About The Oulton Institute

A Brief History of The Oulton Institute

Built in three stages, the original single-storey building, consisting of just three rooms, was paid for mainly by public subscription and cost £803, of which £493 was donated by Edmund Calverley, and was completed in December 1893. It was to be “for the benefit of the men and youths for use as reading/writing rooms”.

In 1896, a large hall and ante-rooms were built. Donations, including £750.00 from Edmund’s sister, Ellen Calverley, covered most of the £1578.00 cost of the build. The large hall was known as the “Harold Hall” in memory of Ellen’s eldest son Harold Calverley. Ellen was married to her cousin, Charles Stuart Calverley. At this time the caretaker’s house was also added.

In the summer of 1912, the “Grosvenor Room” was added above the original Institute building. The cost of £860.00 was raised by subscription. Here, the villagers could meet to enjoy games of Billiards. A grand opening ceremony and bazaar took place on Wednesday 30^th October 1912, attended by the then President of the Institute, Major Horace Walter Calverley who had inherited Oulton Hall on the sudden death of his brother John Selwyn Calverley.

Saturday night dances were a regular feature of life at Harold Hall in the inter-war years. They mostly featured Tom Noble’s dance band. Admission was two shillings and sixpence (half a crown) – twelve and a half pence in decimal currency and equivalent to about £8.75 today. The evening usually included a sit-down boiled ham supper.

In 1994 the Institute celebrated its centenary. A dance and buffet supper on New Year’s Eve 1993 opened the proceedings. A concert by Rothwell Concert Band and a Barber’s Shop choir followed on 5^th March 1994, and an open day was held on 14^th May.

Although refurbishment work took place between 2013 and 2018, in 2019 the Institute embarked on its most ambitious project to date – refurbishment of the Harold Hall. A funding agent was engaged to apply for grants and, after a few successful bids, work began in earnest in August 2020 with completion towards the end of November.

The Grosvenor Room on the first floor now offers a number of newly refurbished, self-contained office suites, toilet facilities and a fitted, communal kitchen. After applying to the council for a “change of use” the caretaker’s house also became self-contained office accommodation.

Today, we have a wide variety of classes and clubs at the Institute. Pilates, cake decoration, craft afternoons, choir, salsa and weekly “tea dance” plus a coffee morning every Tuesday at 10.00am. The younger members of the community can enjoy ballet and tap lessons, theatre school and play sessions.