IT HAS hosted hundreds of faces from many generations and as it prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday, the Bahgallah Memorial Hall has enjoyed a visit from senior representatives of its local clans.
The gathering is the first stage in planning for a Centenary event, to be held on November 11, this year and which will include the unveiling of a new honour board recognising locals who served in the second world war.
“Names synonymous with early Bahgallah such as Wombwell, McIntyre, Humphries, O’Connell, Galpin - and including those who were instrumental in building the hall back in 1922 as a memorial to those who served in The Great War of 1914-18 - were represented at the meeting,” the hall’s Kaye Annett said.
“(The hall) was an amazing achievement in its time, resulting from a public meeting held on 11 March, where trustees were nominated and a committee of management formed; a new hall emerged within eight months and was formally opened that same year on 11 November, 1922.
“The building of a hall as a memorial rather than putting up a statue or plaque not only acknowledged the War Service and honoured the sacrifices of our WWI veterans but ensured their contribution to the community would always be known through a facility for use by future generations.”
Built by the people, for the people, the Bahgallah Memorial Hall has been the hub of the community since that time, hosting events from weddings and funerals to parties for all manner of occasions.
This year’s Centenary will not only commemorate the 100th anniversary of the memorial to those who served in the Great War, but will see a further dedication to those who served in WWII and have not yet been publicly acknowledged.
“The hall committee is seeking information from anyone who knows of any veteran who was a past student of the Bahgallah State School and who may, having moved from the district, enlisted for World War II from a different address,” Ms Annett said.
“A new honour board will name all of those servicemen and servicewomen, so it is important that information is received as soon as possible to ensure their inclusion.
“The anniversary date of 11 November (Remembrance Day) will certainly add to the poignancy of the whole occasion and it is hoped that families of all of those who are remembered on the Bahgallah Memorial (both WWI and WWII) will be represented as we combine to respectfully observe this very special event.”
In addition to the commemoration of the hall’s opening, Ms Annett said the centenary also celebrated a community that had experienced a wonderful history of events.
“Everyone is invited to come along to reminisce past achievements including carnivals & flower shows, Bahgallah State School, fire brigade, social club, sporting clubs - football, basketball, cricket, tennis, indoor bowls - and a multitude of other occasions,” she said.
