Working Men's, Sports and Social clubs

Westwood Club My grandfather was made a life member in the 1950s (he joined when moving to Gibbet Hill Road in 1913) but being a contankerous old man he gave his membership up when it was opened to families

My dad was a member at Canley, before that Westwood (is that the same as the "William and Mary Club"?) and I remember going to Lime Tree Club with him and mum. There is also Eastern Green which has been going for several years from a rather old building. I will have a look at the website sounds interesting.

The Westwood Club and Reading Room was a different club to the William and Mary one which was on the other side of the road. We used to go to the Westwood sometimes for a change from Canley but there were no buses going down there then so it depended on getting a lift. Before Mitchell Ave was extended onto Westwood Heath Road, you had to go all the way round, a long walk! But it was a nice club, still is I believe. Lime Tree was also another one our family went to sometimes, used to walk under the bridge on Wolfe road and along Torrington. It is still going, one of the few that is. In the clubs heyday there were around 60 clubs in Coventry with around 40 of them CIU affiliated. Less than half that number now. That decline is replicated across the country.

From the top of Wolfe Road there used to be a footpath through the edge of Ten Shilling Wood and then keeping the hedge to your right a footpath all the way through to Westwood Heath Road. Not sure you can still go through the wood, maps say it's a Nature Reserve and I guess it would come out somewhere in the Westwood business park

I remember that footpath though been many years since I trod it. Probably now, as you say, would lead to the Business Park which wasn't there as I was growing up. The countryside was just on our doorstep then! There was a farm, with cows grazing. It's quite built up now and the University as spread so much over that part of the land.

Just read on facebook that the Coachmakers club on the Radford Road is closing, does anyone knkw anything about this ?

Yes I can confirm to you that the Coachmakers Club will close officially on the 15th June. It will stay open next week for 4 functions that are booked and then close on Sunday.

Very sad to hear that. I think it's been struggling as many others have. Another old club lost, all that history and heritage. Why doesn't Cov council recognise the importance of such places and try to help them out a bit? There must be only about 15 clubs now left around the city. This is terrible news.

I trod that footpath a thousand times to come out on Westwood Heath Road (which I live nearby now) to go to the Coventry Radiator sportsfield, a company that my grandfather, father and I worked at from the 40s thru to 1987.

The Coachmakers Club in the late 60s had a great football team, tried out for them but alas not good enough! A welder I used to work with practically lived there, his name was Mick Grant.

My parents used to go to the 'Coombe Working men's Club', there were some great musical nights to be had, a lot of very good singers, the Welsh were well represented and the Irish, also a few Italians (were they POWs or ex POWs) plus what seemed to me at the time a gigantic snooker table in the bar.

1921 Balance Sheet of Coventry Foremans Club which changed to The Quadrant Club

Hi. I spent many of my younger years at the Ex-Servicemen's Club, formally The Cottage I believe? Does anyone have a photo of the original club building? Regards, David

David - have a look at post #48

Many of you will remember the Canley Social Club, Marler Road. It was our local club and right across the street from our house. It's been there all my life but now is no more - was demolished in April. To keep some of the memories alive I've put together a slide show. I hope you enjoy it and it brings back happy memories (though not the very sad and undignified ending of course). Canley Social Club in Pictures