Kirkby Malzeard & Laverton

The Mechanics Institute 1848-1952

Text used with kind permission of Kirsty Hallett

Why call it ‘The Mechanics Institute’? What does it mean? ‘Mechanics’ refers to farm workers, mainly, and other manual workers, and it’s purpose was to help educate and enhance life.
The first rule of the Mechanics’ is “The object of this Institution is to provide facilities for intellectual improvement and recreation; for the diffusion of literary, scientific, and general knowledge; and also by bringing together and uniting in one common purpose, all parties, of whatever shade of opinion, to strengthen and extend that general good feeling, so essential to the well being of society.”
Some people refer to it as the ‘Village Hall’, as the hall to the rear of the building was added in 1936 when the building was taken down and rebuilt as single storey.
Since it’s creation in Victorian times, the Mechanics’ has been the focal point of local life, and at the village hall opening ceremony in 1936 it was described by Miss Crompton of Azerley as “our Houses of Parliament, our theatre, our dance hall; in fact, it is the very centre of our township on the moors”.

The Mechanics Institute around 1900

The first reading room and library in Kirkby was created in 1848 in a small wooden building in a garden to the south of the market cross, behind the old wooden stocks. This new facility was set up to promote the moral and intellectual education of the workers and was a branch of the Yorkshire Union of Mechanics, Institutes.
It wasn’t long until this ‘shed’ was too small, and Kirkby needed somewhere to hold meetings, so in 1851 money was raised to build a new Institute which is where the present building is now. 78 people subscribed to the building fund, and £146 13/11 was raised, but £100 came from just 4 donors. The total building cost was £225, and the Committee had to borrow the final £80 needed from the Golden Fleece Odd Fellows Lodge, which met in the Shoulder of Mutton.
The site had been bought for £10, and further land bought in 1898 and 1936 to allow for the expansion of the original building.
One person who is known to have been a very active supporter, founder member of the committee and one of the first trustees was William Bonwell. He was involved until his death in 1862.

William Bonwell, one of the first trustees. Died in 1862

The original building had 4 rooms downstairs, as well as a large room upstairs for meetings and entertainments. The function of the rooms downstairs occasionally changed, but there was always a reading room, a library/classroom and a committee room, as well as a small kitchen. The library books were sometimes moved to allow space for a bagatelle table which was purchased in 1884.
An inventory of 1891 shows that the Library and Reading Room were suitably decorated with informative maps, as well as four busts, needlework, three fossils and pictures of the Prince and Princess of Wales. No mention of a toilet until 1904!
Unfortunately the roof and guttering were constantly in need of repair, and by the 1930’s dry rot had set in and the building deemed to be unsafe. In 1936 the architect employed to rebuild the Mechanics, was surprised to find ‘there are no foundations whatever below the plinth stones to the front wall which have been standing simply on the earth!’

The Victorian Years 1852-1901

During this time the committee had a room at the front of the building which they shared with the Yorkshire Penny Bank. The other rooms were let to many groups, including the Conservative Association, Mowbray Odd Fellows Lodge, a French class and the Cricket Club for it’s annual ball. A variety of musical instruments were made available and in 1888 a Mr Croft described “hand bells for example, an organ, a succession of pianos and even instruments for a six piece brass band.”
Although ladies were not allowed to join the Institute until 1890, local women have always played a major role in organising social events and providing refreshments.
Problems reported during this time include repeated difficulties with the roof and gutters after gales, non-payment of rent by the Conservative Association, subscription arrears and dogs in the building.
Courses held included Poultry Keeping and Veterinary Hygiene. Also French and dance classes were held.

The Library

When the library opened, it had 423 books which were all designed to educate, and no novels were accepted until the last 20 years of the 19th century. The first novels were added around 1885, and Mill on the Floss and Woman in White were added. By 1894 there were 1073 books.
The library was housed in a locked wooden cabinet and was later moved to the reading room. The lending library was open for one hour, one evening a week.

The Reading Room

In 1851, seven newspapers and six monthly periodicals were available in the reading room., and this facility continued until 1952. For a few years Penny Readings were held for the benefit of the illiterate who could pay to hear books and newspapers read aloud.
In 1900 it was agreed that ladies could be allowed access to the reading room.

The Early Twentieth Century 1901-1936

At the start of the 20th century the Institute was facing serious financial problems, with the mortgage on the new billiard room still to be paid, high upkeep costs, and membership arrears.
Finances gradually improved. In 1920, 26 chairs were bought from the army camp in Ripon and the debt on the piano was paid off. More importantly, in 1921 the mortgage on the land for the snooker room was cleared.
Dances were held in the large room upstairs and regular whist drives took place.
After the death Colonel Cathcart, Sir Fred Moore was invited to become the President of the Mechanics’ Institute in 1924. He generously paid for a new hall in 1936, which enabled villagers to concentrate on raising funds to build a new Mechanics’ Institute to replace the old building, which was becoming unsafe. Dearlove Ellis donated the land which the new hall was built on. Without these gifts the only hope would have been to renovate the existing building and add a smaller hall of some type.
On the whole the facilities of the Institute seem to have been very much appreciated and respected by locals, although there is a record of two men “fighting with chairs and general misbehaviour in the Reading Room.”

The Mechanics Institute showing the two storey building

Building the New Institute and Village Hall 1936

In 1936 the old two storey building was knocked down and re-built on one level, and a new hall was added onto the rear of the Institute. It was described in the Ripon Gazette as having “the stamp of modernity.” The new hall cost Sir Fred Moore about £2000.
As some committee members didn’t want to demolished the old building, it was agreed that the new frontage would look almost the same, and much of the stone was reused. The snooker room remained the same as it had since 1896, although some improvements were made.
Having Sir Fred Moore provide a centrally heated dance hall with a large stage and changing rooms was like receiving a “Christmas present.” Modern toilets and the kitchen was described by the Ripon Gazette as “a delight….it’s appointments will be sure to more than halve the labour of the ladies who have to preside in that usually hard-pressed department.” The hall was furnished by Lady Moore, who also paid to equip the kitchen. Mrs Carrie Richmond furnished the committee room in memory of her husband and son, and Mrs Phillips (who was also known as the writer Dorothy Una Radcliffe) kindly gave two bookcases and 100 books.
The new building was opened by the Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Halifax, on December 22nd 1936.


Lord Halifax opening the rebuilt Mechanics Institute, 22nd December 1936.
From left, Rev. Horton, Lord Halifax, Sir Fred Moore, Lady Halifax?, Lady Moore.

The Present Mechanics’ Institute and Village Hall 1936-1952

In many ways, not much changed after the opening of the new building.
The new hall was well used from the start and allowed new activities such as badminton and drama classes to take place. Hire charges were published for it’s use as a cinema, and films could be shown from the new projection room.
During the war, the facilities were used in several ways. Black out blinds were purchased, and the billeting officer, Rev. Horton, allocated new homes for evacuees from here, and from 1939 onwards the 100 evacuees from Leeds and the 4 teachers who came with them used the rooms as a temporary school, at a cost of £100 a year. Later in the war, 50 London children were evacuated here too, and they also attended the school.

The Home Guard used the bank room for meetings, and asked permission to use the hall for training. The committee were worried about the effect drill training would have on the oak floor and refused to grant permission. Two months later they allowed it, on condition that they used and paid for, rush matting to protect the floor. Mr Tibbetts wrote twice on behalf of the Home Guard asking permission for ‘intoxicating liquor’ to be allowed in the hall, and twice the committee refused.
Reverend Horton distributed ration books from here in 1941.