Giffordtown Village Hall was originally a Free Church School built in 1854 on a site feued from Charles Kinnear of Kinloch.  The land measured 2 roods and 20 poles.  The total building cost - including a two-storey schoolmaster's house - was £487.10s.9 1/2d.  Around 100 children attended the school with the school bell over the 'Boys' entrance.  In 1875 it stopped being used as a school and became a Sunday School Hall for children who found it too far to walk to Ladybank.

At a public meeting held on 25 April 1919, it was decided to approach the Deacon's Court of St Mary's United Free Church at Ladybank to try to purchase the unused building and ground for the sum of £60.  The Church responded requesting £85 but then a compromise offer of £70 was accepted.  Giffordtown Recreation Club was then formed to run the hall.

Changes were made to the building.  The 'Boys' doorway was moved from the side of the building to form a new main entrance.  Ladies and gents toilets were added in brick.  As there was no mains water, the toilets were flushed using water stored in tanks in the loft.  Water for domestic purposes was carried in pails from the pump outside the wall.  A solid burning stove projecting a meter into the main hall replaced the open fire.

In its early years, a lawn tennis court and putting green were laid out in the grounds with the perimeter wall surrounded by fishing nets strung along timber posts to prevent balls being struck on to the road.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Recreation Club was wound up and the hall fell into neglect.  Electricity and mains water were installed in 1956 but by 1973 the grounds were covered in broom and the surrounding dyke in bad repair.  There was no sanitation within the hall, slates were sliding from the roof and the floor was covered in protruding knots.

At a Public Meeting in 1973, a committee was formed and extensive improvements were carried out and the building was re-named Giffordtown Village Hall.  The building now has all modern facilities but still retains its historic character.

With thanks to George Calley's 'Collessie - A Parish Alphabet'

 

You can listen to a very special interview with Marion Calley who lived in Giffordtown for more than 60 years.  It's a fascinating insight into life in the village and hall events in bygone years.

Just search for 'Marion Calley' and you will get the youtube link.