Our own theatre in Bawtry was founded rather to the end of that great expansion of Amateur theatre fostered by the British Drama League, in the early part of the 20th century. But it did stem from one of the traditional roots of local theatre - the son or, or daughter of the "big house". Miss Eileen Peake of Bawtry Hall.

The latter was certainly the driving force, and it was in part of her house - The Coach House at the Hall, that the first meeting, attended by 21 people, took place on the night of the 30th September 1932: According to the minutes of the meeting; "It was duly proposed, seconded, and passed that a Society be formed to read and act plays and to meet regularly, and this Society be called "The Bawtry Dramatic Society".

Miss Peake had clearly made it known how she saw her role - Producer. I dare say few argued with the Lady of the Manor. She actually produced every production - 18 in total, over the next seven years.

Miss Peake's 18 does include many one act plays which were regularly put on at one of the many competitive Drama festivals which the Society entered, mainly in Doncaster and Sheffield, usually sponsored by the British Drama League.

Of the people at that first meeting, the last survivor, Ossie Storrs, died in 1996/1997. He was the special guest of the society at the official opening of the Lounge extension by the Mayor of Bawtry in 1995

Returning to 1932; the first production of the Society was a double header of one act plays - "The House with Twisty Windows" and the "Invisible Duke".

They were performed on Dec 7th and 8th in the stables at the Hall. Unfortunately the attendance and financial results of this first production have been lost.

However the April production in 1933, which consisted of three one act plays; Little Man, Legend, and Old Moores Almanack played to a total audience of approximately 115, and resulted in a net profit of £2-16-8d. Tickets sold at 1/-, and 2/- !!!!!!!

These early plays were performed in the stables at the hall which had a raised stage put up at one end. Sophistication of set is not apparent from some other photos we have from this period!

In no time at all the Society had joined the British Drama League - the key source of plays to read - annual Fee a guinea, and had opened an account with the Yorkshire Penny Bank.

Nor was the fledgling society unwilling to become embroiled in politics; on the 17th June 1934 the minutes report that, in support of the British Drama League "a letter to be sent to Mr Tom Williams M.P. urging that the "Living Theatre" be freed from the entertainment tax"

Every 3 or 4 years the minutes reported (as they regularly do today) the results of a survey to the effect that the audience much preferred Comedies to Dramas - nothing has changed in that respect.

On the 20th April 1936 the minutes read: - "the meeting was called to discuss producing Shakespeare's "As You like It" at the Whitsuntide Fete and it was decided unanimously that it was impossible to cast"

In fact, other than the occasional compilation show in the summer, the Society has only done one Shakespeare play in its entire history - Twelfth Night in 1938 - under the direction of Eileen Peake.

Under the direction of Eileen Peake the Society continued its readings and productions through the 30's.

In the AGM in June 1936 it was reported that "The Coach House itself had been decorated and new seats provided and is quite a comfortable little Theatre now."

On the 18th Dec 1936 the committee discussed 3rd party and injury Insurance and agreed to seek quotations.

In 1938 an "electric gramophone" was purchased for £18, but only after a 6 month guarantee was given!!!!!

In June 1939 came the first intimations of war; the question was raised as to what should be done with the Society's properties etc in the event of war.

Of course the war was a watershed for the society because during it Bawtry Hall was requisitioned by the war office and eventually housed the Northern HQ of Bomber Command, and Miss Peake and her family had to leave never to return. The Coach House was lost to the Society and after the war productions were held in the Church Hall.

After the war, whereas committee meetings had been held invariably in the Coach House before, now they dotted around - to The Youth Movement Hut, to the Robot Café (!), the Infants School and members houses.

The search was obviously on for a home for the Society and in the minutes of 22 January 1948 it is reported"They had been fortunate to obtain the Old Chapel on Station Road for storage and rehearsal".

The price was 8/6d per week plus electricity / rates etc. Very importantly, a formal agreement was signed between the society and Mrs Albert Marrison for the use of the Old Chapel.

Disaster struck in 1964. Fire burnt out the chapel, all the societies' properties went; the roof laths were burnt off, the slates fell in; but the roof beams and major timbers survived as load bearing, and hold up the roof of the auditorium today - although a little charred!!

A play that was in rehearsal "Friends and Neighbours" appropriately enough was put on with the help of other Drama groups at Tickhill/Lound and Bircotes School.

No other plays were put on for two years while repairs were made and funds replenished.

In 1971 a new danger arose that threatened use of the Chapel - the building was nearly sold from under the society but the purchase was eventually secured for BADS, based on the agreement made with Mrs Marison - a decision of extreme foresight by the officers of the time.

By the late 70's early 80's, the task of rehearsing in the Chapel and transferring productions to the Church Hall was proving too restricting and it was decided to add a stage to the Chapel and convert it into an auditorium. The principal mover was Colin Crossland, with a number of members putting up loan money to cover the cost of £10,000 plus. This was a massive undertaking and was carried out to Colin's design by Doncaster Community Industries - labour was free but materials had to be acquired. The country was scoured for cheap equipment; auditorium seating came from a cinema, as did the electric curtain mechanism. Carpets came from an office block in London in a dawn raid one Saturday; the Curtains themselves with the benefit of a grant from the Bawtry Council.

To allow the work to be carried out no major productions went ahead in 1982. The last play in the Church Hall was Love in a Mist and the first in the new theatre - The Phoenix Theatre - was Loves a Luxury by Paxton and Hoile early in 1983.

A Junior Members Group was established- now sadly not operating, and the members took part in Pinochio in 1984: and Puss in Boots 1989 - when the lights went out all over Bawtry one night and a performance was concluded with the aid of electric torches - said to be one of the funniest evenings on the Bawtry stage.

In 1987 we celebrated our 100th Production, Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. ¾ different sets, using mainly curtains.