FORMATION OF SOCIETIES
The South West Middlesex Bible Society branch at St Johns School, 1877. Meetings 6.00 — 7.30 p.m. on Saturdays.
Freemasons. The Jersey Lodge No 2163. Consecration Thursday, 23rd September, 1886. They also lost all their goods when their meeting place, the Coffee Tavern, burned down.
Southall Philanthropic Society, formed 26th January, 1887. Mr F. Quinion Secretary, Mr Rouse Treasurer. Meeting place, the White Hart.
The Rate-payers Association formed in 1886.
Ancient Order of Odd Fellows. New Lodge started on Tuesday, November 16th at the Black Horse, High Street in 1886.
Southall Cottage Garden Association. 1886-88. The attempts to keep this association going seems to be an uphill task, for in the Southall News December 21st, 1887, Mr Abbott stated that, due to lack of support and funds, those interested should consider amalgamating with the West Middlesex Horticultural Association.
In 1882 the allotment Act passed in Parliament. This act was called ‘The Allotments Extension Act of 1873’. This led to the first applications for plots on the Southall Charity Commissions land in Western Road (where now stands Featherstone Road School) to be in by September 21st, 1886. Rent to be 1/- (5p) per rod. The two wardens in charge were Mr R. C. Martyn and Mr John Minter.
JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
On June 20th, 1887 Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee. A few weeks before this a committee had been formed to raise funds to finance the town’s celebrations. The grounds of ‘Shepherds Haw’, now Southall Park, was loaned, £127 subscribed, and a great deal of goods donated. 1,200 children had tea. Sports of all varieties carried on till 8 o’clock. Then a torch-light procession through the town to Norwood Green, where a huge bonfire was fired at 10.00 p.m. by Mrs Robinson, and the festivities continued until midnight. When the fund was finally closed it was £3 in hand. This was handed over to St Johns ladies sewing group to help them make clothes for the needy.
A Mr W. Delotte, who later had Hill House built and was a very charitable gentleman, donated enough money to have six almshouses built in North Road, Mount Pleasant. These are still there today, and have recently been modernised.
Another event to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee was the gift of four acres of land of Park View Road and High Street to be the site of Holy Trinity Church. The Revd Henry Mills came as Vicar designate, and started a move to build a new church in place of the corrugated iron one which had been on loan from Ealing Ruri-Decanal Association and had been in use for 18 years. A meeting was held at North Road School on 4th February, 1887, and a subscription list was opened, headed by Mr Delotte £500 plus £15 annually; Mr W. Pearce £100; Mr A. Henderson £105 — in all £1070.0.4d