St Mary The Virgin

 Waiting for God

 A man asked God "how long is a million years to you?"

 God: "like a second of your time"

 Man: "what about a million pounds?"

 God: "like a single penny"

 Man: "well Lord could I have just one of your pennies?"

 God: Certainly, my child...................just a second."

 (from St Paul's mag, Alverthorpe, Wakefield)

The Brief History of the Parochial Hall (1935 - 1982)

(from "the terrier and inventory" of St Mary's Middleton)

1935 The first sod of grass was cut for the new Parochial Hall, on the 9th of January. A bricklaying ceremony took place on the 23rd of march, this was well attended, and forty persons laid several bricks. They received memorial mallets from Messrs. Leonard and Frank Gibb, the builders. The new hall and Sunday School was dedicated on the 7th of September, by the Bishop of Knarsborough, The Rt Revd Paul F D Dela Billiere. The total cost of building The Hall, including the land was £3000.

1939 - At the outbreak of war,  it was decided that The Hall would be used for as a soup kitchen, and for emergency shelter. The P.C.C. approved the sale of 300 yards of land each, to messes Warner and Rooks of  Moor Flatts Avenue, and agreed that the remaining 300 yards should be let as allotments during the war.

1942 - The doors, windows, notice board, gutters, spouts, and fall pipes were repainted by Mr Busby, cost of materials £2, labour - free!

1949 - The front perimeter wall was built, using bull nosed bricks at the top of the pillars. This work was done by Stan Drury, at a cost of £52. Hall gates were fitted at a cost of £14.

1954 - The ground at the rear of The Hall was levelled - the cost of the hire of the bulldozer, from William Search was £41-17s-3d

1958 - A snooker table was donated to The Hall, we don't know who by, but Mr James Makinson was instrumental in obtaining it.

1962 - The Hall was fenced, at a cost of £69-2s-6d for the south boundary, and £41-14-0d for the west.

1966 - A committee was formed to take care of The Hall.

1968 - The heating boiler was changed to gas - total cost £480-12s-6d

1969 - Fence repaired after vandalism at a cost of £30

1970 - Alterations to The Hall include a new kitchen, the old one to the right of the stage being made into the gents toilet. The old cloakroom (now the bar) was made into the playgroups store room, and the annexe was converted into a coffee bar. The total cost of the work was £532-19s-1d, and was raised by an appeal to the Parish, and by loans & gifts from individuals.

1972 - The stage curtains were renewed, with red velvet ones from Peacocks of  The Headrow, Leeds, costing £55

1974 - New gates fixed - £12

1976 - At Mrs Ivy Colettas suggestion, people were invited to donate 50p each, to buy a cup, saucer, and tea plate. This met with success, the new white opaque with orange floral pattern crockery was bought - 120 of each, costing in total £61-29.

1979 - The rev W D Jones asked Mrs J Collinson, Mrs R Thornton, and Mr E Thornton to form a committee, which they did. They spent many hours cleaning & decorating the Hall. A monthly coffee morning was started, the proceeds of which bought utensils of all kinds for use in the Hall. New Years Eve dinner dance was started, all the cooking was done by Jessie & Rose, with there families helping to set up the bar, tables etc., and clearing away later. They catered for at least 120 people, and the NYE dinner is still very popular today. The committee has changed, with Jessie being the only remaining original member.

1982 -A successful  application was made in July of this year, to the Leeds Inner City Programme, for a grant of £60,995 for the entire refurbishment of the Hall - The architect was Mr M Frankland.

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