Mt
Bruce Hall Centenary - September 2014
While many rural
community halls have fallen into disrepair or disappeared altogether
from today’s social scene there are some who have thrived through
the decades and even taken on a new lease of life. The Mt Bruce Hall,
north of Masterton is one of them and in September next year it
celebrates its 100th birthday.
Many people will
remember the dances, some raising funds for the ‘war effort’,
others will recall the table tennis tournaments and the tennis
socials. Father Christmas always visited Mt Bruce Hall much to the
local children’s delight. More recently, there has been a Sunday
afternoon darts tournament, a fancy dress party, a popular plant and
garage sale and the Melbourne Cup celebrations complete with unique
fashion attire, champagne and a barbecue. There is even a Mt Bruce
Hall cup which is competed for in a variety of fun ways often
coinciding with Guy Fawkes.
These events,
regular fundraising and hall maintenance are overseen by the Mt Bruce
Hall Society, a dedicated group of locals which has meant the hall
has been well looked after, and at times upgraded when the building
begins to show its age.
In the early 1900s,
Mt Bruce settlers were hankering for their own community hall. It was
a thriving district with farms cleared and being established, several
busy timber mills and a 20 pupil school established in April 1897.
The school was on
the corner of Kiriwhakapapa Road and the main road heading north to
Mt Bruce. It was immediately the focal point of the fledgling
community and it was eagerly decided the settlers wanted somewhere to
gather and kick up their heels.
The first official
hall meeting on 10 July 1914 was held in the new school and attracted
around 18 people. They agreed the hall should be built on the main
road, probably between the boundaries of Mikimiki Road and north to
Harding’s Stable. Several sites were enthusiastically offered by
the local landowners and it was decided to be built on Hugh
Campbell’s road side paddock.
The hall was built
for 212 Pounds by Welch Bros and was known as the Upper Opaki
Settlers Hall, eventually changing to the Mt Bruce Hall. The doors
were just in and the paint hardly dry when the first dance was held
on 11 September 1914. A few hours before, the popular MP for
Wairarapa, Sir Walter Buchanan, had officially opened the new hall.
The inaugural dance was the first of many held over the years,
especially during the war when they were bitter-sweet events raising
money for ‘comforts’ for the troops overseas.
In September 2014,
the centenary celebrations will be held at the hall over three days.
The hall now sitting a few kilometres up the road from its original
site on the corner of Kiriwhakapapa Road and state highway two. It
used to sit opposite
A Mt Bruce Hall
Centenary Committee has been established and co-ordinator Gill Murray
said she’s thrilled with the support and enthusiasm already
displayed in making the celebrations a special event.
As much memorabilia
is being sought for displays and for a book is being written to be
released at the time of the 100th anniversary. If anyone
has any stories/photos/ special memories of the Mt Bruce Hall could
they please contact: Gill Murray phone 377 3277 or email
gill.murray@xtra.co.nz
or Marlene
Ditchfield 06 370 9309 email marlroy@wise.net.nz
or email mountbrucehall100@gmail.com
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