The main sources of information are provided by Parish Council minutes and Parish Hall accounts. It was first recorded in the Parish Council minutes that lighting to the Parish Hall was mentioned at a meeting on 5 October 1951 but there is no reference that this was related to electric lighting.
However, at the meeting on 21 March 1955 the Chairman proposed that the Clerk should approach the South Western Electricity Board and make enquiries as to the prospects of getting electric installed in the Parish Hall. This was again proposed and seconded at the meeting on 23 May 1956. It appears that electricity was supplied following this date as at a Parish Council meeting held on 12 November 1956, the foremost business being the installation of the electric in the Parish Hall. It was proposed by Mr F Webber and seconded by Mr R Holmes that ‘we should try and wire the Hall. After discussion it was proposed to have the following lights and appliances fitted if it could be afforded.
- 4 lights in the main hall one with a regulation flex
- 1 light gents lobby
- 1 light ladies lobby
- 1 light kitchen
- 1 external light on the corner of the Hall
- 2 wall heaters
- 1 power plug in the main Hall
- 1 power plug in the kitchen
- 1 boiler
Mr S C Gilbard proposed that the Clerk should get estimates for the above items and then meet again and decide what should be done away with if funds would not allow all. Mr A Hosegood seconded this proposal.
At the meeting on 13 February 1957. The tenders for wiring the Hall were then discussed, after comparing the prices, Mr F Troake proposed and Mr S Gilbard seconded that the Clerk should write to T H Moor Ltd and state that they would accept their Tender if they would take the gas fittings etc. in part exchange. (7 lights, 3 fires, 1 x 10-gallon boiler, 4 regulators, 1 brass connector, copper tubing).
At the meeting on 16 May 1957 the Clerk was informed that he could get in touch with T H Moor Ltd and tell them to start with the wiring of the Hall. It was decided that an additional power plug and two heater plugs should be put in the main Hall extra to the contract.
Mr F Troake proposed there should be a light put over the dart board. Seconded by Mr R Cox.
The Parish Council meeting then ended and was combined with another meeting there the type of heaters to have in the Hall was discussed. It was decided that Mr F Troake and D Keenow should purchase the best they could get for approximately £20 – £25 which should be 4 or 5.
28 October 1957. The foremost business of the meeting was deciding on what type of electric heaters to install. It was decided to purchase two hanging ones at £8 each, 1 focusing wall heater at £5/15/4 and one ordinary bar fire for the kitchen, price £2/14/0.
This timescale is supported by the records maintained in the Parish Hall Accounts. The documents show a payment to T H Moor on 15th June 1955 which related to work on gas fittings suggesting at that time that was the main source of energy for heating and lighting. In line with the Parish Council records payments of £2/15/5 on 5th June 1956, £2/8/0 on 19th February 1957, and £49/4/9 on 8th June 1957 were made to T H Moor presumably related to the electrical work identified in the Parish Council minutes. This assumption is supported by a payment of £24/14/10 to South West Electricity on 8th June 1957 and a further payment of £3/3/0 on 13th December 1957. Further payments were made to South West Electricity is following years presumably for electricity use.
While these records confirm that electricity was installed in East Worlington by the end of 1957 it was clear that by that date electricity had not reach West Worlington. At the meeting on 30 January 1958 Mr F Troake proposed that the Clerk should write to the Electricity Board and ask them the position of having a supply laid on to West Worlington.
It appears that action by the Electricity Board was not speedy in responding as at the meeting on 10 March 1959 Mr S Gilbard proposed and Mr D Keenor seconded that the Clerk should write to the South Molton Rural District Council regarding the supply of electric to West Worlington.
There was no further mention of electricity issues for either East Worlington or West Worlington.
