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I spotted this sign on a sunny spring day in Cheadle,
Stockport. Somehow, dreary drill halls have always loitered unnoticed in
the background. This sign, with its rusty streaks and black and white
functionalism, prompted me to find out more. And, wonderfully, there is someone
who cares. The Drill Halls Project at http://www.drillhalls.org/
is recording these fading little bits of our community history before they
disappear.
Drill halls have been with us since the 1860s, often built
by volunteers and funded by public subscription or benefactors. Although
intended for military training, drill halls have been the backdrop of many a community
gathering, from fetes and dancing to weight-loss clubs and birthday parties.
These days, old drill halls are at risk of being demolished to make way for
development. Happily, the Cheadle drill hall, built in 1904, is now the Village
Hall.
