Our Brentwood history columnist Sylvia Kent reminisces about the great post-war vinification rage and the glittering Winemakers' Ball.
Readers with good memories may recollect the great wine-making trend that started in Britain after World War Two.
Many were grateful to Reginald Maudling - then chancellor of the exchequer - on April 3,1963 when he abolished excise restrictions on brewing beer at home.
No longer was it necessary to have a private brewer’s licence or to pay duty on the beer you produced.
Already Women's Institute (WI) members were adept at making their own wine, but it was illegal to sell.
Like many fads, fermenting your own fruit and veg certainly caught the imagination of many households, particularly in Romford (famous for its Ind Coope Brewery) and members of the Brentwood Amateur Winemakers club.
It was in the mid-60s that Brentwood-based Bill George and his friends founded their club.
With sugar un-rationed and plentiful, the hobby grew rapidly across the UK and the Essex Federation of Winemakers expanded, with more than 50 circles springing up in the county.
Before long, sales of demi-johns, siphons, yeast cultures, juice-press equipment and, of course, the essential bags of sugar, increased.
Wine-making supply shops opened in Brentwood with an excellent store in Romford Market, where the specialist magazine Winemaker and Home Brewer was sold.
Brentwood Amateur Winemakers membership grew, as did their team of crack beer and winemakers who began winning top awards at competitive shows.
Suddenly, those garden sheds held more than the lawnmower, taking on the appearance of mini-wineries.
Next job was to find local halls where enthusiasts could meet. Various venues were hired and so began a programme of specialist wine experts and craftsmen ready to give tips on creating excellent wines.
The committee organised coaches to vineyards and beer cellars and there were trips overseas to wine-making countries.
As the Christmas season approached, the Brentwood Amateur Winemakers began making arrangements for the festive season.
This was the time of the Winemakers’ Ball and the hunt was on to find the largest hall in Brentwood.
Eventually, the huge Keys Hall at Warley - one of Brentwood’s largest venues with its amazingly high ceiling and superb dance floor with seating for more than 200 - was chosen.
It had served the Warley Barracks as their gymnasium, and had for a time been under threat of demolition along with the whole barracks in l960.
Miraculously Keys Hall escaped, along with its neighbour, the beautiful Regimental Chapel.
As we now know, this was to be the site of the famous Ford Motor Company’s epic European Headquarters, which opened its doors in August 1964.
Came the day of the first Brentwood Winemakers' Ball – committee members turned up to decorate Keys Hall for the ticket-holders, many of whom had applied from other wine-making clubs. There was even a waiting list!
Members and guests queued to enter the hall, carrying their wine baskets containing sparkling wine bottles, glasses and above all enthusiasm, eager to sample each other’s best efforts.
Dancing, singing and tastings went on until midnight, recipes were exchanged, friendships were made and that special Christmas Wassail Spirit was enjoyed by us all.
Keys Hall is still a wonderful venue.
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