In ’53 this is where many of the locals watched the film of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, on curtains which were a little fluid. It hosted the ‘clinic’ once a week, jumble sales, and weekly housey housey or bingo sessions.

The Youth Club, that was held in Merrow Village Hall, would have a regular live band, and on 9 January ’61 they hosted The Stormsville Shakers. The band returned to the Youth Club on 23 October ’61. The band called it rehearsals, which they also definitely did at the hall. We know that on 16 February ’63 supported by the John Ford Combo and Mick Wayne and his Band; and a month later on 16 March with Group 3 + 1 and Mick Wayne and Ork supporting, Hogsnort Rupert and His Band played the Village Hall, Merrow; covering the likes of James Brown, Bobby Bland, Larry Williams, and Fats Domino. That same year the Village Hall hosted Ricky Clayton & The Rhythmics on 18 May and 27 November ’63,

18 May 1963: Handbill for Ricky Clayton & The Rythmics gig at Merrow Village Hall. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records

On of the Bumblies first gigs after signing to Philips Records in early ’65 was at the Village Hall on 20 March ’65. Just over a week later The Stormsville Shakers headlined at the hall once more, on a 31 March ’65, supported by Smokestakks. Then a few months later, when The Rivals were looking for a new drummer, they came and watch prospect John Enever play in his brother’s band at the hall; with the next stop rehearsals at Cranmore Cottage, West Horsley.

Norman Jon Kissoon and Steve Bayfield set up a second recording session for Earthforce on 20 August ’77 in Merrow, reportedly at the Village Hall, – having failed to get it all down on tape over a two-day session in Farnborough a few weeks before. A limited 60 copies of the Eathforce cassette LP were ready for distribution in October ’77.

Another band looking for a drummer was The Volunteers. An ad was placed in Melody Maker and their manager David Fagence, who ran Bonaparte’s, Guildford and later became an EMI Records A&R man; asked around. This resulted in two suggestions: Rod Johnson of Straight Eight and Michael “Nicko” McBrain who’d been in the Pat Travers Band and the Chapman Witney Streetwalkers, from the rep at A&M. They were both auditioned at Merrow Village Hall in early ’79. Nicko joined and played his first gig with the band on 31 May ’79 at The Three Lions, “Scratchers”, Farncombe.

Gallery:

Poster, designed by William Neal, for Wednesday 31 March ’65 gig at Merrow Village Hall.
Handbill for the Bumblies appearance at Merrow Village Hall, in 1965. From the collection of Susan Veitch courtesy of Bens Collectors Records.