Opening of the Memorial Hall in 1925 by Princess Beatrice.

The opening of the Memorial Hall in the summer of 1925 was the culmination of much hard work by many people, not least Viscountess Charlotte Barrington. This listing is to give a flavour of the day by showing some amateur photographs taken at the time. Lady Barrington used her influence by asking her friend Princess Beatrice to head the opening ceremony. Their departure was assisted by local Girl Guides forming a guard of honour.

To read the full article of the events as recorded by a Reporter from the Swindon Advertiser newspaper please go HERE

When a letter was written to Buckingham Palace in 1974, requesting information on the visit by Princess Beatrice to open the Memorial Hall, it was discovered that it wasn't recorded. It seems that Charlotte had invited her friend Beatrice, something along the lines of, "please pop down to Shrivenham and whilst you're here, open the new Hall for us." They had grown up together.