The Bisley Village Hall heritage team are planning to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the chapel in Bisley (1874) with a celebration in October and would love to hear from anyone with a connection to the building.

The chapel, now the village hall, has a fascinating history, says heritage team member Sue Smith.

“The main part of the building is the original and there have been extensions of a chancel to the front of the original chapel  (1928) and a new Jubilee Hall extension (1982) to the building once it was a village hall,” Sue adds. 

“The village hall  would not have been there if it had not been for the chapel and the chapel would not have been there if it was not for Lord Shaftesbury and the  Shaftesbury Society Schools and their importance in the village.

“The chapel was built by the Shaftesbury Society in 1874 for the Farm School (1867) and Shaftesbury School (1873) in the village of Bisley. These two schools amalgamated after the First World War to become Bisley Boys’ School. They were homes and schools to their pupils.

“Bisley Boys’ School closed in 1959 and the chapel was sold by the ‘Shaftesbury Homes & Arethusa Training Ship’ to trustees for use as a village hall, which had its official opening in 1962.

“We know there are many families who have been associated with the Shaftesbury Society Schools, which were in the village until 1959,  and also with Bisley Village Hall  since its opening in 1962, who still live locally.

“The heritage team is asking the News & Mail for its help with our request for those people to contact us with their memories. 

“The team would like to hear from you if you have any connections with past pupils, teaching staff and any of the many people who worked for the school – gardeners, electricians, painters, cooks, engineers, carpenters, cleaners, secretaries, matrons and so on.

“We will bring 150 years of history to life through pictures, displays and presentations during the afternoon.  We will also be able to show how the village has changed  with our ‘Map Man’  and there will, of course, be celebration cake and a quiz for families with answers to be found at the event. 

“Memories of the schools and photos would really be appreciated and gratefully received. Did you go to see any of the productions put on at the school for the general public? See the huge firework displays? Perform in the nativity plays or attend a service in the chapel?

“We would also appreciate photos and/or memories of activities at Bisley Village Hall over the past 62 years, especially in the 60s, 70s and 80s, including the conversion from chapel to village hall and the building of the Jubilee Hall extension in 1982.

“Please contact us via email at [email protected] or phone 01483 487843 to leave a message and telephone number so that we can then contact you.”

The celebration will be on Sunday, 27 October from 1pm to 4.30pm.