come to our NAAFI open day tomorrow! – 13th September

The Trust is holding a NAAFI open day at Roman Circus House tomorrow (13th September), as part of the national Heritage Open Days event. Roman Circus house was built in 1937 as the NAAFI of the Artillery (Le Cateau Barracks) in Colchester’s old garrison. The barracks dining hall next door was built in 1935. Both buildings were constructed as part of the national drive to recruit men into the Services, in the build-up to WW2, by improving their conditions. The garrison NAAFI club was built up the road in 1947, so our NAAFI open day has the theme of 1937-1947. The building was a bit of a wreck when we moved in, in 2012, and it has undergone a major renovation programme.

Come to our NAAFI day tomorrow, 10.30am-4.30pm, and talk to the Trust’s renovation volunteers about the renovation. The cafe will be open, with some 1937 music and a special retro. menu of meat and potato pie, corned beef hash, treacle tart, bread pudding and jam tarts. You will be free to explore the ground-floor public rooms of the NAAFI, and see our small exhibition, and you can also join our hourly guided tours of the whole building. There is a new slideshow of images of Sergeant Jim Goodman who was stationed in these barracks in 1937. You can also enjoy looking at some vintage military vehicles, which will be on display here with their owners, and follow our new trail of the former Artillery Barracks.

With many thanks to Don Goodman, Sergeant Goodman’s son.

The images show Roman Circus House today, decorated with Heritage Open Day bunting and poster ready for tomorrow, and Sergeant Goodman with his horse at Colchester in the 1930s.

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