The Uki Hall has been a center of a wide range of activities for the residents and neighbors of the village of Uki for more than 100 years. The Hall has a rich history full of banquets and balls, fires, and the memories and narratives of the many patrons that made Uki Hall such an integral part of the village.
Uki Hall was originally two separate buildings that were joined together between 1920-1926. The current small hall was initially The Mechanics Institute which was established in 1904 as a small meeting place in the village. Made out of donated materials from local farmers and saw mills, it is now one of the oldest standing buildings in the village. The larger hall, originally the Uki School of Arts, was constructed on the land adjacent to the Mechanics Institute in 1911. David Cleaton Marshall, sometimes called the “Father of Uki” saw the need for a community hall and instigated the construction as well as set up the original Trustees. Local residents helped finance the project and timber was once again donated by local land owners. In 1983 the Uki School of Arts was renamed the Uki Public Hall and Recreation Reserve Trust.
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| Front view of Uki Public Hall |
In 1914 a devastating fire burned down several of the buildings surrounding the Hall including the post office, the bank, a residence and the general store. Uki Hall also caught fire however it was saved by the engineer of the Butter Factory, Mr Jim Mitchell, who stood on the roof of the large hall and extinguished the fire with buckets of water passed up by volunteers. After the bank burned down, a resident of the village stood guard over the vault with a loaded shotgun until it could be secured properly. The Hall was then used as a substitute trading place for the goods of Mr Loder who lost his general store and Mr Mitchell was given a brand new suit by the insurance company in gratitude for his gallant effort. Up until the late 70's, buckets were hung on the walls and others filled with sand were left standing on the floors of the Hall.
The Hall had many incarnations before its current position. Though the exact date is of opening is unknown, during 1920 to the 1930's the Hall had a library and reading room where residents were welcome to borrow books or read newspapers and gazettes. The library was open late on Friday nights which made it an ideal place for courting couples to spend a little time together and for farmers to stop in after coming into Uki for a little shopping. A billiard table was installed sometime in the 20's, it remains in its original location, though now as a part of the kitchen with a stainless steel cover on it for food preparation.
Throughout the existence of the Uki Hall there were major historical events that altered the way life was lived, as was so around the world. WWI and WWII forced everyone to adjust and in many cases, to sacrifice. Many young men from the village of Uki went to fight in each of the wars while life had to continue at home. No Trust for the Uki Hall was operating from 1937-1946, however it was kept open and functioning. Events were held to honor those in military service and to maintain the community feeling and pride in the members of their village that were so far away. To this day Uki Hall honors the men lost in the wars with an extensive and deeply personal display of photos, news articles, narratives and histories around the walls of the small hall. An especially treasured piece is the WWI copper memorial that displays the names of the diggers who were members of The Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows Lodge No 262 (MUIOOF Lodge) which began in the hall in 1908.
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| The Manchester Unity Memorial |
The Hall buildings have undergone a range of renovations and upgrades to keep up with modern requirements. Throughout its history installations have included new floors, electricity, telephone lines, and hopefully a new coat of paint on the interior of the large hall. Even with all the changes and updates the Uki Hall has maintained its character with wallls that have held the history of this rural Tweed village that echoed the events of the larger world around them. It is a deeply personal building that conserves the memories and history of the village of Uki.
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| Small Hall, previously The Mechanics Institute |
A very special thanks to Esma Thompson of the Uki and South Arm Historical Society Inc for her research and description of the Uki Public Hall. Especially for time and stories that were a vital part of our understanding of the Uki Hall and history.
Author
Caroline Meyer
References
Thompson, E. (2012). Description of the Uki Public Hall.
Thompson, E., personal communication, 6 March 2014.
