The Church Room (Church Street)

The former Girls' School photographed in 2011The Girls' School building in Church Street became redundant in 1901 when a new school was opened. It was put up for sale in 1904.

1904: Centre for Bucks Studies, D/WIG/2/7/1904/12: surveyor's report, 23 March
No. 2. The Freehold Property known as the Girls School, situate in Church Street, Winslow, is a well built structure of 14" brickwork with slated roof, and comprises the school, a rectangular building with porch, and a small yard with 4 W.C.'s and a corrugated coal house. The Property is in a good state of repair externally, but the interior is somewhat out of decorative repair. The premises are bounded by the vicarage garden and the properties of the Aylesbury Brewery Company and Messrs Matthews Brothers, and to either of the latter it might be of some value. We estimate the fee simple value thereof at the sum of £100.

1904: Buckingham Advertiser, 14 May
The Girls’ School fetched £150, and was purchased by Mr. H. Bullock, solicitor, for a client.

It was acquired by the parish church and became the Church Room, something which had not been available since the demise of Rev. Alfred Preston's Reading Room. It remained in church ownership until 1958 when it was bought by the Girl Guides.

1905: Buckingham Advertiser, 28 Oct
On Thursday, October 19, between forty and fifty members of the Institute, Cricket, and Football Clubs met in the Church Room, Church Street, for the purpose of presenting the Rev. W. H. Shackel with a silver watch, suitably inscribed.  The chair was occupied by the Vicar.
   Mr. Pass, in making the presentation, said that they had met together for the purpose of showing their appreciation of one who had laboured among them for eight years.  He had never shown Mr. Shackel to make more than 100 runs in one match, nor score more than 10 goals; likewise at the Institute he never remembered him making a hundred break at billiards, but where he had scored heavily was on the fellows’ hearts.  He had woven, knitted, and intertwined the members into one brotherhood and one good fellowship.  Whether he was presiding at a football meeting, doing secretarial work for the cricket club, or organising the Institute, each was equally well and earnestly done.  During his stay at Winslow he had shown himself to be a sportsman, gentleman, and clergyman all in one.  His chief aim was to make muscular Christians, and in this he had succeeded.  The members, in asking him to accept the present of a watch, wished him health, happiness, and prosperity in his new sphere, and hoped the watch would often remind him of the small but good old town of Winslow.  The company then sang “For he’s a jolly good fellow.”

1908: Buckingham Advertiser, 11 April
  CRICKET CLUB.- The annual business meeting of the Town Cricket Club was held in the Church Room, on Friday last, Rev. T. Hinkley in the chair, and there were also present Rev. St. J. H. Beamish, and Messrs. H. Ray, G. Rowe, W. French, G. Taylor, J. S. Goss, N. Vaisey, C. Watson, etc.  The accounts presented by Mr. Beamish showed a balance in hand of 19s. 6d.  There had been a record number of members, and the accounts were passed as satisfactory.  Captain Lambton was unanimously re-elected President of the club; Rev. T. Hinkley was elected Vice-president, instead of the late Mr. H. Bullock, whose decease was referred to with regret; Mr. C. Watson was re-elected captain, with Mr. W. French vice-captain; Rev. St. J. H. Beamish was re-elected treasurer, Mr. Goss having resigned the secretaryship Mr. Ray was prevailed upon to accept it on conditions that Mr. Goss took the post of assistant secretary, which he consented to do, and Mr. Fortnum’s name was added to the committee.  Among the receipts on the balance sheet was that of £2 from a dance, and a vote of thanks was accorded to the dance committee.  Mr. Rowe, in acknowledging this said the committee was organising another dance for Easter Monday, which they hoped would be even more successful, particularly as Mr. C. Osborn had promised some valuable prizes for a waltzing competition.  The proceedings then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

1910: Buckingham Advertiser, 3 Dec
FIRST AID VOLUNTARY DETACHMENT
On Thursday evening last Col. Burrowes addressed a large and representative audience in the Church Room on the desirability of forming a Voluntary First Aid Detachment for Winslow and the neighbourhood.  Mr. N. McCorquodale presided, and among those present were the Rev. T. Hinkley, Miss Lambton, Dr. and Mrs. Vaisey, Dr. and Mrs. Kennish, Miss Wigley, Miss Ellis, Mr. H. H. Wigley, Mr. E. A. Illing, Mr. G. Pass, Mr. W. E. Law, Mr. W. H. Stevens, etc.  Col. Burrows [sic] first explained that the voluntary detachment principle was quite a county one and had the approval of the War Office.  The idea was that it should form an adjunct to the Territorial Forces, which were unprovided with ambulance or nursing arrangements, so that in the event of the Territorials being mobolised [sic] – an event which might occur at any time, although he trusted it never might happen – the mothers, daughters and sisters of Bucks should be in a position to nurse their sons and brothers who might be injured or wounded.  The county of Bucks had been rather slow in taking up the work, but was now waking up, and he hoped that Winslow, with the assistance perhaps of one or two villages, would at any rate form a ladies’ detachment consisting of 23 members. – Several questions were asked of Col. Burrowes at the close, quite a discussion on rifle clubs being started by Mr. W. E. Law and continued by Mr. H. H. Wigley and Mr. W. H. Stevens,  Col. Burrowes giving his opinion that those who could should join the Territorials, but members of rifle ciubs he should be pleased to see join a Voluntary First Aid Detachment. – It was then decided to start the movement with Miss Lambton as hon. secretary;  and hearty votes of thanks were passed to Col. Burrowes, and Mr. MrCorquodale for taking the chair.

1932: Buckingham Advertiser, 27 Sep

A course of
T W E L V E   L E C T U R E S
on “THE BRITISH EMPIRE”
will be delivered under the auspice of Oxford University and the Bucks Education Committee
in the CHURCH ROOM, CHURCH STREET,
on Tuesdays, fortnightly, at 7.30 p.m. prompt
commencing on TUESDAY, SEPT. 27th, 1932
LECTURER: G. D. AMERY, Esq., M.A.

FEES – For the Course, 2/6d. Per Lecture, 6d.
Syllabus and full particulars may be obtained
from D. G. SMITH, Hon. Secretary,
                                                                        22 Horn Street, Winslow.

1940: Buckingham Advertiser, 6 Jan
On Thursday, at 12 noon, the annual distribution of bread under the Winslow Parochial Charities, took place in the Church Room, Winslow.  Between 275 and 300 loaves were distributed by the Vicar (the Rev. St. J. H. Beamish), Churchwardens and two representatives of the Parochial Council.  Under the same charities, 2 cwt. of coal to each needy person is also being distributed this week. Shortly before Christmas 1 cwt of coal was allowed each aged poor person under the Geo. Whichello Fund.  Thirty-five people were the recipients.

1950: Buckingham Advertiser, 19 April
Miss Hilda Hubbard reported that a ceiling had been placed in the Church Room at a cost of £100 and that the result, in making the room warmer, had been very satisfactory.

1951: Buckingham Advertiser, 8 Sep

Winslow W.E.A. Group
A Day School
September 15th, 1951
Church Room, Church Street,
WINSLOW
Lecturer – M. G. Brock, M.A. (Corpus Christi College, Oxford)
Chairman – Sir Charles Bartley.
Time Table
3 p.m. – First Lecture.   The Great Reform of Parliament.   A.D. 1825–1835.
4.0 p.m. – Discussion.
4.30 p.m. – Interval for Tea.
5.0 p.m. – Second Lecture.    Prelude to the Victorian Age.
5.30 p.m. – Discussion
Admission 3/6 at the Door, or by ticket from:- Miss Hilda Hubbard, Peartree Cottage, Winslow.

1954: Buckingham Advertiser, 24 April
That considerable confusion was caused by the name “The Church Room”, which some people thought meant St. Laurence’s Room, was stated by Miss Hilda Hubbard in presenting the Church Room accounts which showed that lettings brought in £58 3s., against £57 12s. expenditure.  Miss Hubbard suggested that the room should be known as “The Old School”.  Paying tribute to the help of Mr. W. Ward, the verger, in looking after the room, she said “he is always dependable and always good-tempered”.


Copyright 22 June, 2024