WALKLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE

History

Walkley Community Centre occupies a building originally built in 1909 as the Walkley Liberal Reform Club. Funding for its construction was provided by Councillor Walter Appleyard, who was unanimously voted president of the club at its inaugural meeting held on August 26^th 1909. The cost of building the club was £2600. The recently published “Pevners Architectural Guide to Sheffield” notes that the building was designed by H.L Paterson in a minimal Art Nouveau style and was established to “act as a counter attraction to the public house influence” for the young men of the area. The club provided no alcoholic beverages, which was much applauded by local politicians. From the start it clearly reflected the aspirational ideals of the urban middle classes. All Liberal Councillors and Aldermen were invited to become members and the local Liberal MP was invited to open it. Although primarily a club for Liberals, many Conservatives joined as well to enjoy the facilities. The opening of the club was reported in the local paper, much to the delight of the executive committee.

The club developed quickly with numerous sub committees formed to deal with all aspects of social life. There was snooker, fishing, gardening, cricket, politics, whist clubs, bowls, a football team, outings and debating society. Outside there was a bowling green with a balcony from the snooker hall for the gentlemen to watch play below. Ladies of the Liberal League were allowed use of the front downstairs room if not required for any other groups. With weekly dances, theatricals, whist drives and annual treats for children in the Ruskin Hall, the club became a very popular and respectable place for Liberals to socialise.

During the 1^st World War the President of the Club, Councillor Appleyard, became the Lord Mayor of Sheffield. Although delighted by this recognition of one of their members, it was a sombre time as members of the club served and died in the war. After the war photos of those members who died were incorporated in the memorial window situated in the Snooker Room to commemorate the sacrifice of the young men of the district.

On December 4^th 1918 Walter Appleyard announced that, “to celebrate and commemorate the allied victory over the federated states of Germany, to present in trust to the people of Walkley the club premises, the same to be dedicated to the Right Honourable Lloyd George in grateful recognition of the magnificent services he rendered to the nation in the most critical period of its history”. The gift was accepted by the executive committee with great delight. The Ownership of the building transferred to the Appleyard Trust with a board of trustees appointed. Unfortunately we have few documents for the period 1940 onwards but gradually the clubs membership and influence declined and the club was finally closed in the 1960’s.

In 1969 Sheffield City Council had proposed major developments in Walkley including large scale clearance of areas of housing from Carr Road to Cundy Street on the basis that the properties were unfit for human habitation. The result was the formation of the Walkley Action Group, which campaigned relentlessly for 4 years to save their community and the houses, which gave it its unique character. In 1973 they succeeded in reducing the proposal to such an extent that the majority of the proposals were shelved, properties improved through grants and the community left largely intact. It was just after this that an approach was made to the Appleyard Trust to re-use the now empty buildings as a Community Centre for the people of Walkley. Although the Council were willing to allow the buildings to be used as a community centre, it was on the condition that off road parking was provided. The solution was to go straight through the lounge of the building next door and making a carpark where the bowling green was!! Unfortunately this did make the caretakers house unusable, a situation which has continued to this day.

Since 1974 the Walkley Community Centre has provided facilities for local people. Like the Reform Club, however, use of the centre has gradually declined and in some ways the hall has become forgotten by many. The few trustees remaining worked hard to keep the centre going but needed new blood and help. Since 2004 new trustees have joined to support the original trustees. The Centre has recently received support from Walkley Community Forum and Sheffield City Council to replace windows at the front of the building and to carry out a structural survey of the premises. The survey found that in general the building is sound which now enables the trustees to looking at large scale fund raising. We will be getting the roof overhauled this year and are applying to charities to have the outside and inside decorated. We will be looking at new heating systems and ways of insulating the building to make it more energy efficient. We want new toilets, which meet Disability Rights Legislation as well as a modern and well-equipped kitchen. This is all going to take time, effort and money. In addition, we have the house next door, which needs renovating so it can be brought back into use again.

Walkley Community Centre will be celebrating 100 year of the building in 2009. We hope we will have achieved many of the changes we want by then.

The Building

Ballroom

Built in a subdued Art Nouveau style the buildings main hall is named after John Ruskin who founded his museum on Bole Hill Road in the 19^th Century. The sprung floor and small stage provide a perfect venue for dances and dramatics. A plaque on the wall commemorates the donation of the building by Walter Appleyard J.P to mark the defeat of Germany in WW1.

Under the stage is a large storage area full of trestle tables and chairs and in the past it was used to house scenery and props for performances. The majority of the furniture you see in the hall was purchased in 1909 when the Reform Club opened, and has continued to be used for almost 100 years.

Small meeting Room/Cloak room

This room was originally used as a card room and a meeting place for the Ladies Liberal League. Part of the original windows remains but due to the dilapidated state of the lower stained glass windows these were removed this year. Photos were taken and all pieces of glass that could be were saved. It is hoped that we can have new replica panes made up which will then be placed behind the safety glass and therefore protect it for future generations. Currently this room is used as a changing room for groups using the centre, or for small meetings.

Snooker Hall

The four snooker tables and the beautiful fittings for scoring are all original as is the furniture. A photo taken at the time of the clubs opening shows that very little has changed, the only discernible difference being the changed table lights. The large memorial window was purchased through subscription to commemorate those members of the club, who died during the First World War. A file researched and complied by Diane Gascoygne provides details of the men whose pictures are incorporated in the window. We hope to approach Funders to see if we can get funding to renovate this window. The door would have led to a balcony where the gentlemen would have watched the bowls matches taking place below.

Snooker Office

Off the upstairs hall and with a window into the snooker hall is a small office. This has original art nouveau cupboards and is currently used as the snooker club office. Originally it was used as a “temperance refreshment buffet” selling non-alcoholic beverages and food. When the centre was the Reform Club there were two men permanently employed as stewards to ensure the tables were maintained to a high standard as well as ensuring members didn’t gamble or break any other of the reform clubs rules. Originally the charge to play was 6d, with 2d returned if the chalk was handed in at the end of the game.

Centre Office

Off the upstairs hallway is a room which we currently use as an office and which was originally used as a ladies clockroom. This room has various picture on the wall of Councillor and Mrs Appleyard, Councillor Reeves Charlesworth, the vice president of the Reform Club, and a roll of honour of those who died in the first World War.

Upstairs meeting room

Originally known as the large recreational room we are considering renaming this room the Appleyard Room after the founder and president of the club. In one of the windows photos of Councillor and Mrs Appleyard can be seen. This window was paid for by subscription to commemorate the Presidents year as Lord Mayor. This room was used for a number of purposes. It was a reading room (although minutes of the committee dated 1921 note that people kept walking off with the newspapers and periodicals requiring stern notices that if this continued they would cease to be provided!). It was also a place for meetings as well as vegetable shows and cards. A beautifully proportioned room, it is currently used for an organic gardening course, Japanese Childrens Group, Creative Childrens Movement course, as well as yoga and various meetings. We hope to change the carpet in the near future!

Outside

To get to the carpark you go through what was originally the lounge of the caretakers house. The house has since then only be used for storage but we want to work towards converting the house either into two flats or offices for community groups to use. This will require a large amount of money we do not have but which we will seek through charities and trusts. At the back of the building you will see the memorial window with the holes where the balcony was clearly visible beneath. The two small windows below lead to two small offices used to store playgroup equipment and originally changing rooms for actors performing on the stage.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

Walkley Community Centre welcomes comments and suggestions and wants to encourage more people to get involved. If you have any comments or wish to get involved please do get in touch with us. You can email us at Contacts or write to us. To check what’s going on at the centre visit our website at www.firstreet.org.uk

July 2005