Working Men's, Sports and Social clubs

Hi. We at the Albany Social Club are trying to compile an online archive to showcase the history of the club. If you know of anyone with photos of the club, the members or any events at or involving club members, could you share them by pdf or scan at all? We would be most grateful. Best wishes Claudie

Two things to help with, our family lived in Newcombe Road, Earlsdon, and have had a long association with the Albany Club. My uncle Ron Stansfield, aged 93, held membership number 1, my other uncle Ron Durrans was social secretary for several years in the 1950s and I played for the Albany football team for some years under Harry Hales.

Did Harry Hales have a brother Joe?

Is the Albany Club directly opposite the Albany pub over the other side of the Albany Road by the Railway Bank still trading?

I think you may mean The Spencer Club, which is no longer open The Albany Club, which is in Earlsdon Street, is still running

Thanks MR, I don't know why for some reason I had got those two confused as well There's a history of the Albany Club (with some interesting photos) on their website Albany Club

I hope the collection of historic documents going well Claudie for the Albany Club. Pleased that it's still going strong, one of the few clubs left now in Coventry. Keep us updated on your efforts!

I wrote something about the Coombe Social back in 2008, they were celebrating their 75th anniversary. It's on my website Club Historians and also appears in my book as well as other Coventry clubs. Coombe Social was very much a miners club in its early days being near the colleries in Cov.

Hi everyone. I was born in Caludon Road and my mum and dad spent a lot of time down Stoke Ex-Servicemen's Club in Clay Lane. I spent a lot of my younger years down there and I have been searching for a long time for a photograph of the club when it was the original big house called THE COTTAGE - any help would be appreciated. The club used the original interior of the building as its club before they had alterations which demolished the earlier old building. Cheers, David

Anyone any ideas what the 'Sports and Social Centre ' was in the Holyhead Road and whereabouts was it in the road? What was the organisation behind it? I have a date reference of 1945.

It looks like it was here, read on: 30 October 1943 - Coventry Standard - Coventry, West Midlands, England. Full article as follows. Coventry Sports and Social Centre. To be opened by American visitor. The opening ceremony of the Coventry Sports and Social Centre, 64, Holyhead Road, is to be performed next Saturday by Mr Fred Hoehler a past president of the American Conference of Social Work. American labour organisations contributed £1,000 towards the cost of renovation, and equipment of the centre. Mr Hoehler is on a special mission in this country on behalf united States government in connection with post-war relief and rehabilitation of the enemy occupied countries. He is the former director of the United States Public Welfare Association. The Mayor is to preside and among the speakers will be a representative of the Ministry of labour. The centre has 24 well equipped rooms with a library and a theatre. It was opened in August, has now more than 500 members, including many transferred workers. The warden is Mr W J Cox (organising secretary of Coventry sports and Social Association). It is hoped to provide similar centres in various parts of the city.

Some more Coventry Evening Telegraph - Friday 25 June 1943 BOLD IDEAS BEHIND NEW SOCIAL CENTRE FOR CITY WORKERS PREPARATIONS are almost complete for turning St. John's Church House, 64, Holyhead Road, into a new social centre for Coventry workers. The work is being carried out under the auspices of the Coventry Sports and Social Association, which is extending its influence to take in a steadily increasing number of cultural interests. It is anticipated that this Centre will, in the words of the organising secretary (Mr. W. J. Cox), "become a permanent feature in the social life of Coventry as the home of a wide variety of human activities, from educational classes to ballroom dancing, from a make-and-mend group to an amateur orchestra, from drama to keep-fit classes, from choral groups to an art exhibition - in other words, a communal focal point for the rich social life of a progressive city." MAIN AMENITIES The social centre will cater for men and women over 18. They will have the use of several large lounges, writing and reading rooms, library, a laundry, sewing rooms, men's and women's bathrooms, billiards and table-tennis rooms, rehearsal and meeting rooms, and a cafe-lounge. These are all being tastefully furnished and decorated. The large assembly hall, which has dressing-rooms and a well-fitted stage, is being almost rebuilt, and will be ready for an autumn and winter season of entertainments and similar activities. All traces of damage caused to the building by air raids have vanished. GENERAL POLICY The general policy of the centre will be directed by the Management Committee, through its administrative officers, Mr. Cox and Mrs. C. Thomas (club reader), but the organisation of the various activities and groups will be in the hands of members themselves through the agencies of their own committees and sub-committees. In short, the centre will offer facilities for every kind of social activity, with home amenities that may be lacking in many of the workers' billets. Details of the scheme are being sent to welfare officers of local factories, and application forms are available at 64, Holyhead Road.

For history of the building, Harrier, take a look at this thread

"Five social clubs Coventry has loved and lost" - Telegraph article

Very sad we lost these clubs. I was particularly close in many ways to the Canley Social club having grown up across the street from it and watched it being demolished 2 years ago. I've written about such clubs on my website club historians if anyone wishes to read a bit more.