General Branch History

The Sampford Peverell and Uplowman Branch was originally formed as the Sampford Peverell British Legion with their first meeting held at the Church School, Sampford Peverell on Wednesday 4th February 1925.   They elected fourteen committee members. The first President was Lt. Col. Strong and Chairman Dr W.M. Browne.  There is no record of how many ex-servicemen attended the first meeting.  All meetings until 1929 were held and the Church School, Sampford Peverell.

On Tuesday 21st April 1925 the elected Secretary and Treasurer, attended the Area Conference of the British Legion at Exeter representing the Branch.  The Area Conference authorised the Sampford Peverell Branch to invite ex-servicemen to join the Branch from adjacent districts provided there wasn't a Branch already in existence in that district.

On Tuesday 26th May 1925, at a General Meeting of the Branch, it was proposed and agreed that Ex-servicemen from Uplowman should be invited to join the Branch.

Friday 12th June 1925, was the first meeting of the Branch when Ex-servicemen from Uplowman attended.  It is clear from the 'minutes' that members from Uplowman, were a Section within the Sampford Peverell Branch, with their own elected Committee members dealing with matters relating to Uplowman.  There is no clear record as to when the Branch name was changed to the Sampford Peverell and Uplowman Branch.  The first recorded 'minutes' that refer to Sampford Peverell and Uplowman Branch is Thursday 31st October 1935.  The 1933 Memorial Hall plaque refers to Sampford Peverell and Uplowman Branch.  The 'minutes' are not complete and it may have been in 1928/9, when the Branch was reconstituted that the decision was made to name the Branch - Sampford Peverell and Uplowman.  

The minutes for a meeting held on Tuesday 5th October 1926 were read and signed at the meeting held on Thursday 24th February 1927  At this meeting it was clear that the Branch was in serious financial difficulties with member subscriptions for 1926 significantly depleted.  In that situation they couldn't present accounts to the Legion until the 1926 arrears were paid up.  The Chairman called for members to pull together in full co-operation.  Friday 18th March 1927 was fixed for the Annual Meeting. 

There are no minutes until Thursday 18th July 1929.

On Thursday 18th July 1929, a meeting was held to investigate the state of the Branch.  There  were 15 ex-servicemen present.  It appears that problems occurred following the death of Dr Brown (Chairman) and Mr H. G. Prim (Secretary) the Branch ceased to operate and the affairs of the Branch could not be established.  The purpose of the meeting was to investigate the position of the Branch and to re-construct it without the need to wind up the old Branch and start again.  The meeting adopted the resolution ' That the Meeting agrees to re-construct the Sandford Peverell, Devon Branch of the British Legion as from this 18th day of July 1929'.    Officers of the Branch were elected.  There Branch  territory to include Sampford Peverell and Uplowman. (Facts taken from typed minutes and circulated to Elected Officers).

Friday 26th July 1929.  This meeting was held at The Globe Hotel, Sampford Peverell.  Mr Hallett a Branch member and the Landlord of the Globe Hotel, was thanked for the use of the club room.  There was a further meeting on Friday 2nd August 1929 when the members were required to vote on a proposal by the Chairman Mr Goffin, to changing the meeting venue back to the Church School and if not carried the Chairman Mr Goffin tendered his resignation.  The members voted to continue to hold meetings at The Globe Hotel and to accept Mr Goffin's resignation. The meeting were then held at The Globe Hotel until the opening of the Memorial Hall in 1933.

The General Meeting held on Friday 15th November 1929, there is reference to minutes of a previous General Meeting but no date.  It is clear that the Branch was in a much healthier position with increase in membership and participation by Branch members.  

At a meeting held on Friday 5th September 1930, it was carried unanimously that the Branches first Standard should be purchased for £3.8s.6d.  From letters found the original Standard had to be returned to the manufacturers as the Union Flag was upside down. 

There are records of Meeting up to 16th February 1939, but other than the proposition to Build the British Legion Memorial Hall they deal with normal Branch matters - fund raising, fetes and smoking dances.  There are then no Minutes  available until Thursday 16th November 1944.   This is for the duration of the Second World War. 

Following the construction of the Memorial Hall in 1933 the Branch was responsible for the management.  The management of the Hall proved to be difficult and it was running at a financial loss.  (The construction of the Hall is dealt with later as a separate subject).

On Thursday 25th November 1937, at the Annual General Meeting the future of the Hall was raised.  The issue raised was whether the Hall should be placed in the hands of a permanent 'Body of Trustees' for the benefit of the 'village'.  The Secretary stated that had it not been for the efforts of the Woman's Section over the previous 2/3 years there would have been a considerable financial loss.  At the next meeting he was going to propose that the Hall be transferred to the Parish Council for the benefit of the community. 

At the next AGM on Thursday 8th December 1938 the motion was placed before the meeting and it was agreed that the Secretary would arrange to brief the Woman's Section and then hold a joint meeting.   

On Thursday 19th  January 1939 a joint Branch meeting was held with the Woman's Section to discuss the resolution to transfer the Hall.  There were twenty members of the Woman's Section and twelve members of the Men's Branch present.  Having obtained the views of the joint meeting, the motion was passed that the decision would be made at the next Branch meeting on the future of the Hall.  On Thursday 16th February 1939, the general meeting voted to accept the resolution that ownership of the Hall be  vested in the Parish Council.  To be held in trust for the village and managed by a committee representing local organisations.  The resolution was passed and a committee formed to oversee the transfer.

The transfer never took place at this time due to the outbreak of World War II.  The Military requisitioned the Hall for the duration of the war.  American forces were stationed across the road at Fairfield.  The Hall was de-requisitions on the 31st October 1944.  Claim for damages of £129.12s.3d had been agreed with the War Department.

Following the end of the war there was a surge in Branch membership and at a meeting held on Thursday 23rd November 1944, the transfer of the Hall to the Parish Council was raised as it had been passed before the war.  As the minutes of previous meetings were not available at this meeting, which would have contained the previous resolution regarding the Hall, it was passed that previous resolutions be rescinded and the management of the Hall remain within the Branch. 

On Monday 1st January 1945, it was proposed that a tablet listing the names of the Branch Committee members responsible for the construction of the Hall should be created.  The committee agreed to the tablet, providing there was an accurate list of the Committee Members.  The tablet was completed and the names of the committee listed - William A Down; Sidney Davey; Lewis Hallett; Reginald A Harris; William Hawkins; James H Radford and Stanley Williams. 

On Thursday 5th April 1945, the Branch was appraised of a letter from the Parish Council requesting a meeting with the Hall committee to discuss enlargement of the Hall to make it suitable as a Village Hall, thus avoiding the need for a second Hall. Left for members to consider.

On Thursday 19th April 1945, the meeting agreed to retain the Hall until the Soldiers had returned from the War.

On Monday 30th May 1945, the meeting considered a motion to acquire a field for village sports for the use of the Village.  The motion was passed.  Concerning the Hall Plaque commemorating the building of the Hall not yet completed by the Tiverton School of Art.

On Monday 16th July 1945, the proposition was made for the erection of a Skittle Alley.  The building of the Skittle Alley was placed in abeyance until building materials become available.

The British Legion's Silver Jubilee was celebrated on Sunday 30th June 1946, with a Church Parade with the Rev Gabriel Harris preaching at the Service.  Members also attended the Devon County Rally in celebrations held at Exeter.  

On Monday 5th January 1948, the meeting was informed that a plaque had been commissioned for the 'Fallen' in the Second World War and would be erected in Sampford Peverell Church under the existing First World War plaques.  The War Memorial Plaque was dedicated on Sunday 26th June 1949, at Sampford Peverell Church .  The plaque was unveiled by Mr H. A. Halley.  Lessons were read by members who had lost a relatives in the War.

It was decided at various meeting to extend the Memorial Hall with the construction of a skittle alley.  Work was commenced in 1949 and completed in February 1951.

At a meeting on Monday 2nd October 1950, concern was raised regarding the 16/18 year old boys hanging around outside, on the steps of local public houses, as there was nothing for them to do.  Members of the Branch wanted to help with this situation and it was proposed that a Youth Club be formed and the members would be allowed to use the Hall 2 or 3 nights a week.  The resolution was passed.  Members were elected to research what the requirements were in order that the Youth Club could be formed.  (See separate publication).

At the meeting held on Monday 4th December 1950, it was proposed that there should be a Remembrance Day Service at both churches in Sampford Peverell and Uplowman.  The meeting decided to leave the decision until the October 1951 meeting.   On Monday 1st October 1951, the proposal to hold Remembrance Services at both Sampford Peverell and Uplowman churches was approved.  The service at Sampford Peverell Church would be 11.00 a.m. and at Uplowman Church Service would take place at 3.00 p.m.  Members were asked to attend both Services.  This arrangement continued until 1957 when it was decided, at a meeting of the Branch, that the 11 a.m. Remembrance Day Services should be alternated each year between Uplowman Church and Sampford Peverell Church.  Since then that has been how the Services are arranged.

Since the re-structure of the Branch in 1929, there wasn't a Branch President.  On Monday 6th November 1950 at the General Meeting, it was proposed there should be a Branch President.  Dr. Graves-Morris was elected as the Branch President.  The President's role was dispensed with at the AGM on the 19th November 1956 when Dr Graves-Morris stood down and was elected to the Branch Chairmanship.  

Following the building of the British Legion Memorial Hall it is clear that from the beginning the operating, running and maintenance of the Hall was a struggle for the Branch.  Prior to the 2nd World War the Branch was ready to relinquish ownership/control of the Hall to the Parish Council and if it hadn't been for the war it would have occurred.  Following the War the Branch voted to retain ownership of the Hall with in the Branch and to rescind previous motions of transfer to the Parish Council.   Over the following years there were numerous discussions concerning the Hall as it was rarely making money and was continually requiring maintenance expenditure.  One of the reasons believed responsible for the failure of the Hall was the lack village support for events at the Hall, as it was not seen as a 'Village Hall'.  On at least two occasions the Branch had articles published in the local press highlighting the issues and the problems experienced by the Branch in operating the Hall and the need for Village support.

One of the main concerns regarding the cost of the Hall, was that the expense of operating the Hall was preventing the Branch from making Charitable donations, which was it's main function.  Figures were presented for five years (1952 to 1958), showing for that period the Hall had lost approximated £170.  The costs and expenses continued over the next four years, culminating at the AGM held on Monday December 3rd 1962, when the Branch passed the motion to transfer the British Legion Memorial Hall to the Recreation Grounds Committee 'lock, stock and barrel'.  The Recreation Ground Committee were approached and agreed to consider the transfer after examination of the Trust agreement, examination of accounts.

The transfer was arranged over the following months and on Wednesday 13th November 1963 at 8.30 p.m. the Recreation Ground Committee officially took over the British Legion Memorial Hall ownership with the transfer of the Deeds and £165. 

British Legion Memorial Hall - Construction

On Friday 3rd January 1930, it was proposed at the Branch meeting that the Branch should provide Hall at Sampford Peverell.  The construction would be funded by the Branch and the Hall would be known as the British Legion Memorial Hall.  At the meeting the resolution was passed to fund the provision of the Hall and plans for fund raising agreed including the transfer of £20 from the British Legion General Fund to the Hall Fund. 

On Friday 17th January 1930, at the General Committee meeting it was proposed that subscriptions be solicited for the construction of a British Legion Memorial Hall.  Reports were received at the meeting regarding the search for a suitable sites and the offer from Mr Jennings, of a piece of ground adjoining the river near the ford in Lower Town, Sampford Peverell.  It had 54ft frontage was 96ft depth for the sum of £45.   It was agreed to negotiate with Mr Jennings for adjustment of the land.  

On Friday 24th January 1930, it was reported to the Meeting that Mr Jennings had agreed to the changes proposed by the Legion.  There were further discussions before the meeting passed the proposal that the Branch purchase the site from Mr Jennings.  

On Friday 7th February 1930, the meeting proposed and seconded the purchase of the site for £45 from Mr Jennings. 

On Monday 24th February 1930, it was proposed to elect a Building Committee.  The committee was made up of a total of eight Ordinary and Honorary Members. 

On Friday 2nd May 1930, it was reported that with the money received from the Ladies Committee, the purchase of the site could be completed.

On Wednesday 15th February 1933 at the Building Committee meeting it was recommended that the tender of £510, from Mr Howe of Kentisbeare for the construction of the Hall as per specifications and plans be accepted.  The plans for the proposed building was exhibited at the meeting. During the construction of the Hall a circular tablet was inset into the gable end of the front wall commemorating the construction of the hall in 1933.

Following the completion of the first recorded meeting of the Branch using the Hall was on Tuesday 12  December 1933 for the Annual General Meeting.  Six members are recorded as being present.  

Youth Problems

At a meeting on Monday 2nd October 1950, concern was raised regarding the 16/18 year old boys hanging around outside on the steps of local public houses as there was nothing for them to do.  It was proposed that a Youth Club be formed and that they be allowed to use the Hall 2 or 3 nights a week.  The proposal was passed.  Members were to research the requirements to form the club.  See separate publication.

An Extra-ordinary General Meeting was called for the Club conditions to be decided.  The meeting was held on Monday 2nd April 1951, and rules of the Club drawn up.  The full rules are contained in the minutes of the meeting.  Minutes written on medical notes paper by Dr  Graves-Morris.