This article first appeared in MARK MAG February 2009

Mural in Henley Hall

Thank you John Irons for this picture – the only one of the mural we have come across so far . . . unless you know differently! The Life Boys were a visiting winning team from Alfreton. The tree suggests it must have been around Christmas, though year unknown. Note the piano on the stage.

HENLEY HALL MEMORIES

Thank you JOHN FORD for this . . .

WORLD WAR TWO

The Hall was used as an army canteen and dances for the soldiers were held on a regular basis. There was a mural on the back of the stage of the Chinese garden at Newstead Abbey. This was painted by a soldier.


POST WORLD WAR TWO

The Henley Players was formed and had productions over several years. Members included Joan Stubbs, Tony Holloway, Barry Wright, Barbara Wright (son and daughter of Victor Wright, long serving Church Warden). Graham Ford was electrician and stage manager and a very young John Ford was employed as ‘gafer’ on occasions.

St Mark’s Youth Club was formed about 1947 and had meetings on Sunday evening after Evensong and one evening in the week.

It was decided to form a Mixed Hockey League from the Church Youth Clubs in the town. The girl members of St Mark’s Youth Club taught the boys how to play hockey in the Henley Hall – this was the start of the very successful Mansfield Hockey Club that we know today.

The Youth Club themselves ran a Play Group in the early fifties and had productions in local art festivals over a period of years, without winning anything. Joyce Buckingham was involved in these productions.

Tony Starbuck (curate) lived in the Henley Hall for a period before moving to lodgings on Berry Hill Lane (1955?).

It is believed that for a period during World War Two the Russian Orthodox Church held services in St Mark’s and meetings in the Henley Hall but I have no firm evidence of this.

The two rooms behind the stage were built on very shortly after World war Two.

The complete interior of the Hall was redecorated in 1950 by the Rev. Michael Peck with assistance from members of the Youth Club (school holidays!).


Mural in Henley Hall
In this 1945 picture of St Mark’s servers our writer, John Ford, is centre front (Still serving 64 years later!)