265 was raised and tenders were called for a 90ft x 14ft (27.5 x 4.3m) room and the Rifle Club celebrated their new range in May 1926 followed not long after with an extremely well-supported dance.
Geo. W. R. Osborne, from “Winfield”, regularly celebrated the end of harvest with a dinner and social for employees and others.
In 1928 the celebration was held in the Doyleston Hall with a splendid meal and a lengthy toast list.
A choir of the best voices from famous Maori tribes delighted a full hall in 1932 with a range of songs, solos, poi dances, hymns, and haka.
This group from the Methodist Maori Mission traveled the district periodically to raise funds.
The Doyleston Country Women’s Institute began in 1938 and a short time later were organising a concert and dance.
The dance (described as “a day of pleasure may end in a night of bliss”) on the night of the Boxing Day Sports and the night of the Ellesmere A&P Show were two of the best-known in the wider district.
Just before WW2 another bazaar was held and the proceeds were used to extend the main room to 90ft (27.5m).
The floor was re-laid with new floor boards fastened with approximately 9000 nails, among many other improvements.
Material from Singleton (2007) and Papers Past
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date27 May 2020SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoyleston
DescriptionThe second Doyleston Hall was built after the first was burnt down in 1894. It was opened unfinished in 1897. In the early years, it was used for electioneering, as a polling booth, Sunday School, dancing classes, and technical and dress-making classes.
One of these early classes was the Doyleston Cooking Class which held a concert and dramatic entertainment in 1898 and then a demonstration of “ordinary cookery” the following year.
Functions were held not only to raise funds for Doyleston projects, such as the public library but in 1906 a concert was held to help pay for painting St Mary’s Church in Irwell.
It was like other halls in the district, becoming renowned for its dances, balls, smoke concerts, and euchre tournaments, and also for being the home of the very popular local Druids Lodge (U.A.O.D. no.17).
The hall also catered for the more mundane such as annual meetings, including the Athletic Club and the Hall Management Committee.
As also occurred in the Dunsandel Hall in 1914, there was a patriotic dance in aid of the Poor of Britain and Belgium Fund.
Later during WW1 there were dances to raise money for the Red Cross and Lady Liverpool Parcels Fund, then sad farewells and warm welcome home functions for the soldiers who made it back to Doyleston.
It is interesting to note that the soldiers (and Sister Aitken) who returned, or relatives of men who were buried overseas, were presented with gold medals bearing suitable inscriptions, while those at Dunsandel were presented with brush sets.
After WW1, a number of groups raised funds for their organisations by arranging dances, concerts, and the like.
These included the Hall Committee, Ellesmere Technical Association, Cricket Club, Football Club, Ellesmere Brass Band, Religious Groups, and the Doyleston School.
The Ellesmere Gun Club held their famous “duck dinner” in the hall on at least one occasion.
There was even a children’s fancy dress ball in 1924.
In 1921 the Hall Committee purchased a fine British Strohmenger piano for about 200 guineas which was used for the first time on show night.
Of course, it had to be paid for and there was a dance arranged in April 1922 but the debt continued for some time.
Films started to be shown about this time, perhaps in competition with the Leeston Town Hall.
By 1925 the hall needed a supper room and other improvements and even months prior to the “really big bazaar”, fundraising began in earnest.
People from all parts of the district thronged to the 2-day event.
It is interesting to note that the Miniature Rifle Club had a special interest in helping with the bazaar for if the sum raised exceeded £350, the supper room would be built to the full length of a shooting range.
£265 was raised and tenders were called for a 90ft x 14ft (27.5 x 4.3m) room and the Rifle Club celebrated their new range in May 1926 followed not long after with an extremely well-supported dance.
Geo. W. R. Osborne, from “Winfield”, regularly celebrated the end of harvest with a dinner and social for employees and others.
In 1928 the celebration was held in the Doyleston Hall with a splendid meal and a lengthy toast list.
A choir of the best voices from famous Maori tribes delighted a full hall in 1932 with a range of songs, solos, poi dances, hymns, and haka.
This group from the Methodist Maori Mission traveled the district periodically to raise funds.
The Doyleston Country Women’s Institute began in 1938 and a short time later were organising a concert and dance.
The dance (described as “a day of pleasure may end in a night of bliss”) on the night of the Boxing Day Sports and the night of the Ellesmere A&P Show were two of the best-known in the wider district.
Just before WW2 another bazaar was held and the proceeds were used to extend the main room to 90ft (27.5m).
The floor was re-laid with new floor boards fastened with approximately 9000 nails, among many other improvements.
Material from Singleton (2007) and Papers Past
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date27 May 2020SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoylestonClick on the image to add
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The second Doyleston Hall to WW2 (27 May 2020). Selwyn Stories, accessed 11/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5301
