In 1953 the land was leased for 50 years to Tavistock Urban District Council. The church, the United Reformed/Congregational, was demolished and the land that was not developed was left to be a rest room.
The room was to be built — the Rotary Club started the funds — a target was set at £2,000. A gift auction was organised in the market hall on June 30 1954. A ball was organised in the town hall on July 7 1954 — the bandleaders played for free.
Donating labour and time for nothing was not unusual — even the South West Electricity Board waived their service charge of £7.
The gift auction raised £215 and the ball £51. Tavistock Primary School concert raised £52. £31 from the Greenland estate carnival buckets that year raised the money for the newfangled invention, a TV!
A Mr Pearce gave a mirror and a piano was donated by G A Osbourne of Fitzford; W E Symons of West Street a clock. All this generosity at a time of austerity for post-war Britain.
On October 10 1954 the building was officially opened by W H Gulley. Refreshments for the occasion were donated by the 6th Devonshire Moorland cadets. Perratons Ltd gave light refreshments free of charge. A bronze plaque for £13 was made in 1953.
As recently as 1977 the kitchen was expanded for the non-profit making voluntary manned rest room, largely used by over 70s.
The building to me represents Tavistock's optimism after the war and a new pooling of community resources. That is why I think it should be preserved, not just because of its history but because it still performs its original purposes today.
Mrs S King
Launceston