The Merchant Adventurers' Hall in the Second World War

Members of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York were conscious of keeping the Hall open, and carefully balanced their expenses of running the Hall with the benefits of it being a community space. Heating the building was costly during the war period, and the Hall did not acquire black-out curtains until 1944, meaning it couldn’t be lit at night.

Despite this, some additional income was raised through rents - the Chapel was used for a ceremony with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Women’s Voluntary Service used the Hall as a space for crafting camouflage netting. The Company also invested £1,000 in war bonds with the Midland Bank, which added to their income. 

The Fossgate Fire Fighters

The Company also relied on the community for the protection of the Hall. In January 1941, the residents of Fossgate formed a group of volunteers known as the 'Fossgate Fire Fighters.' The Company considered paying one of their tenants, who was part of the Fire Fighters, to do fire duty for the Hall. Mr Arlott was to be paid one guinea a week (approximately £65.50 today) for his services. 

Community fire fighters like these were common across the country, as people came together to protect their streets. For the Fossgate members, five were on duty each night, based in the Scala Cinema (now a restaurant), ready to jump into action in the event of a fire. It was their duty to knock on all the doors in the street and rouse families to ensure swift evacuation. In the words of one Merchant Adventurer, 'effective force was therefore always at hand' when the Fossgate Fire Fighters were on the job! Their work was supplemented by sandbags - filled up at the Black Bull on Hull Road - and the water buckets and pump at the Hall itself. 

The scheme was maintained under the condition that the WVS manage the Hall's appliance expenses. With the introduction of the Book Lending Scheme for nearby soldiers, the Company was finally able to reciprocate the help that they had received from the city. This interdependent community was one of millions in the 1940s, and is testament to the 'Blitz Spirit' that endured even when bombs weren’t dropping. The Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York relied on their community, but gave back too, just as they do today with community events and initiatives!