St Clare Hall, Auckengill, is 100 years old
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This is the centenary year for the St Clare Hall, Auckengill, a well-used community building which holds many special memories for those living in the area.
However plans for the 100th anniversary celebrations have had to be put on hold until restrictions are eased.
Hall treasurer Millicent Matheson explained that the hall has not been used for a year due the coronavirus pandemic – the last event was a whist drive in March 2020. The committee had planned to celebrate the centenary by getting together lots of old photographs and staging an open day.
Commenting on the origins of the historic building, Mrs Matheson, who has had a long association with the community venue, said: “It was a hut taken over from Orkney. It was floated over – they took it up from Milltown and built it where it is now.
"Three local men putting the last touches to it were just in time to get out of it when a wind took it and blew it down to the beach at Milltown. They went and took it back and rebuilt it and they finally got it open in 1921.”
The wooden hall was a former YMCA hostel, canteen and cinema situated at a naval base at Lyness in Scapa Flow. It was bought at auction in 1920. The dismantled building was transported across the Pentland Firth by the Danish Rose, an Orkney smack.
Rafts were constructed by the men at Auckengill to float the sections of shed ashore once it arrived at the nearby harbour. The rafts were towed by the Orkney vessel's small boat as well as a local craft, the Groatie, owned by William Nicolson son of John Nicolson the painter and sculptor who carved the entrance pillars to the hall.
The finished building ended up being made a bit smaller as a result of the damage caused when it was blown back down to the beach. A report of the opening ceremony, performed by ex-provost Mackay of Thurso, was published in the Groat on Friday, January 22, 1921.
Many interesting artefacts are housed within the hall, including the original chairman's seat, made in 1921 by the head of the committee at the time, Andie Bremner.
One of the items taking pride of place in the hall is the memorial plaque commemorating the supreme sacrifice made by those in the district during the the two world wars. Above the stage still hangs the original hall curtain painted by Bill Nicolson, Summerbank.
Over the years the building has had different renovation work carried out on it, with new toilets and extensions being among some of the projects.
During a refurbishment in 1994 a time capsule containing foreign coins was found in a recess under the soldier on one of the pillars. Both statues had to be removed from their plinths so that the pillars could be shifted to allow the realignment of the A99.
The sculptures were based upon two local sons, both from Keiss, who lost their lives in WWI – soldier Donald Budge and sailor William Bremner.
The time capsule was replaced with some artefacts of the day, while the original articles were sent to Edinburgh for sealing before being put on display in the building.
After the refurbishment the hall, as we know it today, was reopened on Saturday, July 2, 1994, by ex royal marine Murdo Sinclair.
Throughout the years the building has been used for a great variety of activities within the community. "It used to be a busy hall with lots of things on," said Mrs Matheson. "During the war they ran dances for the soldiers staying in Keiss Castle. There have been many happy memories here, the hall would be packed."
It used to be a popular venue for ceilidhs and burns suppers, which were held every year since 1976, with around 90 people attending. WRI meetings were also held monthly and for many years the building was the headquarters of the local rifle club.
St Clare Hall and grounds were also used for bonfire nights as well as car boot sales, and more recently the building was used for whist drives. In the earlier days school sports days used to be held outside the hall with the whole district coming along. Seats were taken outdoors and people of all ages took part in the races.
Many celebrations have taken place at the venue, including the 50th anniversary do in 1971 which saw the hall packed with people. Once restrictions ease the building will continue to be used for community meetings and will also be available for hire.
Among the more recent purchases are new chairs which the committee were able to buy with finance received from the Stroupster Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.
Mrs Matheson added that one of the committee's goals was to get the original wall round the building completed. The new car park was finished in 2011 – it was doubled in size thanks to the gift of land by Freswick and Keiss Estates. However, work on the perimeter wall surrounding the building and land is still to be done.
