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Studley Village functions and meetings and affairs, etc., now held in the Village Hell, were held in a good many cases prior to the 1980's, in what was previously the "Entaco Hall" (or Canteen), situated in what is now known as "Leos' or 'Pioneer' car park.
This Entaco Canteen or Hall was built about 1940 in the early days of the war. The majority of local functions from this time were usually held here. However, perhaps people wonder where these events were held prior to the war in 1939.
There was an old Army Hut of the 1914-1918 war situated on a piece of land, on the Alcester Road Hill in Studley, near to the R.C. Cemetery which is now occupied by recently built modern houses called 'Southmead Gardens'. The old Army Hut was on ·a piece of land separated from the R.C. Cemetery, as now, by a passage which is still there. Whether this Army Hut was put there during the 1st war or bought and erected there after the war, I do not know but I assume that the local Parish Council looked after it. The Manager was a Mr. Lea Smith, who was in charge of it, at least in the 1930's.
The Pavilion was in the shape of an inverted L. The straight portion was the Main Hall of the Pavilion, while the portion making up the invertedL was a refreshment room and two dressing rooms and cloakrooms and adjoining the main hall with a stage.
During the 1920's and 30's it was the usual location for all the local dances, the stage being used by bands. In the later years of the 1930's, the annual Staff dance of the local E.N.F.T. Co was held here.
The Pavilion also provided the location for the many whist drives which were held. Also, in those days the format was often ae'Whist Drive and Dance" to be held in the Pavilion.
Local Plays and Pantomimes were also performed on the stage in the Pavilion. As a boy, I well remember my mother, as secretary of Studley's W .I helping to put on various plays and sketches.
I recall, also, just before the war, as a boy of 14, attending the first "Bridge Drive" held there. Also various sales, especially at Christmas time, were held in the Pavilion.
No doubt older Studley people would recall all the other events that took place there. I believe the heating of the room was still carried out, as in Army Huts, viz., by two coke stoves. In 1939 a small R.A.F. detachment came to Studley in charge of a "decoy airfield" in the countryside, outside the village. The Pavilion now reverted to its original role as an R.A.F. hut and the men were billeted there again. After about a couple of years the R.A.F. was closed and the hut disappeared with the personnel. Before 1914, there was a cottage called 'Park Cottage' belonging to Lamb's builders on the site. On the expiration of their lease, Lambs left the premises to go to New Road and the cottage was pulled down