Moulsecoomb - Bevendean History Project
Community Centre Proposal - Hodshrove Farm in 1936
The following article appeared in the Brighton and Hove Herald on 5th December 1936
This was the picture drawn by the Vicar, the Rev. Bransby A. H. Jones, speaking at Moulsecombe Hall on Monday evening at a meeting held in support of the plea for a community centre for the district.
Housing Committee's Approval
The Housing Committee have already approved in principle a proposal for adapting buildings at Hodshrove Farm as a community centre, and at its meeting this week the committee set up a subcommittee to examine the question and submit a scheme for consideration.
Certain people specially interested in the affairs of Moulsecombe, including Sir A. F. Gasston, J.P., and the Vicar, have been appointed to serve as co-opted members on the sub-committee, the chairman of which is Councillor C. G. Manton, chairman of the Housing Committee, and himself one of the representatives of Moulsecombe on the Council.
Although the scheme has not yet been before the Brighton Town Council it is thought that the Council will offer no objection to the scheme so long as the local interests are united on the matter and the cost is not too high.
The Vicar spoke of his two tiny church halls, and of the brave efforts of the twenty-four organisations at work in Moulsecombe, hopelessly handicapped by having no adequate accommodation.
Then, as he outlined the plan for converting Hodshrove Farm into a community centre to meet these needs, the packed gathering of old and young people cheered and applauded.
He pleaded with the Town Council not only to spare the farm from destruction but to see to the conversion and he visualised a centre with rooms for music, concerts and dancing, reading, handicrafts, lectures and rest, and headquarters for each of Moulsecoomb’s twenty-four organisations.
Councillor C. G Manton, who presided, said that those who lived in Moulsecombe—by which he meant East, North, and South Moulsecombe and Lower and Upper Bevendean—were fully aware of the need for a centre. With our twenty-four organisations in Moulsecombe no one can gainsay it," he said.
Mr Sewell Harris gave the meeting the benefit of his experience in running a centre on the Watling estate, Hendon, with a population of 20,000. The centre exists to provide meeting places to organise local activities and help existing associations, to represent the community's needs to the local authorities, to see to the provision of certain services for individuals as well as for sections of the community, and to create and foster a spirit of local patriotism.
"In North Moulsecombe there is a community of 3,000 who have nothing whatever to do in their spare time." We are condemned to climb these hills and to play hide and seek in that Wild Park day and night. There is no picture palace; there is not even a public-house. The community cannot express itself. There to no place to meet.
Mr Jones spoke of the existing' organisations, all working hard but all going in different directions.
"They count us as 'Brighton 7,’ but we are not; we are Moulsecombe," he said at another point. "Moulsecombe at the present time has 10,000 people, and I do want to keep it together as Moulsecombe and not as a scattered remnant of 'Brighton 7.’”
Several others spoke in warm support of the scheme.
"There is no question about this: we have got to have this centre," said Mr A. F. Gasston. J.P. "There must be no ‘if’ or ‘but’ about it. The Town Council owe it to us, for we are buying this estate for them for the future. We want a clinic; we want a sub-office of the Employment Exchange; we want a swimming bath.
"I did not need to come to this meeting to be converted to the idea that a community centre is needed," said Alderman H. Milner Black. J.P. Speaking of the cost, he said that he did not think that in meeting any grant that the Council might provide towards the centre Moulsecombe would be asked to shoulder a heavier burden than any other part of the town.
Answering a question as to the cost, the chairman said that a grant might be obtained from the Town Council and other grants from such national funds as the Jubilee Trust and the Carnegie Trust. To some extent, the centre would be self-supporting.
Others who spoke of the scheme were Councillor H. E. Price and Councillor A. W. Briggs.
The committee formed in connection with the scheme consists of the Rev. Bransby Jones (chairman), Mr A. F. Gasston (vice-chairman), Mr A. Kitchen (hon. treasurer). Mr W. C. Turner 96, Newick-road, Moulsecombe (hon. secretary). Mrs A. Campbell, Mrs K. Yarnell, Mr F. Kilner. and Mr R. H Bean.
Hodshrove Farm. which, it is suggested, shall become the new Community Centre. Some of the outbuildings. Keep Reference: BH-A-54-02_0054a
One of the large barns that could be converted into a public hall. Keep Reference: BH-A-54-02_0056c
From: The Brighton and Hove Herald on 5 December 1936
Plans for conversion of the Barns to a Community Centre at Hodshrove Farm.
Dated October 1936.
Editors Note: Although plans were drawn up to convert the barns the project was not taken forward.
The following article appeared in the Brighton and Hove Herald on 5th December 1936
10,000 MOULSECOMBE PEOPLE WITH NOTHING TO DO
Plea for a Community Centre
Moulsecombe, as a place with ten thousand people who have
nothing to do and nowhere to go—not even a cinema or a
public-house.Plea for a Community Centre
This was the picture drawn by the Vicar, the Rev. Bransby A. H. Jones, speaking at Moulsecombe Hall on Monday evening at a meeting held in support of the plea for a community centre for the district.
Housing Committee's Approval
The Housing Committee have already approved in principle a proposal for adapting buildings at Hodshrove Farm as a community centre, and at its meeting this week the committee set up a subcommittee to examine the question and submit a scheme for consideration.
Certain people specially interested in the affairs of Moulsecombe, including Sir A. F. Gasston, J.P., and the Vicar, have been appointed to serve as co-opted members on the sub-committee, the chairman of which is Councillor C. G. Manton, chairman of the Housing Committee, and himself one of the representatives of Moulsecombe on the Council.
Difficulties Not Insuperable
No insuperable difficulties are expected to arise in preparing a scheme, but it is admitted that the cost would be considerable.Although the scheme has not yet been before the Brighton Town Council it is thought that the Council will offer no objection to the scheme so long as the local interests are united on the matter and the cost is not too high.
The Vicar spoke of his two tiny church halls, and of the brave efforts of the twenty-four organisations at work in Moulsecombe, hopelessly handicapped by having no adequate accommodation.
Then, as he outlined the plan for converting Hodshrove Farm into a community centre to meet these needs, the packed gathering of old and young people cheered and applauded.
He pleaded with the Town Council not only to spare the farm from destruction but to see to the conversion and he visualised a centre with rooms for music, concerts and dancing, reading, handicrafts, lectures and rest, and headquarters for each of Moulsecoomb’s twenty-four organisations.
Councillor C. G Manton, who presided, said that those who lived in Moulsecombe—by which he meant East, North, and South Moulsecombe and Lower and Upper Bevendean—were fully aware of the need for a centre. With our twenty-four organisations in Moulsecombe no one can gainsay it," he said.
Mr Sewell Harris gave the meeting the benefit of his experience in running a centre on the Watling estate, Hendon, with a population of 20,000. The centre exists to provide meeting places to organise local activities and help existing associations, to represent the community's needs to the local authorities, to see to the provision of certain services for individuals as well as for sections of the community, and to create and foster a spirit of local patriotism.
"DYING FOR THIS MOMENT"
"I have been dying for this moment to come ever since I came to
Moulsecombe eighteen months ago," said the Rev. Bransby Jones.
“We hope the aldermen and councillor are impressed by this
representative gathering to-night.” We have come here for a
purpose: we feel a very great need. We are put out here from Brighton
to live in a most wonderful atmosphere, marvellous hills, marvellous
houses—fairly high rents—and we are a 5d. bus fare from
Brighton."In North Moulsecombe there is a community of 3,000 who have nothing whatever to do in their spare time." We are condemned to climb these hills and to play hide and seek in that Wild Park day and night. There is no picture palace; there is not even a public-house. The community cannot express itself. There to no place to meet.
Mr Jones spoke of the existing' organisations, all working hard but all going in different directions.
FIGHTING THE DANCE HALLS
"Everywhere there is an immense work to do," he continued. "At
this moment I ought to be grinding away on a piano in the church hall
up there for the little Mickies and Minnies. Not that I like it. The
atmosphere is dusty, and my knuckles ache, but I do know that It is a
fight between ourselves and the Brighton dance halls."They count us as 'Brighton 7,’ but we are not; we are Moulsecombe," he said at another point. "Moulsecombe at the present time has 10,000 people, and I do want to keep it together as Moulsecombe and not as a scattered remnant of 'Brighton 7.’”
Several others spoke in warm support of the scheme.
"There is no question about this: we have got to have this centre," said Mr A. F. Gasston. J.P. "There must be no ‘if’ or ‘but’ about it. The Town Council owe it to us, for we are buying this estate for them for the future. We want a clinic; we want a sub-office of the Employment Exchange; we want a swimming bath.
"I did not need to come to this meeting to be converted to the idea that a community centre is needed," said Alderman H. Milner Black. J.P. Speaking of the cost, he said that he did not think that in meeting any grant that the Council might provide towards the centre Moulsecombe would be asked to shoulder a heavier burden than any other part of the town.
Answering a question as to the cost, the chairman said that a grant might be obtained from the Town Council and other grants from such national funds as the Jubilee Trust and the Carnegie Trust. To some extent, the centre would be self-supporting.
Others who spoke of the scheme were Councillor H. E. Price and Councillor A. W. Briggs.
The committee formed in connection with the scheme consists of the Rev. Bransby Jones (chairman), Mr A. F. Gasston (vice-chairman), Mr A. Kitchen (hon. treasurer). Mr W. C. Turner 96, Newick-road, Moulsecombe (hon. secretary). Mrs A. Campbell, Mrs K. Yarnell, Mr F. Kilner. and Mr R. H Bean.
Hodshrove Farm. which, it is suggested, shall become the new Community Centre. Some of the outbuildings. Keep Reference: BH-A-54-02_0054a
One of the large barns that could be converted into a public hall. Keep Reference: BH-A-54-02_0056c
From: The Brighton and Hove Herald on 5 December 1936
Plans for conversion of the Barns to a Community Centre at Hodshrove Farm.
Dated October 1936.
Editors Note: Although plans were drawn up to convert the barns the project was not taken forward.
