The Shelter Saga

...

Early in 1955 the Community Service Committee were discussing what the Club could do to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the formation of Rotary International. They drew up a list of eight suggestions and this was presented to Club Council in April of that year. A shelter or seats by the riverside were favoured by Council and a sub-committee was formed to develop these ideas.

When a suitable site was located on the riverside below the castle, plans and estimates for a shelter were prepared. These were approved by Club Council in August 1955 - the building costs were estimated at £140 - and were to be recommended to the Club at the Club Assembly in September, subject to the necessary permissions being obtained from the relevant authorities and that "suitable arrangements for cleansing the shelter could be arranged".

By December 1955 the "authorities had approved the shelter design", but concern was still expressed by Club Council about who should be responsible for cleaning the shelter. This issue appeared to have been resolved by the following January when an "informal agreement" was obtained from the City Council. However, just a month later, the Club Council minutes record that the "Durham Colleges" had agreed that their "Outside Staff" would clean the shelter.

By April 1956 construction of the shelter was completed and Rtn. H.L.Gradon (a founding member and Club President in 1935-36) had presented "a suitable plaque" that was incorporated into the building. On April 21st the shelter was officially opened, immediately after the regular lunch-time meeting, by the Mayor of Durham, Rtn. H.L.Cawood (Club President in 1953-54) at a ceremony attended by most members, the University Treasurer and the Dean of Durham.

The notes above have been compiled from the meeting minutes of Club Council from 1949 to 1958 as deposited in the Durham County Record Office (Ref. D/X 325/1).

The Club gifted the shelter to the City, but it would seem that cleaning and maintenance continued to be a problem. By the time of the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International, the shelter had become virtually derelict and eventually, in 2008, Durham City Council agreed to fund its demolition.

The commemorative plaque was rescued from the rubble and has been expertly restored by Falon Nameplates Limited of Bedlington - our sincere thanks go to their managing director, Mr Kenneth Moore, and to our member Alan Jose for arranging this.

And so, after 52 years, the saga of the shelter comes to an end.

The location of the shelter (arrowed), viewed from Framwelgate Bridge - it is just visible among the trees.

The shelter viewed from the opposite side of the river.
It is interesting to note that, at the time of the construction of the shelter, the Club met in a hostelry (The Bridge Hotel?) which stood on the site of the building containing the Bella Italia restaurant seen in this picture. The members would have only had a short walk to attend the opening ceremony.

A closer view - note the sycamore growing out of the river bank.

The shelter is approached via a vennel off Silver Street.

The commemorative plaque on the shelter.

An image indicating the poor condition of the shelter - and the graffiti!

Demolition took place in August 2008 - President Eric Colling wields the first sledge hammer, while Leader of the City Council Fraser Reynolds and Michael Hurlow, Heritage & Design Manager with the City Council, await their turn.

... And the site is cleared. Note that the sycamore tree in the river bank has also been removed. One small step in the overall enhancement of the riverside in the City, and a significant improvement for the patrons of Bella Italia.