
To view or rent the hall or for more information please click Milton Village Hall where a contact form and details are available.
Milton Village Hall formerly Milton Mission Room
– AKA The Little Wooden Hut.
The hall was built as a chapel of ease at the sole expense of the Rev. Arthur Francis Emilius Forman, a Gibraltan born master at Repton School. The first discovered record of its use relates to a tea followed by musical entertainment provided by the reverend gentleman and his family on Boxing Day 1881. It was clearly intended from the start as more than just an accessible place of worship. For almost 25 years until his premature death on 13th February 1905 Arthur Forman filled the pulpit on Sundays, and provided teas with entertainment and presents at Christmas for Milton inhabitants. In his memory this hamlet, then of about 40 dwellings, raised the funds for, and built within six months, an extension to the hall (presumably stage and kitchen). After his death the pulpit was filled by other Repton masters including in October 1918 the then headmaster the Rev. Geoffrey Francis Fisher with his wife Rosamond Chevallier Fisher (nee Forman) on the harmonium. “The collection was average”. A Sunday school was held right up until the late 1950’s.
In 1922 Milton’s WW1 Memorial, set in the front wall over the porch, was unveiled.
During WWII dances were held. How they negotiated the stove in the body of the hall is unclear, as is when it was removed. Also unclear is when water and electricity were connected. The former could have been from the early 1900’s onwards the latter after 1931. In 1949 the then vicar describing himself as sole trustee formed a management committee including Milton residents and Mrs Penelope Strickland nee Forman. The PCC had responsibility for insurance and paid towards repairs.
In 1952 a brick toilet block including a urinal for gentlemen, and one toilet for ladies, was built by Sanders of Repton. From the end of WW2 a myriad of events were held. A period of change between 1976 and 1980 followed an influx of new residents to Milton and an increase in the size of the Committee (after a period with only five lady members). The changes involved a request from the PCC for the Committee to take a lease on the premises pay rent and take responsibility for the insurance. No deeds could be found but reluctantly the Committee took over the insurance. They also decided to change the name to Milton Village Hall as the words Mission Room sounded off putting. Next they removed the WW1 memorial as water was entering the premises around its edges and damaging the front wall, and to resolve the constant loss of roof slates raised £1,300 to pay for a new tile roof. The interior and exterior were decorated – ridding the hall of its brown lower interior walls.
In the 1990’s with the help of grants from the Repton Cleansing depot fund new wiring and heating were installed. At the turn of the new millennium with the aid of an Awards for all grant a new disabled toilet was built. Just prior to that in 1999 a Possessory Title was secured and that was vested in the Parish Council as Custodian Trustee. In the same year the hall became the beneficiary of a legacy from the late Rhoda Hemmings who had been born at Mill Farm, Milton. finally received Those monies provided for some repairs and pump funding which enabled a sizable grant to be secured to extend and refurbish the kitchen, alter the toilet block to provide two toilets and storage, install new heating and stage lighting. In changed times with more houses, an expanded committee, greater affluence and leisure time it became possible to rent out the hall more often and hold bigger and more profitable fundraisers so that it was possible to complete repairs, restoration, redecoration and refurbishment of the interior and exterior of the hall. In 2020, after almost 140 years, the hall in normal times is in regular use for a variety of activities
Although the pulpit rotted away in the outbuildings to Kirby Holt and the pews were sold off in the 1960’s. The preacher’s chair, hymn board and numbers, and collection plates still remain but with no religious ceremonies that require their use.