Category: Clubs and Societies

Information and pictures of organisations, clubs and societies in Warminster.

The Greenland Hut Opened In 1931

7th March 1931

Contrary to what some people think, the Scouts didn’t acquire the land near the south west corner of the Lake Pleasure Grounds (Town Park), where the Greenland Hut was erected. The land belonged to Warminster Urban District Council who gave permission for the hut to be built there.

The hut was not second-hand. It was built by Messrs Holdoway of Westbury, who submitted a much lower tender than any other of the local tenders received for the work. The cost was £300.

The specifications included “An excellent floor will be laid so that dances in aid of Scout funds can be periodically held there, and also other entertainments staged.” The money was loaned upfront to pay the cost and the Scouts repaid it over a long period by holding dances, whist drives and other events.

Lord Bath officially opened the hut on Saturday 7th March 1931. That evening a whist drive was held in the hut to raise funds towards the building costs.

The hut was to measure 60ft by 24ft (some reports say 60ft by 20ft) and was to be able to seat 300 persons at events and to store the equipment and gym items of the Scouts. It was lit by electric and heated by gas.

The previous scout hut at Woodcock (where Robin Close was built much later) had been in use about seven years and had been the initiative of W. A Greenland, who had in turn been a scout, scoutmaster and district commissioner. The new hut at Weymouth Street was named the Greenland Hut after him, “whose energy was due not only to the maintenance of interest in scouting in Warminster but also to the formation of other troops in the neighbourhood. In recognition of all he has done in this direction, it is proposed to name the new hut The Greenland Hut.”

Mr Greenland had already left Warminster before the hut was built, and he was unable to attend the opening ceremony.

Wiltshire Working Men’s Conservative Benefit Society

From The Wiltshire Times, Saturday 5th April 1924:

Wiltshire Working Men’s.
The 37th annual meeting of the Wiltshire Working Men’s Conservative Benefit Society was held on Saturday. The year had been one of remarkable progress, the total membership having increased by 4,693. The number of sick cases reported was 5,075, as against 5,378 the previous year. The amount disbursed in sick pay had decreased from £13,894 8s. 6d. to £13,503 17s.

Scouts’ Camp At Boreham Equipped With Wireless

From The Wiltshire Times, Saturday 10th August 1912:

Warminster. Scouts’ Camp Equipped With Wireless.
Fifty Boy Scouts of Warminster and Westbury, in charge of Scoutmasters T.F. Fox and G.G. Hoare, are in camp in a field at Boreham. They had a rather damp experience, with heavy rain, for the first three days . . . . . . Their camp is equipped with wireless telegraphy, by which they have been able to communicate with a Scouts’ camp at Freshford.

General Baden-Powell Visits Boy Scouts In Wiltshire

From The Wiltshire Times, Saturday 12th March 1910:

Boy Scouts. General Baden-Powell Visits Wiltshire.
The Chief Scout, Lieut.-General Sir R.S. Baden Powell, the hero of Mafeking, attended a rally of the Mid-Wilts Boy Scouts at the Corn Exchange, Devizes, on Wednesday. Scouts had gathered from all parts of the county – including Seend, Warminster, Codford, Trowbridge, Bradford, Corsham, Chippenham, and Longleat. A bugle call by Scout Moore, of Trowbridge, was the signal for the troops to form up for inspection, after which came a series of demonstrations, including First Aid by the Trowbridge Scouts and hut-building by those from Seend.

Review And Sports Of The Church Lads’ Brigade, Warminster, 1897

Fine but dull weather on Wednesday 22nd September 1897 heralded the Review and Sports of the Church Lads’ Brigade, when companies from Warminster, Salisbury, Alderbury and Calne assembled at the Sheep Fair Field, near Warminster Station, prior to marching to Christ Church. The muster of 200 smart lads (the Salisbury contingent carried toy muskets) attracted considerable attention as they marched, headed by the Warminster Volunteer Band (led by Sergeant-Instructor Daly) and the Bugle Band.

As the lads entered Christ Church the Choir sang Onward Christian Soldiers. Rev. W. Hickman took the service and the lesson was read by Rev. R.L.A. Westlake. The new Vicar of Warminster, the Rev. H.R. Whytehead, gave the address, which was followed by the hymn Fight The Good Fight.

After the National Anthem the battalion marched to the field adjoining Christ Church Vicarage, where a review and an inspection took place. The officers on parade were Captains J.C. Coleman, W.J. Tanswell, Freestone, Smith, A.J. Douglas, Warren and Beazley; Lieutenants J. Bartlett, G. Ewen, E.L. Spencer, W.G. Burroughs, Kellow, Pearce, and Adams.

Under the command of Captain Wakeman the lads were put through several movements prior to inspection by Lord Bath. After the march past Lord Bath addressed them. He congratulated them on their turn-out and the excellent way they had marched past. He reminded them that to keep the mind healthy they must keep the body healthy. He hoped they would bear in mind, for the future, the lessons and principles they were now being taught.

After the lads were dismissed, the sports were held. In the physical drill competition (with guns), St. Thomas’s, Salisbury, won the first prize of six shillings. Warminster, led by Lieutenant Spencer, won the second prize of three shillings. There were two competitors in the bugle competition. This was won by bugler Arthur of Warminster. Bandsman S. Day was the other entrant. The six-a-side football tournament was won by St. Thomas’s, Salisbury, who beat the Christ Church A team, by 9 goals to 1. Because time was running out, only three out of the six arranged races were held. In the 100 yards flat race (for under 15s), 1st prize (3 shillings) was awarded to W. Vallis of Warminster, and the second prize (2 shillings) was won by W. Cassey of Salisbury. In the 200 yards flat race (again for under 15s) W. Vallis was the victor once more, and W. Hampton was the runner-up. In the 300 yards flat race, C. Tebbs was the winner and W. Vallis was the runner-up. In the final of the tug-of-war tournament, St. Martin’s, Salisbury overpowered the Warminster A team. Tea was then served at Sambourne School. At 6.45 p.m. the lads paraded for a tattoo, followed by a torchlight procession down Weymouth Street and through the town to the Station; the streets being lined with spectators.

Christ And His Soldiers At Christ Church, Warminster

Danny Howell writes:

The Christ Church Singing Class, at Warminster, was inaugurated during the autumn of 1891, with “the dual object of providing a pleasant and profitable way of spending the winter evenings and at the same time improving the musical tastes and affording a healthy recreation for the young of the town, especially of the Common.” The Rev. H.A. Hickin undertook the arduous duties of conducting, Miss Luke kindly consented to act as accompanist, and several musical friends of the parish came forward to assist in starting the classes. To enable youngsters from all walks of life to avail themselves of the opportunity, no fees were charged and the sheet music was sold to members at a reduced rate. As was anticipated and hoped, many young people who had not had the privilege of learning music during their schooldays were induced to join. To particularly assist these the first half-hour of each practice was devoted to the teaching of music theory.

The first public performance of the class was a rendition of J. Farmer’s oratorio, Christ And His Soldiers, with a full orchestra, at Christ Church on the evening of 19th January 1892. As a mark of respect to the memory of the Duke of Clarence, who had recently passed away, the oratorio was preceded by a solemn performance of Handel’s Dead March in Saul. A large congregation enjoyed the entire performance, which lasted for upwards of two hours, but a collection made afterwards was rather small considering how many attended – four pounds, twelve shillings, two and a half pence.

One reviewer noted “The whole of the proceedings passed off without a hitch and much of the success of the performance was due to the valuable assistance rendered by the orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Alcock, whose name is sufficient guarantee for the efficiency of the band. Considering, therefore, the material of what the class was chiefly composed, and that with two exceptions the orchestra was purely local, it must be admitted that the rendering of the piece was highly creditable to the town and the promoters. The prevailing epidemic had somewhat thinned the ranks of the performers, who numbered rather under a hundred, and many of these were suffering from colds. The oratorio has been significantly described as a Messiah for the young, but though it is not so superbly grand as Handel’s masterpiece, still, with a full orchestra, the effect produced is grand. The class, therefore, was particularly happy in the selection of such a work for their first performance, especially when it is remembered, the object it has in view, and the manner in which the piece was rendered on Tuesday speaks volumes for the careful and painstaking tuition imparted by the conductor, the Rev. H.A. Hickin.”

The programme for Christ And His Soldiers, as performed at Christ Church on 19th January 1892, is reproduced below:

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