The Institute

Home , Llanfair Caereinion

This document is a snapshot of content from a discontinued BBC website, originally published between 2002-2011. It has been made available for archival & research purposes only. Please see the foot of this document for Archive Terms of Use.

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The Institute more from this section To celebrate the Big Lottery Llanfair Caereinion grant for Llanfair Institute's Adfa Chapel Photos Centenary Project we have Belgium Refugees collected together memories, Great Fire of 1758 photos, and articles that show Lewis Evan Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local how local people feel about the Llanllugan Church Mid Wales building and its past: Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Centenary Project Phototour Town Photo Tour Clive Hopwood tells us Take a closer look at The History about the proposals for a Institute designed by the Llanfair Utd FC Religion & Ethics media centre and lift at Davies' family favourite Sammy G Arts & Culture The Institute. architect Dickens Lewis. Sian James Profile Music The Institute Old Photos Whose Institute? Web Guide TV & Radio Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Check out these old Find out about some of Local BBC Sites photos of The Institute the groups who use The News and its role in town life. Institute today. Sport Weather Centre of Town Recording the Years Travel Find out how one local Take a look at some remembers his boyhood photos of the many papers Neighbouring Sites days at The Institute in documenting The North East Wales the 1940s. Institute's history. North West Wales South East Wales Your Institute Memories South West Wales Photos of some recent Listen to Dr John and community events and Barbara Jones talk about Related BBC Sites artist impressions of the their memories of the Wales Centenary Project. Institute. Cymru Canolbarth More on Llanfair Awards For All For more articles and Eirianwen Jones' photo of photos about Llanfair the institute's new lights. Caereinion, its people and its attractions. 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The Centenary Project more from this section Last updated: 27 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion In February 2008 the Adfa Chapel Photos Institute's Centenary Project Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 was informed that it was Lewis Evan successful in its bid for a Big Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Lottery Grant of £120,000. Co- Llanllugan Church Mid Wales ordinator Clive Hopwood told Local Life Things to do Local Photos us about the plans and how My Town People & Places the community will benefit: Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History "The Institute was opened on 15 October 1913. It cost Religion & Ethics £5,000 to build, the necessary funds being donated by the Arts & Culture Davies family of Llandinam (its 2007 valuation is £200,000). Music TV & Radio Clearly the town has seen a great many changes through the Local BBC Sites last 94 years but the Institute has done its best to aspire to News Mr Davies's ideals and "make it part of the real life of the Sport locality". The building and land is owned by the Institute Weather itself. Travel A registered charity, run by volunteers from the local Neighbouring Sites North East Wales community, it continues to play host to a wide variety of North West Wales societies, scouts and brownies, Young Farmers, classes, South East Wales dramas and concerts, private functions, the town's branch library as well as coffee mornings, sales and fairs. South West Wales

Related BBC Sites The Institute's purpose is be at the heart of our community, Wales offering a meeting place for all ages and interests, accessible, Cymru affordable and of benefit to as wide of spectrum of the Canolbarth community as possible.

The Institute Committee meets every two months and elects its members annually at the AGM (usually October/November); other members are co-opted as appropriate. The committee is comprised of local residents and includes representatives of all the major users of the building, with a Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Bookings Secretary. Sub-Committees, such as fundraising, are appointed to deal with specific projects or areas of activity.

The consultation process with the local community began informally with the community before we even presented the original Outline Proposal to Big Lottery People and Places.

It gave voice to a general feeling in the town that not only did the Institute need a facelift and improved facilities but that it would be ideal if we could it in place in time for the building's centenary.

We designed a bi-lingual questionnaire in three versions - School, Households and User Groups (and potential user groups)- which were distributed to every household, schoolchild (Primary and Secondary), and Institute user group in the community. 279 questionnaires were returned. The results helped to shape materials for the Open Week during which we displayed an exhibition showing the options for the future of the hall and the various plans - ground plans, photographs and artists' impressions supported by explanatory text - with Institute members on hand (with free hot drinks and scones) to explain any of the details and listen to new ideas.

We also took names and contact details of any volunteers willing to participate actively in the project. 504 people attended the Open Week during its 5 days.

• Just over 17% of the younger members of the community (total respondents 119) didn't know what went on at the Institute or found it not interesting. The six things they voted most strongly for the Media Centre (70), Better Library (61), Stage Lighting & Sound System (47), Internet Café (47), Lift (46) and Re-equipped kitchens (40). • Of the households (145) questioned 111 currently use the Institute. Their top six were Re-equipped kitchens (60), Lift (59), Disabled Toilets (55), Better Library (47) Stage Lighting & Sound System (43) and Art & Exhibitions (36). • From the User groups (15) their top six were Re-equipped kitchens (10), Disabled Toilets (8), Lift (8), Better Library (7), Improved Exterior (6) and Arts & Exhibitions (5).

Proposed building works

The proposed building works will refurbish the exterior of the Institute and make alterations to the interior and exterior garden area as follows: • Renovate Institute exterior walls, roof, windows and doors. • Construct lift shaft (concrete with brickwork support) and install lift from ground floor to first floor. • Construct new toilets: male (2 x WC and washbasins), female (2 x WC and Washbasins) and disabled toilets (1 x WC and washbasin) • Demolish existing main hall kitchen, construct double doorway/hatch through to new kitchen to be sited in current Institute flat main bedroom. • Carry out Institute flat conversion to meeting rooms/office space and kitchen - remove existing stairs, build flight of stairs to exterior ground floor wall. Construct new ground floor exit door. Construct partition wall to separate stairs from ground floor meeting room. • Refurbish stage dressing room on ground floor. Install work surfaces, lights and mirrors. • Renovate derelict outbuilding as second dressing room. Repair roof and walls, replace door and two windows. Install partition wall and door and WC and washbasin. Install work surfaces, lights and mirrors. • Lay down landscaped garden with pebbles and paving surround. Reconstruct low stone wall and create semi-circular performance platform. • Re-site oil tank. • Construct storage area in the Gallery. • Redecorate as appropriate, including stage to dressing room stairwell, dressing rooms, media centre and gallery.

Media Centre The Media Centre will provide a significant contribution to community life in the town. With its facility to publish in print, audio and video, it is designed to appeal right across the age spectrum and to a wide variety of interests in the community.

A community newsletter will be published, highlighting activities at the Institute and offering a forum for debate on local issues.

A series of books will be published. This facility will be of particular value to the History Group and the Creative Writing Group, both of which have only been able to publish a limited amount of material in the past. The DTP facility will also be available to produce publications for the community - from wedding services to posters. The town's only printers closed in 2006; the nearest alternative is 8 miles away.

A Reminiscence Group will be started to record local people's stories onto CD. This is a particularly urgent project as the older generation in Llanfair has witnessed dramatic changes in the town over the last century. We intend to involve local groups, including Llanfair Primary and High Schools, to create a sound archive for future generations.

The video unit will produce both documentaries and dramas. This is intended to particularly appeal to the younger age group. Community events and activities will be recorded and a documentary produced to encourage tourism to the town.

The audio unit will be available for local storytellers, musicians and bands to record their material onto CD.

The Media Centre will also generate income for the Institute through sales of published material as well as through commissions and hire charges for the recording facilities. Almost none of the above activities are currently available in the town in any form. The Media Centre would be a major development in the town's cultural life.

Main Hall

Improvements to the Main Hall include the installation of a sound and lighting system, together with an extensively refurbished kitchen.

The sound and lighting system will make the hall a much more viable performance and exhibition space. A fully functioning kitchen able to prepare and serve hot food will also greatly enhance the facilities the hall offers.

The hall would thus become considerably more practical and attractive to hirers and generate extra income for the Institute, as well as potentially increasing the number and range of events open to the community. The installation of the lift will have a direct effect on access and increasing the use of the hall. The elderly, the less physically able and young families with pushchairs and prams, make up a significant proportion of the local population - and the current access to the hall via two flight of stairs tends to exclude many of them from events on the first floor, or indeed staging larger events for these groups in the hall.

Coffee mornings are a perennial favourite in the Institute, particularly among older residents. Improved kitchen facilities (both upstairs and downstairs) would enhance the range of what could be offered in terms of refreshments at these events.

The new hall kitchen, toilets and lifts would make it possible to start a weekly luncheon club, creating both social and nutritional benefits for older residents.

Refurbished dressing rooms will make the Institute more attractive and user-friendly to performance groups such as Llanfair Players, Male Voice Choir etc.

The flat which adjoins the Institute will be converted into (i) the new kitchen for the Main Hall, (ii) two offices for local businesses. If we were to continue to rent this as a flat the premises would require major refurbishment.

The conversion of the flat's kitchen into a corridor which connects the Institute's main downstairs corridor with the garden opens up opportunities to hire out the newly landscaped garden (plus marquee) for outdoor functions with catering, enabled by the downstairs refurbished kitchen and easy access to the new ground floor toilets.

Future Implications

While not directly part of this grant bid, there would be major implications for the future of the library as a result. Better libraries facilities and the internet café ideas were widely applauded by all.

The community fought two hard campaigns in 2006 and 2007 to dissuade Powys County Council from closing the library; the proposed changes to the Institute would enhance our case for doubling the size of the library and making it one of the Council's info centres.

This is fully supported by the Institute Committee, County Councillor Viola Evans and Mick Bates AM. We would also seek ways at a later date to encourage the Council to acquire additional land for parking spaces. A modernised Institute is an essential foundation for these initiatives."

Article by Clive Hopwood

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only BBC Homepage Wales Home The Institute - A phototour Last updated: 26 February 2008

From outside in and bottom to top - take a look at these photographs of Llanfair's Institute taken in February 2008.

BBC Local Mid Wales Things to do People & Places Nature & Outdoors History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute - February 2008 South West Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The Institute - A phototour more from this section Last updated: 26 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion From outside in and bottom to top - take a look at these Adfa Chapel Photos Belgium Refugees photographs of Llanfair's Institute taken in February 2008. Great Fire of 1758 Lewis Evan Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute from St Mary's Churchyard - February South West Wales 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute metalwork on gate - February 2008 South West Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute windows - February 2008 South West Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute Front Door - February 2008 South West Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute Room 1's dumb waiter and where the South West Wales new lift will hopefully go - February 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute Room 1 looking into the hallway- South West Wales February 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute Parish Council Noticeboard - February South West Wales 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales Llanfair Institute Artwork along the corridor to Room 2 - South West Wales February 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home Old Photographs of The Institute more from this section Last updated: 26 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion See how The Institute has changed and been used over the Adfa Chapel Photos Belgium Refugees years in these pictures taken early in the twentieth century. Great Fire of 1758 These images feature in The Photographer in Rural Wales by Lewis Evan Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Dr. W. T. R. Pryce who grew up on Bridge Street in Llanfair Caereinion and attended The Institute from an early age. Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Local Life Things to do If you have any old photos of The Institute we can add them Local Photos My Town People & Places to the slideshow if you send them to: Scout Group Nature & Outdoors [email protected]. Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Old Buildings on the site of the institute - c1910. C. Bernard Evans, painter and decorator (trade sign on right) and, on his left, his workman Dick Goodwin. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth David Davies, MP, addresses the crowd at the opening of the Institute - October 15 1913 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth

Public Hall and Institute - 1913

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Bridge Street and The Institute - c1915. This photo was sold locally as a postcard and was taken soon after the completion of The Institute (note the new paving slabs) and the London City & Midland Bank on the Square 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Drama Party - 1917. The Institute became a centre for drama festivals and concerts. Here are members of the Banw Valley Drama Company. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Peace Day Parade in Bridge Street - July 19 1919. Some 130 returning soldiers and nurses marched through the town for a memorial service in Market Square, sports on Mount Field, fireworks and a hymn. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Coronation Day - 1937. The parade lines up in Bridge Street with Mr J. Lloyd Astley as the Chief Marshal. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth Institute Snooker Team - 1938. (Front row left to right) Bert Astley, Owen Jones, Joe Stephens, Ted Leary, Arthur Davies, Ron Astley, Ambrose Evans, (back row) Ted Morgan, Jack Hughes, W. Lloyd Pierce, Jack/John Lewis. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Canolbarth

Dolgoch and Bridge Street - April 1977

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home Whose Institute? more from this section Last updated: 27 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion To celebrate the Big Lottery Adfa Chapel Photos grant announced in February Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 2008 Assistant Treasurer and Lewis Evan WI member Gwyneth Bowen Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local told us about how The Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Institute is used today: Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places "The WI has always used the Institute especially before the Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour war and when Merched y Wawr started they used it too. Its History very useful to have the different sized rooms for our different Religion & Ethics events. We have coffee mornings once a month and our Arts & Culture meetings, as well as one off events like funeral teas and we Music used to have fayres here. TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites Merched Y Wawr have a concert and a St Davids Day meal News and event too. The kitchen is fairly old though and needs Sport updating so hopefully the new grant will help. Weather Travel Other groups use the building too, the historical Society have talks and slideshows in the back room and there are regular Neighbouring Sites North East Wales Bingo evenings. The choir, Homely Club, the Writers' Group, North West Wales Scouts, and Guides and Brownies all use rooms here and the South East Wales library gets lots of visitors. South West Wales We still have pantos here and Related BBC Sites there have been craft fairs and Wales the Hall has been used for Cymru exhibitions, I remember one Canolbarth with old farm machinery that was actually really popular, people could see these old objects and learn how they were used locally.

The Institute is also used for voting in elections and could perhaps have wider uses. Lots of groups have their own facilitie snow, like the Church Hall and the Leisure Centre at the School but The Institute has a great character and when people see the Hall upstairs they can't believe what a building it is."

Interview with Gwyneth Bowen

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home Centre of Town more from this section Last updated: 27 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion From billiards to war Adfa Chapel Photos propaganda films, local Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 historian Emyr Davies Lewis Evan remembers The Institute as Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local the centre of town life in the Llanllugan Church Mid Wales 1940s. In February 2008 he Local Life Things to do Local Photos told us about his memories: My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour "Llanfair was a progressive town in those days with the History steam railway, for example, which took its first passengers to Religion & Ethics and from Welshpool in 1903 Arts & Culture Music In 1914 prominent members of the town also established the TV & Radio Electric Light Society in 1914. There was no gas and so they Local BBC Sites housed a water turbine and generator in Melin y Ddol with a News powerhouse built in Llanfair Caereinion that provided the Sport town with its own electric and was managed by Evans 'the Weather electric'! Travel There was no public building except the churches and chapels Neighbouring Sites North East Wales where concerts couldn't be held so it was felt that the town North West Wales should have a space for events and culture and The Institute South East Wales opened in 1913 having been donated by David Davies of Llandinam when he was MP of Cardiganshire. South West Wales

Related BBC Sites I've been coming here since the 1940s and have had a lot of Wales fun in this building, even having our wedding reception here Cymru 52 years ago. The Institute was the centre of the town. This Canolbarth was the billiards room where we used to come and watch and sometimes play. The team was successful and you had to book in advance for your half hour slot on the table.

I remember old Tom Cork used to come and sit on the raised platform in the corner and advise the players (I never saw him play) and spit tobacco behind the oak panelling where it was coming away from the wall!

There were lots of committees and meetings, with the elite of the town and its businessmen, and the Headteacher of the primary school, for example. They were a puritan lot and not much fun for us lads.

In the early 1940s they brought in a caretaker who was Catholic and we treated him terribly, making jokes about the Pope and so on and when it got bad we would be hauled before the management committee one by one and be banished for a fortnight, which was a huge blow - coming to The Institute was very important to us.

There was a private library, a reading room with desks and stands for the daily papers and an anteroom at the back where the batteries for the electric light company were kept.

Upstairs they used to hold concerts and Eisteddfod performances. We used to like the Gallery where we would throw bits of paper down into the audience, the Gallery was a favourite place for the lads.

We were naughty boys, no different in any age just different opportunities. The policemen would be at the concerts in those days though and we were scared of them!

During the war the Ministry of Information used to come around with films which was really exciting before television. They were propaganda nonsense like "Walls Have Ears" and "Careless Talk Loses Lives" (why in Llanfair I don't know) but the Hall would be full.

The Institute was self-supporting with members paying about 5 shillings a year and hundreds of members. It is still used but it doesn't really appeal to the younger people. With the new grant I hope it will be developed in a way that attracts them."

Interview with Emyr Davies

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The Documents more from this section Last updated: 26 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion Take a look at this sample of the papers that document The Adfa Chapel Photos Institute's history from the sale of the land before it was built Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 to the customs and excise guidelines on Bingo Duty: Lewis Evan Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Extract from the Transfer of mortgage of several messuages or dwellinghouses....situate at Llanfair in the County of Montgomery for securing £600 & interest. Mr Evan Thomas to Mr Thomas Watkins - December 8 1882.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Cover: Mrs Ann Thomas and Others to Mr John Roberts Transfer of mortage and further charge of several messuages and dwelling houses hereditaments and premises situate at Llanfair in the County of Montgomery to secure £700 & interest at 4%.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Cover of the Opening of Llanfair Institute Programme - October 15th 1913.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only BBC Homepage Wales Home The Documents more from this section Last updated: 26 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion Take a look at this sample of the papers that document The Adfa Chapel Photos Institute's history from the sale of the land before it was built Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 to the customs and excise guidelines on Bingo Duty: Lewis Evan Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Opening of Llanfair Institute Programme - October 15th 1913.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Plan of Bridge Street from document relating to the Will of Evan Thomas of Holly House - December 8 1915.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth List of Members of Comrades Association. Agreement drawn up December 22 1924 between members of Llanfair Comrades Association and The Institute Management Committee. When the United Services Fund was shared out for the welfare of returning servicemen £101 was donated to The Institute. In return the 217 men from Llanfair Parish who served in the First World War were made Life Members, and were allowed to use The Institute for meetings (and the main hall four times a year), and two members were co- opted to the Management Committee.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Solicitor's letter regarding the sale of land for public conveniences - May 27 1936.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Extracts of Management Committee notes - September 30 1945.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales South West Wales

Related BBC Sites 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wales Cymru Canolbarth Letter acknowledging the deeds of Brook House Garden and the Deed Poll of September 29 1911 by D. H. Peate November 22 1955.

More about The Institute... 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The Institute Today more from this section Last updated: 26 February 2008 Llanfair Caereinion Take a look at what the Institute offers today in these Adfa Chapel Photos photographs sent in by Clive Hopwood from the Management Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 Committee. We also have a few artist impressions of the Lewis Evan future development: Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Local Life Things to do Local Photos My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Going back in time with a Murder Mystery evening at Related BBC Sites the Llanfair Institute. Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales A fund raising duck race in the River Banw Related BBC Sites Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales The Annual Pantomime by the Llanfair Players - Related BBC Sites February 2008 Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Save Our Library protests outside The Institute Related BBC Sites Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Now - looking down the stairs to the Front Door Hallway Related BBC Sites Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Artist impression of development: Looking down the Related BBC Sites stairs to the Front Door Hallway Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Now - backroom Related BBC Sites Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel

Neighbouring Sites North East Wales North West Wales South East Wales

South West Wales Artist impression of the backroom when turned into a Related BBC Sites media centre Wales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cymru Canolbarth More about The Institute...

4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home Dr John and Barbara Jones more from this section Last updated: 31 March 2008 Llanfair Caereinion Dr John Jones and his wife Adfa Chapel Photos Barbara remember billiards Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 and dances at the Institute Lewis Evan when it was the centre of Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Llanfair's social life. In Llanllugan Church Mid Wales February 2008 when the Local Life Things to do Local Photos Institute received notice of the My Town People & Places Big Lottery grant they Scout Group Nature & Outdoors recounted their memories: Town Photo Tour History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Listen to Dr John talk about billiards... Music TV & Radio John: Local BBC Sites News Sport "My first memory of the Institute was watching them play Weather billiards with Tom Cork sitting in the corner as usual, yes, Travel chewing twist, and then [makes spitting action] he had a spittoon by his legs, yes... that was one of my first memories Neighbouring Sites I think. North East Wales North West Wales And then the dances as well, erm, the big dances. The New South East Wales Year's Eve Dance...the films with Cliff, no it wouldn't be Cliff South West Wales Richards! Cliff in any case, Cliff The Films we used to say and Related BBC Sites then he came on a Friday and the films would show on a Wales Saturday and he came on a Friday, and then he had a little Cymru van. Canolbarth And I think Winston Humphreys and myself and I think

Edward Bennett used to come as well and then go around the district putting posters on gate posts and barn doors and things.

And then on the night of the films we were all there and Thomas Oliver playing the piano and then if the film was rising to a crescendo then he was [pushes] with his hard foot down on the hard pedal and this sheet of corrugated... would create the atmosphere as well. Of course all that finished, I don't know when, When did it finish?

I think I went away to school then so I lost a lot of, and it was only during the holidays that um, I came back again. And, of course, everything had changed, you'd find that something had gone or they hadn't enough money. Like the reading room, I mean...I remember that quite clearly with the, there were about four or five, four I think, big, you know the things with the brass rods to hold the papers and then there was no library. When did the library start?

I honestly don't know when the library started... it was all one room, it wasn't divided up and then it was divided up and they had the reading room in one side and the library the other, and then wheny the divided it up the reading room as such, went, and then they had a committee room. And its not been altered since.

Interview with Dr John Jones 4 May 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home Remembering the Institute more from this section Last updated: 31 March 2008 Llanfair Caereinion Dr John Jones remembers at Adfa Chapel Photos the Institute and Mr Wolf the Belgium Refugees Great Fire of 1758 Dentist in room three! In Lewis Evan February 2008 when the Llanfair Carnival - 2007 BBC Local Institute received notice of a Llanllugan Church Mid Wales Big Lottery grant he recounted Local Life Things to do Local Photos some of his memories: My Town People & Places Scout Group Nature & Outdoors Town Photo Tour History Listen to John... Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music "All the events of the village took place in the Institute TV & Radio because there was nowhere else to, but unfortunately again the access to the main hall was difficult, very difficult Local BBC Sites News because there was no lift and there's still no lift there. But Sport the only thing they could do was take food, prepare it in the Weather kitchen of the flat and then take it up on the thing into the Travel little room on the left hand side as you went in to the kitchen, wasn't it? [Barbara says the kitchen was cut into the Neighbouring Sites room later] I think it was, yes. North East Wales North West Wales There was a very big concert with Gwen Catley, she was an South East Wales Australian mezzo soprano, a little woman. I remember we South West Wales listened, we couldn't get in, but we were outside on the Related BBC Sites church path listening to it, yes we couldn't, I think we were Wales too, not enough room or I don't know, in any case, we Cymru weren't inside the hall. Canolbarth We were on the outside of the hall. But unfortunately, I think

the thing that, we said this before haven't we, the thing that spoilt all was the fact that there was no lift for the old people to get upstairs, that was a big draw back, and with the advent of [gestures at the television] of the television and the motor car and the young people not really interested of what went on in the town and they're still not interested really, are they?

Yes there's Young Farmers still, as I say there was no High School and no leisure centre so that really all the entertainment was centred in the Institute itself and without that the village would have...well, yes, it was really the centre of the village.

As I say various people used to come, Mr Wolf the dentist used to come into room three and then he had a [laughs] dental surgery, well all it amounted to was a spittoon I think and the old treadle drill [laughs] I never went to him, I wasn't allowed to.

I remember him being there. Who else used to come to the institute to do anything, some of the music teachers used to have a session there. So the students or whoever used to come and have their lessons in the Institute.

The acoustics were wonderful for any of the concerts...mostly Welsh plays and Welsh dramas, because there was much more Welsh in the village then than there is now. And, that's right, I was going to say, all the minutes of the Institute were taken in Welsh and not in English and then they were trans, I think Bob Brynglas used to transfer them back again into English for the non Welsh members of the Committee. But the Committee always met on the third Monday, yes, the third Monday in the month.

Mother and Dad have always been interested in, well, yes, always had the Institute in their, hearts because Dad was a member for many many years and as I say Mother was on the Committee for a long long time as well.

So that I suppose to a certain extent that was why I was involved. And as I say there was nothing else to do really, in the village..anyone could go in pay whatever, 6pence I think for a couple of hours billiards but nobody was allowed to play when the 'big' people used to come and yes..."

Interview with Dr John Jones

Barbara Jones talks about dances and drinks...