Originally built as an Air Raid Precautionary Post, Hendry Hall has been at the centre of the Keithlynn community in one way or another for 82 years! Currently the home of the talented North Vancouver Community Players, it also served as the Hendry Community Hall for over three decades. Imagine the stories that would be told, if the walls of this tiny but mighty building could talk! But since they cannot, I’m going to tell you what I’ve learned in my research and take you on a virtual tour of this amazing building and its people through the decades!
Hendry Hall today, with a sign promoting the upcoming production of the North Vancouver Community Players, called Blood Relations.
Air Raid Precautionary Post
Let’s start at the beginning! Hendry Hall, located at 815 E 11th Street, was built in 1942 at a cost of $800 as one of the many ARP Posts in North Vancouver. At the height of WWII, the perceived threat of attack by air was very real! Air Raid Precautionary (ARP) buildings were constructed, Civil Defence workers were hired, Women’s Auxiliaries were set up, volunteers were recruited, firefighting equipment and gas masks were distributed, and there were lots of drills! The notice below provides information on a drill that was taking place on January 11, 1943, with warnings to the public to report “bombs, flares and other implements of war” to their warden who represented the “eyes and ears” of the service.
Inv # 943-2, Civil Defence Notice, Statement of responsibility Bates, G.R., Courtesy of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives
As you can see from the Notice, Captain George R. Bates was the head honcho of the Civil Defence in North Vancouver at the time. His official title was Air Raid Precaution Controller for North Vancouver & District. His place of employment was 1340 St. Georges Ave which no longer exists but his home at the time, built in 1913, was 244 West Osborne and it still stands. He is pictured below with a group of his Civil Defence workers - all men - as you might expect at the time.
Inv #740. A.R.P. men circa 1943. Captain George R. Bates 3rd row, second from left. Courtesy of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives
Another document I found in the archives is a letter from C.H. Whallam to officers and members of the ARP Post #68 (Hendry Hall), dated September 15, 1942 as he bid farewell to his unit, whom he addressed as “Boys”! This would have been shortly after the ARP Post was set up, but according to his letter, their ARP Post already ranked as “the outstanding Post on this coast”. Clearly a man with a literary background and a fan of pomp and circumstance, he quotes Shakespeare, and rallies his boys to their common goal of “winning of this Titanic struggle, so we can all settle down once again to our normal affairs, and raise our children in peace and happiness”
Inventory #792 from the Hendry Community Association collection. Letter from C.H. Whallam to officers and members of the A.R.P. Post #68, September 15, 1942. Courtesy of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives
As an aside, I was interested to see what was around the ARP Post at the time it was built in 1942. Although the bulk of the population of North Vancouver was, at that time, concentrated along the Lonsdale corridor and up to Lynn Valley, the development east of Hendry Ave consisted of smaller, less ornate buildings, which were home to the working class, who were employed by the Burrard Dry Dock, C.H. Cates & Sons and BC Marine, all related to the wartime shipbuilding activities that were taking place at that time. A full listing of the neighbouring homes in the 800 block of E 11th Street can be found in the Fun Facts section below.
Hendry Community Hall
Once the war was over in 1945, ARP Unit #68 was disbanded and the building was reincarnated as the Hendry Community Hall, which was the centre of the community from 1946 until 1971 as evidenced in the ads and articles found in the newspapers of the time. Events included Cribbage Tournaments, Evangelical Church Services, Legion Ladies Auxilliary Teas, Old Time Dances, Presentations, Municipal Election Candidate Meetings, Whist Fundraising Drives and Wedding Receptions.
North Shore Review, 17 Jul 1953. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review, 25 Apr, 952. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review, 04 Apr, 1952. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review, 29 May, 1953. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review, 3 May, 1957. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review, 3 Dec, 1954. Courtesy of newspapers.com
North Shore Review Feb 19, 1954. Courtesy of newspapers.com
I could not find many photos of these events but I did find a photo of a wedding reception for Norah and Bill McDonough.
Inv#12847 – An interior view of Hendry Hall with guests at wedding reception of Norah and Bill McDonough. June 1950. Courtesy of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives
And here is a 1967 photo of Hendry Community Hall which is not much different to its appearance today. It was taken shortly before it transitioned into its next use.
Inv#106-6-21 - Hendry Community Hall, March 1967. Courtesy of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives
North Vancouver Community Players
By 1972, the community had outgrown the space at Hendry Hall as a Community Hall. Much larger gathering spots had been built including the Karen Magnussen Rec Centre. At this time, the North Vancouver Community Players took over the building and are now the longest serving occupants with a 52 year long run (pun intended!), creating a fantastic six theatre productions a year! How lucky we are to have such a talented and dedicated group of people, as custodians of this building but also to carry on the tradition of its past occupants as Community Builders!
I was lucky enough to meet up with two members of the North Vancouver Community Players Executive, Rosemary Hundal (President) and Garry Fletcher (Director-at-Large) who gave me a guided tour of this treasured building. When the Community Players took over the building in 1972, it was one storey, with a kitchen, single washroom and a front and side entrance. Over time, their dedicated volunteers added the second-hand 76-person seating, along with a professional technical booth to operate the lights and to house a sound system. The full kitchen was also reduced to a smaller bar area, additional washrooms were added, as well as the all-important box office which is one of the smallest in height that I’ve ever seen. Ticket takers over the height of 5’6” need not apply!
Interior Seating and Technical Booth at Hendry Hall Theatre. Photo by Jennifer Clay
Another really important modification, made in 1992, was to dig out a full basement, by hand, to accommodate the props and costumes, a change room, make-up area, washroom and an inside stair case. Up to that point, the actors had only a very small area in the basement to change and gather when they weren’t on stage. In order to get on stage, they needed to open a door, go outside and re-enter the main floor, by another door, into a small holding area before getting onto stage. They did this for each show, no matter the weather! Anne Marsh, a long-time member of the troupe, said she always thought that this route for entering the stage was “very theatrical”! In approximately the area where the actors used to leave the original basement, there is a painted message, “break a leg”.
I can’t imagine the number of hours spent, and sweat lost, during the basement digging project. Dedicated as those volunteers were, they were stymied by the presence of a large boulder that was immoveable with their rudimentary tools; hence, it remains, in the middle of the props room, as an imposing 6’x6’ “structure”.
The Immoveable Rock at Hendry Hall. Photo by Jennifer Clay.
Given the small size of the basement area, organization is key! Everything has its place with tools hung within their outlines on the wall, indexed books and many signs in the Art Design, Props and Costumes areas which basically say, everything has its place and put whatever you take back in its place or else!
While touring the site, I noticed the omni-presence of a squirrel painted onto signage, walls and even the advertising. So, I asked why! According to Anne Marsh, she remembers being in a play and was waiting to go on stage. For some reason, the curtain was being held but the actors did not know why. Apparently, a squirrel had become stuck between two seats in the theatre and was making squealing noises so the show stopped while a good citizen donned a pair of thick gloves, and extracted and freed the squirrel. For a short time after that, the theatre was plagued with unwelcome squirrels but eventually they were successful in stopping up the entry points. However, according to Linda Sharp, since then, the “spirit of squirreliness” has made the Theatre Company’s lives richer!
It is important to note that the North Vancouver Community Players are a 100% volunteer run organization, and like the building in which they reside, they are small but mighty! Their upcoming production, Blood Relations, tells the story of Lizzie Borden and runs April 5-20, 2024. Tickets are available here. The entire set is being meticulously hand painted and evidently, the play involves the throwing and breaking of plates so ceramic plates are being cast and painted in the props area.
Hand painted ceramic plate ready for “action” in the upcoming Blood Relations production!
“Blood Relations” Set Design Mock Up
I strongly encourage you to support this amazing organization, through attending their productions and if you are so inclined, volunteering, so they can continue to help build community for another 50 years or more!
Fun Facts
Using the 1942 archival City Directory, this is a list of the direct neighbours of Hendry Hall, in the 800 block of East 11th. The wives’ names are listed but the profession stated was for the men!
839 – David and Janet Leitch – Ironworker, BC Marine (built 1923, still standing)
850 – Frank and Louise Whitehouse – no profession listed
854 – Mrs. Elizabeth Mathieson (widow of D. Mathieson)
859 – James P. Huntley and Mary – Blacksmith, Burrard Dry Dock (built 1922, still standing)
865 – Arthur V Stedman (Mary E), watchman on tug CH Cates & Son + son, Frederick also a watchman at CH Cates (built 1922, still standing)
870 – Chas H and Elisa Mussell, electrician, Graham Electric (built 1913, still standing)
880 – Herbert G. Elson and Doris, helper @ Burrard Dry Dock (built 1912, still standing)
The North Vancouver Community Players were the subject of a Graham Harrop cartoon, entitled A Tour Through Hendry Hall, a framed copy of which hangs on their walls.
Whist, is an English card game, which was developed originally under the name trump (1529), with other names including then ruff, ruff and honours, whisk and swabbers, whisk, and then whist in the 18th century. In the 19th century whist was apparently the primary intellectual card game of the West, with bridge taking over in popularity in the early 1900’s. Apparently partnership whist, with four players in two partnerships, is still played in Britain today socially and as fund-raising events called whist drives.
Special thanks to Garry Fletcher and Rosemary Hundal of the North Vancouver Community Players for their tour and information!
Thanks also to Georgia Twiss of MONOVA/North Vancouver Archives for providing all of the archival photos used in this article!
Except where indicated, text and images Copyright @ North Shore Heritage and Jennifer Clay. All rights reserved. Re-publication in whole or in part is prohibited without the written consent of the copyright holder.
Sources
About Us – North Vancouver Community Players (northvanplayers.ca)
Archives Collection - North Vancouver - North Vancouver Museum (monova.ca)