Working Men's, Sports and Social clubs

Hi, yes it is still there, there's still a lot of the people use it, the old ones who went fishing are not about anymore but I can remember a few old faces. I was the club steward there for a while. I have been going there for years, not now though, moved to the Highlands. Old Horace Alford and his son used to fish, he was on the committee

I remember this Club as it wasn't far from where I lived, There was a chap on the committee called Fred Sawrey (not sure if I've got the surname right), Norm K will remember him. Can't believe this club is gone, It was always busy in the late 70's.

I also remember it well as I was born and bred in Bourne Road which was a house belonging to the GEC. Billie Whitelaw (the actress) lived in the house before my mum and dad moved there in 1937. I was born 1940, 2 months before we were bombed and the GEC got hit, we had an incendiary through the roof and in the front garden. The sports ground as we grew up was our haven, we had all the fields, two woods, golf course, tennis, football where I played for years, as did many of the lads did that lived on the estate, some became very good players. We had yearly cricket matches between parents and kids, I have a photo of one about 1952. We had the river, it was clean then, a wonderful paddling and swim area. The railway was helped run by my ex brother in law who actually built the trains. I also used to deliver the papers to the estate, The Grange and the club, remember Jim Smith? As kids we could get pop and crisps from a window at the top of the stairs, then years later drink inside the club. I helped organise many parties and do's in the sports club and top club, where I played snooker and table tennis representing the GEC. We had top rate facilities in those days and it kept us on the straight and narrow, even our kids grew up down the club knowing that the old folks kept their eyes on them. GEC also had one of the best crown bowling Green's in the city and produced a lot of the top players in the UK, and many of the youngsters became county players. The club still survives through private enterprise but the family atmosphere has gone. Also the famous Grange is now a derelict shell.

Not sure if this has been covered, and it sounds like Dutchman's territory to me, but what is the history of The Railway Club in Spon End, and who occupied the same site prior to the club being established. I remember my dad taking me there on a Sunday lunchtime with a view from the back of what I presume to be the River Sherbourne (??).

Hi, my gran lived in Whitefriars Street, we had a lot of clubs in Whitefriars Lane. We had the Boys Club, the Polish Club, a cycling club and a volleyball club, and the new Builders Club (the old one was in Little Park Street or Much Park Street). My dad was a member and always there. We used to go to the old Builders Club to watch the turns in the concert room out the back. Happy days. We also went to the Cox Street Club. My friend Val's mum and dad used to run the Hope & Anchor.

Only just spotted this Dean, yes it is the Sherbourne. In the early 1920s the Railwayman's Institute was originally a single shop unit next to the Malt Shovel occupied by someone called Castledine who described himself as a hairdreser and china dealer. It later expanded to the rear of the premises and four shop units in front were rented separately. In the 1960s I remember them being occupied by Beesley's Modeldrome, a butchers shop and a gents outfitters. The club has since gradually taken over the shop frontages again for their own use and radically altered their apprearance.

In the mid 1920s, Godiva Harriers under the guidance of trainer Collingbourne, used the club for gym sessions in the winter. They later moved to the Rising Sun when club secretary and licensee built a gym upstairs.

On the snooker front, I remember watching Ray Reardon and Fred Davis playing on the top floor of the Dunlop Social Club (just demolished), Holbrook Lane, in the 70's with Sidney Lee reffing

It's wonderful for me to find this site and read these discussions on working men's clubs. I've been researching and writing about them in my spare time for many years now. I started off my endeavours just wanting to write about my own club I grew with the Canley Social in Marler Road, then decided to find out about all of Coventry's clubs (there used to be so many!) and in the end wrote a book about the club movement across the country (Not just Beer and Bingo! A social history of working men's clubs). I still plan to write about Coventry's clubs and am working on the history of the Canley Social. Though it's been very sad doing the latter now since it was so shockingly burnt down. Seeing it the next day broke my heart. I was in bits, a bit of my heart was ripped out seeing it like that. I lived just across the street from that club till I left home and Coventry but it was still very much 'our' club. Such strong links to my own family and also the local community. I shall persevere with my aim to write about Canley and other clubs so maybe I can include some of the great memories posted here. I run a website dedicated to clubs and some of Cov's are there- The Radford, Canley Social, Hen Lane, Coombe Social. Coventry WMC. The site is www.clubhistorians.co.uk. More memories are welcome! I shall post some things up here in the near future but will read through everything here and enjoy all these memories and experiences.

Also- Tile Hill Social features in both my book and website an,other club now lost (houses/flats being built on the site) plus the Barras Green, Stoke ExServicemen's, Green Lane club and other. Would be interested in hearing from readers on this site about all of these and other clubs!

Hi & welcome, RLCherrington Thank you for your posts. I have played with a band, in several of the clubs & pubs mentioned. Happy days.

I was a member of the Coundon Club 40 years ago for a number of years. Is it still going?

Hi Phil, which band did you play in? We all used to love the bands and there was plenty of work in the clubs back in the day!

I think Coundon is still going but I may be wrong. If anyone has any information would be good to know. I am losing count of clubs that have now gone.

I'm sure the Westwood Heath Club is still going where I use to go with my dad years ago. The AEU Club, Foleshill Road, is now the Bishopgate, another club the Jag & Daimler which I used to go as a child. Coronation Club, Bennetts Road, Keresley, also Keresley Colliery Club which has now gone too. Also Arley Miners Welfare Club that burned down last I knew.