A short history of the Royston Hall Bronllys
It is very difficult to be absolutely certain of the reason that the hall is so named. Because it has not been possible to prove how exactly the 2 Royston sisters were connected with the building of the hall in 1924, as they both died in 1918. Mary Elizabeth on 25th of March and her sister Sarah Anne on the 14th of August. They each left their estate to private recipients in all something in the region of £10,000.
We cannot be sure that these people did not give some money towards the hall, but since the sisters had only lived in Bronllys for a relatively short time having moved here after losing their mother in Derby in 1890, According to the 1891 census they appear to have been living in Derby when their mother died and came to Bronllys sometime between then and 1900. They bought the Laurels and were listed as being of independent means. With a maid and a groom from the local area.
Their Father was a doctor quite possibly a surgeon and worked in London but was only 50 when he died.
Why they chose Bronllys is a complete mystery because none of the research done by Susan Thomas shows any connection with this area at all and Royston certainly seems to have very strong links to Derbyshire their Grandfather appears to have had a coal mine in Derbyshire.
As far as we can tell it is possible that the hall was so named for an entirely different reason and nothing to do with the sisters financially.
At the very start of the W.I. movement in Wales it appears that the meetings were held in the Laurels and following the opening of the hall it was supported financially by the W.I. by raising funds to continue paying for the hall by holding afternoon tea gatherings and other fundraising events. Once the hall was opened the W.I. bought 100 chairs and the curtain for the stage and even the piano for their ‘new home’ and all spare money raised was used to help to pay off the debt of building the hall. Notes on the history of the W.I. were compiled by Miss Gwladys Hopkins.
So it would appear that possibly it was the fondness of the W.I. and gratitude for the hospitality of the sisters that led them to want to remember them by naming the hall after them.
It would be wonderful if before the centenary in November 2024 some resident in the village could give us more accurate information about this fascinating puzzle.
Further research has now solved the mystery surrounding the name and we have been given the legal information illustrated below.
Below is a copy of the deeds
