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Care of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1900-1919 Part 4
Description
TitleCare of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1900-1919 Part 4
DescriptionIn May 1900 the committee decided to close the library for a week to re-catalogue the books and Thomas Irvine, the Secretary, put an advertisement in the Press to order everybody to return their books, or else [52].
A grand concert was advertised [53] to be held on Friday, September 15th in the hall, but no further information could be found about this event.
It was not possible to find any further accounts of AGMs until 1909 [54] when the only item reported was a credit balance of £55 12s 4d, a recommendation to have the building painted and a decision to spend only the Government subsidy new books.
There was a good attendance at the 1910 AGM [55].
The report stated that during the year a new piano had been purchased at a cost of £40, and the buildings had been thoroughly repaired and painted at a cost of £31.
The balance sheet showed a credit of £39 9s 1d, and it was decided to spend £5 on the purchase of new books.
The attendance at the 1911 AGM [56,57] was described as “moderate” in contrast to the “good” of the previous year. With a credit balance of £63 6s 7d the decision to spend £10 on new books seems conservative.
In 1912, Dunsandel was moving with the times as a decision was made at the AGM [58] to use acetylene gas for lighting in the hall.
The same amount was to be spent on new books as in the previous year.
A very successful concert was held in the hall [59] in early November 1912.
There was a good attendance and a long programme. The performers were Mrs Sellars, Mrs Charteris, Misses Rollo, Thornton and Johnston and Messrs Fleming, Cooper and Adams.
A very amusing, farce was staged, the performers being Mrs Hunt, Misses Owers and Haley and Messrs Hunt, Owers and McLaughlin.
The accompaniments were played by Mesdames Hunt and Sellers and Mr Cooper.
No information about the organisers was provided.
An enjoyable social dance was held in the hall [60] in mid-April 1914 on a Friday evening, under the auspices of the local social committee.
There were about sixteen couples present.
It is unclear if this social committee was part of the Hall and Library Committee.
By 1915 interest in the hall/library seemed to be decreasing as there was only a small attendance [61,62].
It was decided to spend only the Government subsidy in the purchase of new books.
In September, Sam Sherrard, who had served the committee since 1890, moved to Sumner and was replaced by John Walker [63].
The reading fees were kept the same as they had been for many years, namely 5s annual fee for one book and 7s 6d for two books at a poorly attended AGM in 1916 [64].
It was decided to purchase some more crockery for use in the hall.
The library was going to be open to subscribers for changing books from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday evenings, and at any other time subscribers could change books by applying to the librarian, S. McKenzie.
Again the 1917 AGM in the library was poorly attended [65].
W. Walker, who has been treasurer for a number of years, would not again accept the position, owing to his leaving the district shortly.
Only £9, which was the amount of the Government subsidy, was to be spent on books.
The committee decided to run a social evening monthly to take the form of a progressive euchre party and the proceeds were to be in aid of the local branch of the Lady Liverpool Fund.
As decided at the AGM, a progressive euchre party was held [66] on June 5 as a start to monthly events designed to popularise the library.
The second progressive euchre party occurred in mid-July [67] and a third in August [68] with a pattern that was very familiar to the age.
Cards first, then supper, then the floor was cleared and dancing “indulged in”.
Mabel Stainger, who noted these events in a diary she kept [69] (Noonan, 20???), lost in a play-off of the August social, to Mrs John Walker.
Local musicians, Fred Lill and James Burgess, supplied the music for the dances.
By October, the social evenings had again increased in popularity [70] and a change was made to the card games.
Instead of the usual progressive euchre, a card match was played between the north and south sides of the railway, or, as it was called on the evening, Ellesmere v. Selwyn.
After playing cards for about two hours, the scores were Ellesmere 57 games, Selwyn 52 games.
Supper was served and the rest of the evening was spent in dancing to music supplied by Mrs Delargey. Miss Chappell, Messrs W. Chappell and Jas. Glen.
The evening closed with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.
The AGM was held again in May in 1918 [71] and it was reported that the last winter’s euchre parties brought in about £15 for the Lady Liverpool Fund.
It was decided to continue the socials, the first which was held on June 7th and the second later in June [72].
The fourth social evening in July 1918 again took the form of progressive euchre, supper and dancing [73].
The fifth and sixth held in August and the first October evening one were even more popular, with the same formula as the fourth [74,75].
At the second October evening [76] there was another card match between Selwyn and Ellesmere but this time the former won.
Selwyn again beat Ellesmere in the November return match [77].
Money from the evening socials was accumulating and so at a meeting of the committee it was decided to grant a portion to the local send-off fund for soldiers [78].
The social evenings continued in 1919 with a report of one in June 79 and two in July [80], the second was called a “peace social” although the account of this social [81] seems little different to previous socials.
Difficulty was experienced in getting enough table accommodation for the card playing so good was the attendance at the August social.
This time Mabel Stainger won first prize for euchre [82]. There was a large attendance at the final social held in 1919 [83].
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1900-1919SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandel
DescriptionIn May 1900 the committee decided to close the library for a week to re-catalogue the books and Thomas Irvine, the Secretary, put an advertisement in the Press to order everybody to return their books, or else [52].A grand concert was advertised [53] to be held on Friday, September 15th in the hall, but no further information could be found about this event.
It was not possible to find any further accounts of AGMs until 1909 [54] when the only item reported was a credit balance of £55 12s 4d, a recommendation to have the building painted and a decision to spend only the Government subsidy new books.
There was a good attendance at the 1910 AGM [55].
The report stated that during the year a new piano had been purchased at a cost of £40, and the buildings had been thoroughly repaired and painted at a cost of £31.
The balance sheet showed a credit of £39 9s 1d, and it was decided to spend £5 on the purchase of new books.
The attendance at the 1911 AGM [56,57] was described as “moderate” in contrast to the “good” of the previous year. With a credit balance of £63 6s 7d the decision to spend £10 on new books seems conservative.
In 1912, Dunsandel was moving with the times as a decision was made at the AGM [58] to use acetylene gas for lighting in the hall.
The same amount was to be spent on new books as in the previous year.
A very successful concert was held in the hall [59] in early November 1912.
There was a good attendance and a long programme. The performers were Mrs Sellars, Mrs Charteris, Misses Rollo, Thornton and Johnston and Messrs Fleming, Cooper and Adams.
A very amusing, farce was staged, the performers being Mrs Hunt, Misses Owers and Haley and Messrs Hunt, Owers and McLaughlin.
The accompaniments were played by Mesdames Hunt and Sellers and Mr Cooper.
No information about the organisers was provided.
An enjoyable social dance was held in the hall [60] in mid-April 1914 on a Friday evening, under the auspices of the local social committee.
There were about sixteen couples present.
It is unclear if this social committee was part of the Hall and Library Committee.
By 1915 interest in the hall/library seemed to be decreasing as there was only a small attendance [61,62].
It was decided to spend only the Government subsidy in the purchase of new books.
In September, Sam Sherrard, who had served the committee since 1890, moved to Sumner and was replaced by John Walker [63].
The reading fees were kept the same as they had been for many years, namely 5s annual fee for one book and 7s 6d for two books at a poorly attended AGM in 1916 [64].
It was decided to purchase some more crockery for use in the hall.
The library was going to be open to subscribers for changing books from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday evenings, and at any other time subscribers could change books by applying to the librarian, S. McKenzie.
Again the 1917 AGM in the library was poorly attended [65].
W. Walker, who has been treasurer for a number of years, would not again accept the position, owing to his leaving the district shortly.
Only £9, which was the amount of the Government subsidy, was to be spent on books.
The committee decided to run a social evening monthly to take the form of a progressive euchre party and the proceeds were to be in aid of the local branch of the Lady Liverpool Fund.
As decided at the AGM, a progressive euchre party was held [66] on June 5 as a start to monthly events designed to popularise the library.
The second progressive euchre party occurred in mid-July [67] and a third in August [68] with a pattern that was very familiar to the age.
Cards first, then supper, then the floor was cleared and dancing “indulged in”.
Mabel Stainger, who noted these events in a diary she kept [69] (Noonan, 20???), lost in a play-off of the August social, to Mrs John Walker.
Local musicians, Fred Lill and James Burgess, supplied the music for the dances.
By October, the social evenings had again increased in popularity [70] and a change was made to the card games.
Instead of the usual progressive euchre, a card match was played between the north and south sides of the railway, or, as it was called on the evening, Ellesmere v. Selwyn.
After playing cards for about two hours, the scores were Ellesmere 57 games, Selwyn 52 games.
Supper was served and the rest of the evening was spent in dancing to music supplied by Mrs Delargey. Miss Chappell, Messrs W. Chappell and Jas. Glen.
The evening closed with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.
The AGM was held again in May in 1918 [71] and it was reported that the last winter’s euchre parties brought in about £15 for the Lady Liverpool Fund.
It was decided to continue the socials, the first which was held on June 7th and the second later in June [72].
The fourth social evening in July 1918 again took the form of progressive euchre, supper and dancing [73].
The fifth and sixth held in August and the first October evening one were even more popular, with the same formula as the fourth [74,75].
At the second October evening [76] there was another card match between Selwyn and Ellesmere but this time the former won.
Selwyn again beat Ellesmere in the November return match [77].
Money from the evening socials was accumulating and so at a meeting of the committee it was decided to grant a portion to the local send-off fund for soldiers [78].
The social evenings continued in 1919 with a report of one in June 79 and two in July [80], the second was called a “peace social” although the account of this social [81] seems little different to previous socials.
Difficulty was experienced in getting enough table accommodation for the card playing so good was the attendance at the August social.
This time Mabel Stainger won first prize for euchre [82]. There was a large attendance at the final social held in 1919 [83].
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1900-1919SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandel Connections
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Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
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Care of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1900-1919 Part 4 (1900-1919). Selwyn Stories, accessed 06/04/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5546
