History of Dell Lane

Working through the various documents and cuttings in the Dell Lane HQ archives I have put together this ‘timeline’ of what are, to me at least, significant dates and events. The inclusion or omission or anything is more a reflection of my own personal interests and the availability of information, rather than relative importance. There is more recent stuff to be added, and contributions to the timeline by anyone are more than welcome.

15/09/1954 Plans for the HQ are passed by the Council 

12/10/1955 Land purchased from South Suburban Co-op – registered 18 November 1955 SY1470020                                                                                                                                                           1/11/1955 Water main started

01/02/1956Work started on site                                                                                                                       01/07/1956 Brickwork started

29/09/1956 Foundation stone laid by Alderman G C A Mann JP                                                          24/10/1957 Newsletter reports that all work done by volunteers except drains, concrete raft and steel framework.              

12/01/1958 Newsletter reports laying 250ft of water supply and 250ft of foul drainage

02/04/1960 HQ officially opened by Alderman Sir Cyril Black MP

01/01/1965 Rough date of Back Hut (originally called the Ranger Hut) being erected 

29/01/1965 Earliest known minutes of the Hall Management Committee (refers to earlier minutes agreed and signed)

07/04/1965 Minutes of topsoil delivery for the ‘front’ garden. £10 of Premium Bonds purchased and held by Treasurer (Mr P M Warren)

02/06/1965 Minutes of Scouters store being cleared and extension of kitchen could now proceed

22/10/1965 Minutes report front garden, new garage site and side of back hut cleared ready for concreting

26/07/1966 Minutes of batten fixed around hall for ‘notices etc’ (believed to be the end walls)

07/11/1966 Minutes show plans for levelling back area and seeding in Spring

07/12/1966 Minutes talk of fence line with DH to be moved to its correct position

19/10/1967 Minutes approve purchase of platform tower and ladders. Planning permission to be sought for the erection of the AFC hut (now Ranger hut)

17/11/1967 Minutes propose Scouters’ room be extended into store room

11/12/1967 Payment of £10 made to Territorial Army for the Unit hut

15/03/1968 Minutes show insurers require bars on Hall windows

21/06/1968 Minutes confirm that insurers do not require bars on high level hall windows

21/06/1968 Minutes record a successful request from the BP Guild that the hall floor be marked for badminton

12/07/1968 AGM reports lack of help on the Committee – many existing leaving the area etc. New members suggested by Scouters & Guiders  welcomed at next meeting

13/09/1968 Council approve Unit hut under Building regs

10/10/1968 Council approve Unit hut under Planning regs

28/11/1968 Minutes report Planning consent for Unit hut are conditional on a screen of trees or bushes ‘at the bottom of our plot’

05/01/1969 First foundation trench for Unit hut completed

31/03/1969 Arson discovered under back hut, summer fair equipment and canoes lost – report states hut erected about 4 years ago

17/04/1969 Minutes report fire lit under back hut by children midday 31 March. Base of hut not sealed off (and no side gates yet) – total loss around £200, floor completely unsafe and walls/roof towards the back

14/06/1969 Concrete foundations for the Unit hut laid

21/06/1969 First bricks laid for Unit hut

18/07/1969 Diary reports soakaway (note single) uncovered

21/09/1969 Drainage for the Unit hut completed

25/10/1969 Floor joists of the Unit hut laid on the brickwork walls and pillars

01/11/1969 Walls floor and roof of the Unit hut erected

18/12/1969 Minutes report that rebuilding of the back hut is almost complete

26/02/1970 Minutes report that work on the hall wall cupboards had been started (estimated cost in previous minutes £50)

26/02/1970 Minutes record that Mr Blackman (Treasurer) is holding the £10 Premium Bond which is in the name of Mr Hook

27/03/1970 Wiring of both Unit and Back huts started, and concreting around the Unit hut

23/04/1970 Minutes report that Unit hut does not need asbestos lining as the LA will accept hardboard in walls and ceilings

17/05/1970 Electrical supply from HQ to Unit hut installed

21/05/1970 Minutes record a vote of thanks to Mr Hinds for hall wall cupboards ‘so beautifully made’; all 29 are in use

21/05/1970 RA paying for turfing and tree screen – cypressus cyparis chose as ‘does not need much trimming or pruning’

20/07/1970 Letter from Council confirms Unit hut completed

17/09/1970 Minutes record that Mr Hook has paid the Cttee £10 for the Premium Bond. Agreed to reinvest the money in a new Bond held by the Secretary (Mrs Milner)

19/11/1970 Minutes record that Rangers and Ventures are now a Joint Unit meeting in the Unit hut when it is completed

22/11/1970 Unit hut appears substantially complete – diary entries cease

17/07/1971 AGM reports finances low and also lack of support from parents for work parties

01/01/2002 £10 Premium Bond  still noted as an asset on the accounts06/07/2004Accounts to 

31/12/2003 show no asset for the Premium Bond nor any income from redemption during the year,

19/02/1974 AGM reports the hall has been rewired and tested, front fence replaced, gates repositioned

18/06/1974 Minutes authorise Chairman to have floor mounted gas heaters installed in hall @ £1,000

13/06/1974 Minutes agree Unit request to park 41 seater coach down side of Hall whilst being repaired

25/02/1975 AGM reports a burst water main ‘outside the min entrance’ during the year

04/09/1975 Minutes record a request for curtain fixings to be provided (so that hall could be dark for discos)

20/05/1978 Minutes reject a request to install curtains for discos etc as too expensive for materials and rails

10/04/1986 Report of a quote for central heating accepted work to start at the end of May

10/04/1986 Scouters’ room cupboards ‘in progress’

10/04/1986 Hinges on double doors to hall are to be replaced as repairs to existing hinges have proved unsatisfactory

30/10/1986 Power points have been installed in the hall

12/11/1987 Suggestion made that a bell be installed on the front door (and doors locked during meetings) – agreed

10/06/1988 Two additional lockable notice boards (like the Scout’s one) requested by Guides and agreed

13/09/1990 The Committee noted that rates were no longer payable on the HQ after the introduction of business rate relief

23/01/1992 The doors to the hall cupboards are to be replaced

01/07/1992 Approval given to buy 12 small Gopak tables to match the large ones purchased previously

22/07/1992 The gas has been disconnected from the old emergency light fittings and so they can now be removed

09/09/1992 Curtains and pull cords are now up

09/09/1992 The final batch of 30 plastic chairs has been purchased

09/09/1992 Back hut reported painted internally and heating under consideration

11/11/1992 New kitchen units on order and due next week

12/05/1994 Noted that coconut shies have been sold to St Mary’s Ewell with the proviso that if we wanted to borrow them back, then we could

16/06/1994 Purchase of a new oven approved 

13/10/1994 New fluorescent lights for the main hall delivered

09/06/1995 The Joint Committee (in the absence of a viable Hall Committee) consider the use of Management Agents – no interest because of low income. Also suggested increasing charges to £10 per hour for hirers and £5 for units

08/07/1998 Permission granted to Time for Tots nursery to erect new boundary fence (noted 1/12/98 that this work has been delayed)

31/12/2001 The year end accounts (by James Cho) still mention the holding of a Premium Bond