Your club stories
The first of our stories covers the childhood club memories of Estelle McFarlane - a fascinating insight into club life linked to the family. This story is in MP3 audio format .
Worksop’s Ivor Biggun contributed this slightly rude ode to the annals of club history quite some time ago. The charabanc trip.
Another ditty, this time by J R Booker, the Bard of Bolsover. He looks at how some clubs may be being left behind by the growth of the Internet. Ron Webb’s Height
The duo Carry on Cabaret have managed to keep the memory of the cockle man alive and included him in their act The Cockle Man
Stories from John - some humorous yet often poignant reminiscences from a life long club member from South Yorkshire.
The Bard of Bolsover poses a few potential problems for politicians with this offering - A Partly Political Broadcast.
Mark Ellis, a club performer from Normanton, West Yorkshire, has kindly agreed to share some his fabulous collection of club photos and stories which he has collected over the years.
A short feature covering the use of club function rooms - Room for hire
Jim Scott from the North East of England has dedicated quite some time in capturing images of notable architecture from his area - Jim Scott’s Notable Architecture
Kids in Clubs - Remembering childhood experiences. Our readers remember being taken to clubs as children, with many happy memories although some times the club experience was a bit overwhelming!
This very personal, sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, account from John in Darlington brings in many aspects of club life. John’s story
Darren Lack, a committee member at New Houghton WMC near to Mansfield has sent us some interesting notes about his club. It seems that this is another club currently battling to survive but Darren and his friends on the committee are determined that the club will once again will be the main focus of the village - at the heart of the local community.
(Note from the web fella: I used to enjoy the odd pint in New Houghton club with my late father-in-law Joe Shepherd. Joe was quite well known in the Pleasley and New Houghton area for his skills on the snooker table. I remember that he regularly used to win the Christmas handicaps at several of the local clubs - and he and Daisy used to enjoy their Christmas dinner at the club.)
June Fleetwood (nee Rainbow) is researching her family history and recalls her father telling her about his father and brothers who were club performers on the Leicester club circuit. Her grandfather Thomas RAINBOW had an act consisting of fiddle-playing & tap-dancing. Click here
Michael Fisher - A few humorous tales from retired entertainer Michael Fisher
Matthew Jackson, now a PhD student at the University of Warwick, recalls here a few of his memories of working at Bardeswell Social Club in Brentwood, Essex. It’s a wonderful slice of memory and portrays some of the members so well. Club barstaff
Jim Pratt who lives in Portland, Oregon shares the story of his American father Harley 'courting' local Leicester girl Eileen Scupham. He also scanned his father's CIU club documents. The story and the scans are all a rare treat indeed and, of course, of great interest to Club Historians. Jim Pratt
