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                  STANWICK CLUB

 

The article below looks at the first year in the Club’s History.

 

The Working Men’s Club and Institute Union was established in 1862 in an attempt to give the working man an alternative to spending his leisure time in the inns and public houses of the day.  At the time it was thought that working men, without the distraction of alcohol would benefit from these clubs which would provide recreation and create informal education for its members.  The three original objectives of the Union were to provide recreation, temperance and education.

 

It soon became clear that the lack of alcohol was a stumbling block to these aims and some three years later the Union relented and introduced alcoholic drinks.  The movement then began to flourish.

 

Over the next few years many Clubs opened up and down the country and on 4 November 1899 Samuel Morris, Robinson Burton, William Coleman, Ralph Warren, Ernest Bugby, Frank Foskett and William Ham were elected as promoters of the Stanwick Working Men’s Club & Institute. 

 

Joseph Cuthbert was nominated as President with William Coleman the Vice-President.  Arthur Atkins, Joseph Foskett and William Hillson were to be trustees.  Frederick Charles was elected as Secretary, Samuel Morris as Treasurer and the Committee was completed by John Hillson, Charles Morris and Harry Coleman.  These officials were Shoe Makers, Carpenters, a Carriers Labourer, a Tailor, a Farmer and a Bricklayer.

 

The first Committee meeting was held on 16 November 1899 when members of the Catering Committee, Sports Committee and the Musical Committee were elected. 

 

The opening times of the Club were agreed as follows; Monday to Friday 6.00pm to 10.00pm, Saturday 12.00pm to 11.00pm, Sunday 10.30am to 12.30pm and 6.00pm to 10.00pm.  Applications were sought for the position of Bar Steward and Eber Bugby was offered and accepted the post at his terms of 9s 6d per week. 

 

Weekly Committee meetings were arranged to be held on Monday evenings at 7.30pm.  Ladies were to be admitted into the Club only in the event of a concert being held, and then only in the Concert Room, and by ticket.  It was resolved that no dogs would be allowed into the Club. 

 

George Wyatt’s terms of rent were accepted at £1 per month.  The Secretary was paid an annual salary of £5 with the Treasurer receiving a salary of £2 10s.  Waiters were employed for Saturday and Sunday at a rate of 4d per hour.  Committee members were paid 3d attendance per meeting and Higham Athletic Club was offered 5/- for the use of their Skittle Board.  The Concert Committee was given a budget of £1 per month.

 

In March Ernest Bugby was authorised to travel to Northampton as a delegate to the Northampton Skittle League.  He was allowed 4/- expenses and 15/- was granted for entrance fees.  A new set of skittle pins was ordered for league matches. 

 

Later in the year the Bar Stewards wage increased to 16/- on condition that the bar was kept opened as ordered by the Committee.

 

A Board was ordered for outside of the Club to denote that the Club was affiliated and it was decided to take the ‘Weekly War Special’ and the evening papers for the members.  Frames were ordered for the C.I.U. Affiliation Certificate and Subscription Sheet. 

 

In May it was agreed to rent lawns from George Wyatt ‘for the season’ up to September for the sum of 5s.  A lawn mower was purchased for £2 5s and Thomas Baxter was employed to mow the lawns.  The lawns were fenced off and the summer house was cleared out so that beer could be served from it throughout the summer.  Concerts were arranged and the lawns were used for dancing.  Admission was set at 3d. 

 

The newspaper cuttings below taken from the Rushden Echo give details of the Whit Tuesday concert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books were purchased to be let out to Club members and Leonard Hardwick was elected Librarian and given the small room upstairs to use as the library.  He was also made responsible for selling the used cigar boxes.

 

In the run up to Christmas 10s was set aside to organise a Skittle Handicap and collection boxes were set up in the Club from which 38s was received.  The Committee made the balance up to £2 of which £1 was sent to the C.I.U. Convalescent Home and the remainder divided between seven members thought to be in most need of assistance.

 

The pictures below show Receipts and Expenditure during October/November 1900