Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Herald - Friday 10 November 1950 (page 5) printed the following report: 'BOWLING GREEN SOON ON HAMPSTHWAITE SITE? Memorial Hall formalities “being slowly cleared up.” AFTER protracted negotiations, Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Committee was told at its fourth annual meeting on Wednesday the formalities which have been delaying progress are now in process of being slowly cleared up. it was reported that the amount in hand was about £950, and the chairman, Mr. G. U. Averdieck, said he would like to see another £50 raised before the end of the year, to bring the total up to £1,000. The committee expressed the hope that it would now be possible to have signed by the Parish Council the deed of gift of the land, which had been approved by the Ministry of Education. When that had been done, an application could be put on the waiting list for building licences. In the meantime, efforts should be made to raise sufficient funds to enable advantage to be taken of a licence when one could be obtained. “When the land has been conveyed,” said the report, "it should be possible to consider the construction of a bowling green, so that the site can be put to some use in the near future.” The committee’s report, read by the hon. secretary, Miss R. Henderson, said that after the last annual meeting it had been hoped that it would be possible to begin to do something with the Brewery Field, which, by the generosity of the late Sir Fredk. Aykroyd, had been offered as a site for the Memorial Hall. Unfortunately, a series of difficulties arose., The chief one was that the conveyance of any property in which the Rural Community Council was interested had to be combined with a deed of gift. No building licence could be obtained unless the application was made through the Rural Community Council, and the Ministry of Education had to approve the draft deed of gift. The report set out in detail the lengthy correspondence and negotiations on these matters, dating back to the middle of 1949. At long last, it was stated, a prescription designating the Parish Council as the custodian-trustees had been obtained from the Lord Chancellor’s department. The chairman said he hoped it would be possible to hold the next annual meeting at the proper time in February, and that by then the deed of gift would have been signed, sealed and delivered. Then, they could “really get going,” and there would be plenty of work, not only for the committee, but for many other helpers. Mr. Averdieck expressed the regret of the members at the death of Sir Frederic Aykroyd, who, he said, would not now see them embarking on the task made possible by his generosity. He felt sure that they would have the helpful co-operation of his son, Sir Cecil Aykroyd. Mr. Averdieck thanked the members of the committee for their patience during the lengthy negotiations. The report was approved on the motion of the chairman. Nominations from the 19 village organisations were accepted for the committee for the coming year, and six members of the public were also elected'. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001273/19501110/109/0005

Hampsthwaite Village website has a very detailed account (and photos) of the Memorial Hall's evolution since 1952, when the original building (an ex Canadian Camp Hut, bought for £390 at an auction in Foxley Camp, Herefordshire on 10th July 1952) was erected in the village's 'Feast Field' (which had recently been purchased by Sir Cecil Aykroyd for that purpose). The website includes the Order of Service (dated 10th November 1963) re the Dedication of the Memorial Hall, and the unveiling of the board within it. It also includes details of the original Hall's destruction by fire on the night of 10th January 1966, resulting in the subsequent construction of the current brick building (which opened in November 1967),and photos/ details of the refurbishment of the board during the WW1 Centenary (at which time an extension was added to the foot of the board, containing a biography of each parishioner who died in WW1/WW2). https://www.hampsthwaite.org.uk/392

Charity Commission record: HAMPSTHWAITE MEMORIAL HALL (Charity number: 523703): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/523703/governing-document?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_organisationNumber=523703