Working for the local community

Venue History

The first Village Hall in Navestock was built in 1921 on land given by Mr. Tyser, now the site of Tyser Green houses. It was much used as a meeting place for various village functions, but by the 1978 it became apparent that the old Village Hall was reaching the end of its life and the proping up of the side walls with sleepers could not be relied on much longer.

At a public meeting called by the Parish Council (Chairman Roger Bere) who were the owners of the Hall. It was agreed that a new Hall was required and, at the existing location was not ideal. It was agreed to try and find a site the other end of Navestock Side. This would have the advantage of keeping the Public House, the Cricket Club and the Village Hall all in one area away from the houses but still within the curtilage of the village.

A management committee was set up with Lawrie Heath at the helm and the task of changing the proposal into reality commenced.

The Church Commissioners, owners of the land, agreed to lease to the Parish Council a plot of land adjacent to the Cricket Club. Planning approval was sought and obtained for the new hall. Timing coincided with Magnet & Southern at Gallows Corner in Romford being rebuit and the Village Hall Management Committee bought the old steel frame building. One Monday morning four farm trailers decended on Gallows Corner with the majority of the farm labour force of Navestock to dismantle the building and transport back to Navestock.

Navestock being a small community it became obvious early on that the only way the community would be able to afford the new hall was by volantary labour. Estimates were prepared on this basis and grants were succesfully negotiated with Brentwood Council and Essex County Council. To cover the shortfull fund raising was organised and eventially enough money was raised and in September 1989 the first Parish Council Meetiing was held in the Hall.

The eventual cost was £60,000, with much of the labour given voluntarily by local residents. This low cost was only achievedby by the considerable time given by the following

Joan Balcombe, Sidney Balcombe, Lawrie Heath, Tony Hoyle, Suzzanne OShea, James Parrish, Michael Parrish, Alf Pinchin, Jim Porter, Derek Thomas, Damian Williams, David Williams

Navestock thanks the above and everybody else who helped and donated in a varity of ways enabling the project to be brought to a successful conclusion