The Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchange

The old Corn Exchange

One of the most enduring buildings in Bourne is the Corn Exchange which was built in 1870 on the site of the old post office where Abbey Road approaches the market place. The premises were owned by the Marquess of Exeter, then Lord of the Manor of Bourne, who had sold the property on favourable terms to make way for the new development and he also promised that a large portion of the proceeds from the sale would be invested in shares for the new enterprise.

The decision to proceed with the scheme was taken at a public meeting at the Town Hall on February 10th of that year when local magistrate William Parker of Hanthorpe Hall presided. He said that the object was to obtain a public hall and corn exchange by means of a limited liability company and added; "This is of considerable importance to the town and neighbourhood and therefore I have great pleasure in identifying myself with the project."

Parker said that there were three main advantages in the erection of such a building, firstly the establishment of a much needed corn exchange on a proper site, secondly the opening of a reading room and library and thirdly the provision of a suitable room for lectures and concerts, "and in this way to afford instruction and rational amusement to larger numbers than could be at present be accommodated in Bourne." Five resolutions were put to the meeting:

That a public hall and corn exchange, with reading an ante-rooms, are much required in this town and that a company be formed to carry out such object under the Joint Stock Company's Act of 1862. - moved by William Parker and seconded by William Wherry.
That the name of the Company be the Bourne Public-hall and Corn Exchange Company Limited. moved by Mr E H Edlin and seconded by Mr R M Mills.
That the following nine gentlemen be the committee to form the company and be the first directors thereof, namely, William Parker Esq., and Messrs Thomas Lawrence, John Freeman, R J Shilcock, John Gibson, Thomas Presgrave, William Wherry, R M Mills and Thomas Harrison. - moved by Mr Charles Roberts and seconded by Mr S W Andrews.
That the capital of the company be £1,500, divided into 300 shares of £5 each. - moved by Thomas Harrison and seconded by Mr R M Mills.
That Messrs Andrews and Bell be the solicitors to the company and take the requisite proceedings to form and register the company and prepare articles of association and that the offices of the company be at Bourne. - moved by Mr Thomas Lawrence and seconded by Mr John Gibson.

All resolutions were carried unanimously and by the time the meeting closed, 250 shares had already been taken up. The contract for the construction work went to Robert Young of Lincoln in May 1870 after his tender of £1,150 was accepted and work began on clearing the site. The building was ready for use by the autumn and the corn market opened for business in October. It had a large hall in which the corn exchange was held with stage and retiring rooms and capable of seating 500 people and so it was also used for public meetings and musical entertainments, the first of which was held during the following week. The total cost, however, had risen to £2,000, a sum that included the purchase of the land and the fittings. The result was an unpretentious Victorian building of red brick and stone dressings and a blue slate roof but lacking the sober grace of the Georgian Town Hall just round the corner.

The Corn Exchange was soon in use and the Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 18th November 1870:

We are requested to state that the building is a boon to the inhabitants as the large room is ample for all requirements and, being well adapted for a ball, a hope is entertained that arrangements will be made during the winter with this object in view. The opening of the room is said to be likely to increase the market, as 1,500 quarters of wheat were sold on the 10th inst. It is suggested that a meeting of merchants and farmers should be called to decide upon and establish a system of buying and selling corn without "chap money" [a promise to pay rather than a payment] which has caused so much unpleasantness at Stamford. In referring to this matter, a merchant recommends "14 days net cash".

The new venue also became busy as a centre for social and community events, being the largest hall available in the town. In September 1874, for instance, the Stamford Mercury reported:

The highly talented company of Japanese artistes gave a clever entertainment in the Corn Exchange on the 9th inst. which was well attended and the performances were much applauded.

Ice skating as a public pastime was introduced in 1876 at a time when many rinks were being opened around the country and making a profit for those who invested in them. The Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 14th January that as a result, "several gentlemen were accordingly trying to arrange to adapt the Corn Exchange for this simple means of exercise and entertainment". The facility, known as the Bourne Skating Rink, opened the following month and was administered by a committee of management who advertised in the newspaper on Friday 18th February when their news columns commented: "The pastime has become so fashionable of late that there can be no doubt it will find numerous votaries at Bourne."

In 1889, the Corn Exchange was struck by lightning although no serious damage was done. The incident was reported in the Stamford Mercury on July 26th which said:

On Sunday evening, a thunderstorm of unusual severity passed directly over the town while divine service was being held at the church. About 7 o'clock, it grew very dark and the storm broke with terrible violence. The flashes of lightning were extremely vivid and the peals of thunder following each other in rapid succession, were deafening. The vane on the Corn Exchange, to which the point of the lightning conductor is attached, was bent, falling about five inches, and the wire was twisted throughout its length. A passerby noticed a flash of light run from the point to the earth. No further damage occurred to the property as far as we have been able to ascertain and no person was injured.

The Corn Exchange from the market place

The new building overlooking the market square and car park, erected in 1990.

The Bourne Public-hall and Corn Exchange Company Limited was wound up in June 1938 when the building was bought for £1,100 (£53,000 by today's values) by Bourne Urban District Council who had used it as a council chamber since its formation in 1899. Then, under the local government re-organisation of 1976, ownership passed to South Kesteven District Council who are the current administrators. It has therefore served the town well as a public hall and as a venue for a variety of social and business functions, including periodic exhibitions organised by the Chamber of Trade which did much to attract customers to the town's shops at a time when competition for retail trade from nearby towns and cities was becoming particularly acute.

During the centenary year, Councillor John Wright, chairman of Bourne UDC, said in a speech at the Corn Exchange at the annual civic dinner on Friday 19th May 1970: "This building has in the past been the hub of the agricultural community, providing essential services for farmers, corn merchants and citizens. Today, the Corn Exchange is a real centre of community and it is particularly gratifying to welcome the representatives of so many of the town's organisations and firms to celebrate not only this civic occasion, but the building's centenary year."

A move to close the Corn Exchange was made at a meeting of Bourne Urban District Council on Tuesday 12th February 1969 when Councillor Lorenzo Warner proposed that the building should be sold for use as a supermarket and the proceeds used to finance a new town drainage scheme following severe flooding the previous year. He said that the issue should be settled with a referendum to decide whether electors wanted a well drained town or continue to subsidise social and cultural activities. "In all businesses, the right thing to do is to cut out all unprofitable waste and the Corn Exchange has been a very big charge on the rates for the last decade", he said. "In the years 1952-1967, a loss of £7,999 is shown. Has the Corn Exchange outlived its usefulness?"

Councillor Warner suggested that school halls should be used as public meetings places out of school hours to encourage the social and cultural life of the town and added: "The use of the Corn Exchange has to meet intense competition and I cannot see how the town can afford the luxury in these days of high rates. More benefit would accrue from providing a well drained town than continuing to meet the very heavy losses from retaining the Corn Exchange."

The suggestion received overwhelming and even hostile opposition from other members of the council who pointed out that the Corn Exchange was providing a valuable service for a town with a population of 5,500 and that the costs involved were reasonable in return for the benefits that resulted and in the previous five months, the building had been let 112 times. "I think that Councillor Warner has his priorities wrong", said Councillor G H Astley. A motion that the Corn Exchange should not be sold was carried, with only Councillor Warner dissenting. The acrimony generated by his proposal did not however last because he was eventually elected chairman of the council for the year 1970-71.

Major alterations were carried out to the building in 1972 when a new entrance was added and the old council chamber re-modelled as a foyer, new cloakrooms and a bar. The kitchen was modernised and in the main hall, alterations were made to the proscenium arch over the stage, the lighting and the general decor.

The pyramid-style blue slate roof of the 19th century marks the last remains of the old building from 1870. In 1990, the Corn Exchange and its facilities were completely rebuilt, refurbished and enlarged on a much bigger site as part of a £900,000 project for the area although a stone tablet bearing the date 1870 and the town's coat of arms were incorporated in the wall of the new building which borders Abbey Road. The extensions at the rear of the property also created a new façade overlooking a new market square and car park. Although the red brick facings associated with Bourne have been retained in the design, the overall appearance has not found favour with many residents who fear that its ultra-modernism is far too ostentatious for this historic market town.

The main hall

Apart from the main hall, the Corn Exchange also has a small reception area and a bar and has therefore become the major venue for social and business occasions in the town ranging from meetings of the Bourne Organ Club, regular productions by the local dramatic societies and the annual Civic Dinner and Ball, to blood donor sessions, a periodic farmers' market, displays and exhibitions. It is also hired out for family celebrations such as wedding receptions, birthdays and christenings.

MUSICAL AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS
at the Corn Exchange

The hall has always been the venue for regular social events and dancing was high on the list of popular entertainments. Those who attended in past times seemed to have unlimited stamina because the dancing usually went on until the early hours, as illustrated by this report from the Stamford Mercury on Friday 15th February 1884:

An invitation dance took place in the Corn Exchange on Friday last when upwards of 90 ladies and gentlemen were present. Dancing commenced at 8.30 pm and was continued with great spirit until 4.30 am. The refreshment department was under the able management of Mrs Thornton, of the Nag's Head Hotel. Mr J J Crane acted as MC with his usual ability and the arrangements throughout were first class.

Other events were often for the younger generation and a report from the Stamford Mercury of Friday 5th February 1893 gives a glimpse of the town's children enjoying themselves as guests of the local freemason's lodge.

On Saturday evening, the Worshipful Master and brethren of the Hereward Lodge of Freemasons organised a children's tea and entertainment and a juvenile ball at the Corn Exchange. Upwards of 300 children from Bourne and the neighbourhood were present. The happy faces of the juveniles showed that the hospitality of the Masons was heartily appreciated. Various amusements were provided, the most popular being Signor Trevori's clever exhibition of woeful tragedy of Punch and Judy. That the ancient legend has lost none of its charm, and that the death-dealing exploits of the merry hero were as popular as of old, was evident from the peals of laughter which were provoked. Several clever conjuring feats by Signor Trevori kept the children in wonder. Songs and music were interspersed. The room was then cleared for games which, it is needless to say, were thoroughly enjoyed. Tea was served in excellent style by Mrs Shilcock of the Nag's Head Hotel. The juvenile ball was opened at seven and was continued with spirit until about eleven. The music was furnished by Mr T N Wolstencroft, RCML, who presided at the piano, and by the Bourne brass band under Mr A Stubley's leadership. Oranges and cakes were given to the children on departing.

Saturday night dances also became popular in the years immediately following the second World War of 1939-45 and big bands often appeared although the music was usually provided by local groups.

Corn Exchange dance in 1952

At this dance in 1952, the band came from the village of Morton and were appropriately known as the Mortones who played at many venues in the area. The event was the annual Christmas party for workers at the Bourne Laundry in Manning Road. The band members were (left to right) Bill Smith, accordion and banjo, Geoff Parker, accordion, Pete Mason, drums, Mavis Fowler, vocals and accordion, and Ron Fowler, piano. Despite its popularity, the group disbanded in 1954.