The Geurie Memorial Hall incorporated committee will be hosting its annual general meeting next Wednesday and is calling on people from across the community to attend and increase membership numbers.

Committee member Brian Palmer said while the hall had an interesting history, it was important to see it continue and move forward.

“The hall was originally built as a produce store in 1908 by Alfred Upton,” he said.

“He acquired the title to the property on January 3, 1914 and then on the eighth of May that year transferred the title to a James Payne.”

According to research undertaken by the committee, Mr Payne fought in World War I but never returned, meaning the title was then transferred to his daughter in Sydney on January 5, 1929.

“During the period from 1908 to 1933 businesses flourished within Geurie and the produce store was known as the agricultural trading centre for the community extending as far south as Arthurville and Elong Elong to the north,” Mr Palmer said.

“On May 2, 1933, for unknown reasons the title was transferred to five notable gentleman farmers, all from Geurie, as joint tenants. At the time the produce store was converted to a memorial hall and was dedicated to the men who enlisted for WWI with a memorial plaque fixed to the facade of the building.”

This tradition has continued at the building with plaques added for other historic wars, thus turning the site into the village’s official destination for Anzac Day services.

Other additions such as a supper room and stage area also helped to turn the hall into a great meeting and social venue which in the past has been used for a range of events including dances and hosting picture theatre shows.

“With the deaths of the five joint tenants the property was left “in limbo” with only the last surviving joint tenant, who became the legal sole owner, passing away in 1992,” Mr Palmer said.