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LOCAL LINKS OF
INTEREST
Other sites of interest:
O/W Lifeguards
Herne
Bay Club
Ancient Windsor
Royal Windsor Web Site
Old Windsor Parish
Council
Hobbies
OldWindsor
Football Club
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History
How it all started :-
 
1919
1881
The first mention of a Working Men’s Club in Old Windsor was
recorded in the Parish Magazine of February 1881 and her Majesty’s
Commissioners of Woods had “definitely agreed to let a desired piece of land
for the purpose of an iron building to be erected as soon as possible”,
generously donated by Colonel Follet. The first ever meeting of the club, or
institute, as it was sometimes known, was on 27th February to form a
working committee of 12. Colonel
Follet was unanimously elected president and the vicar and Mr F. Ricardo, Vice
Presidents. The Official opening of the Working Men’s Institute was on the 25th
of May1881 by Lady Julia and Colonel Follet.
May 1882
The club continued to flourish and the
accounts for the year showed a profit of £9.00.
November 1883
A
concert was held in the Institute consisting of ventriloquism, mimicry, duets
and a recitation of “The Dream of Eugene Aram” was performed by Mr Freeman.
1919
A Licence to sell intoxicating liquor was
granted. Also a nissen hut was bought from the Army at Salisbury Plain and
joined on to the main building.
1920
A lending library was started with Mr Franklin as librarian.
1921
The club committee decided to join the Club and Institute Union and
purchase shares worth £1.00 in the club movement.
1926
The Old Windsor Boxing Club held many boxing competitions and was well
supported by members.
1938
Plans were drawn up for a new brick building.
1939
With the outbreak of the war, the new building was not started. The
steward of the club was Mr Norman Butler on a wage of £2.00 per week.
1941-1945
Many of the members were in the armed forces and the
steward was Mr W.Nicholls.The club was used by many organisations during the
war, as an overflow school for evacuee children, A.R.P. lectures, ante-natal
clinic, The British Legion, a Catholic Church on Sunday mornings and later, a
doctor’s surgery,
Mrs Nicholls took over as stewardess. After the war the NAAFI
organisation donated some money towards club funds.
1956
MrA.G.Eymor took over as club steward. A new floor was installed in the
hall.
1959
The club seemed to be on
the decline and Mr W.E. Ellis the club president, called a special meeting to
ask members to rally round and decide what to do. A new committee was formed
with younger committee members being elected to serve with the older generation.
Volunteer painters and decorators from the committee gave the club a face lift
and two sixpenny fruit machines were installed.
1963
The committee proposed plans to be drawn up for the new
brick
building.
1965
A new crown lease was applied for, as the existing lease had expired
1967
Plans of the new club building were shown to the committee and an offer
of help came from Thomas Wethered and
Son. Of Marlow.
1968
The old club premises closed on Wednesday the 28th August and
the footings were laid for the new building in St Luke’s Road.
1969
On 12th
July the new building opened it’s doors to
the members and on Wednesday 1st October the club was officially
opened by Mr B.G.W Boyer MP. A Director of Thomas Wethered and Son.
1970
22nd May His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh made an
informal visit to the club, where he was welcomed by the club president Major
J.O.K/ Purdy and Sir George Bellow, he was introduced to the officers and
committee and their wives and met many of the members.
1971
A colour TV was installed for sports programmes
and bench seating was installed in the concert hall.
1973
The club was presented with a royal portrait of
Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh from
Windsor
Castle
.
1974
A new lift was installed to carry crates and
bottles from the cellar to the bar. 50 year membership awards were implemented
by the committee and presentations took place to Messrs G.Giles
H.Best A.G.Eymor and
S.D.Arnold
1975
Plans were drawn up for a joint car park scheme
and a new porchway on the main door of the club.
1977
A gun and Rifle section was started, The lounge
was redecorated. A letter was
received from Buckingham Palace on behalf of Her Majesty the
Queen thanking the officers, committee and members for the loyal greetings and
congratulations on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee Year. All the member's
children were given a Silver Jubilee coin.
1978
A door keeper's office and cloakroom was installed and
bench seating was installed in the lounge and new chairs installed to match the
door.
1979
12th July
The new club building was
10 years old. A new bar, susoended ceiling was installed and a new car park
fence was erected.
1980
A Centenary committee was
formed to organise events for the centenary of the club. Thre tables and bench
seats were purchased and located in the front outside area of the club. A bar
footrest was installed.
1980
So we reached the 25th May
and were 100 years old.
THE OLD
WINDSOR CLUB Ltd.
CIRCA 2008 (another 28 years on)
Just a few
short notes to remind members, (provided by Keith Watson) on the
subject of the club transferring into the INDUSTRIAL AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY.
At the AGM
of 2006 it was pointed out that Keith Watson as Chairman and Trustee of the club
at that time, was
responsible for the actions of the club, a point in mind was his being called
upon, as an individual, for dealing with the appeal against the Planning
Inspectorate's decision for the club to remove the air conditioning ducting from
the outside of the building under the Town and Country Planning Act (this
appeal was dated year 2005 and was rejected). It was agreed at the AGM that one
person should not have to carry this responsibility so, on advice from the C.I.U.
it was decided to leave the registration under the Friendly Society and apply
to join the I. & P. S.
This action,
it is now understood, has taken place now and that we have received the
new Club Seal and all members should receive a copy of the new rule book
in the near future.
Changes
arising consist of:-
(a) No
Trustees are
required,
(b) Secretary not required to notify Magistrates court
(c) Club
Members will be
shareholders
(d) A New
Club Seal will be required,
(e) New Rule
Books to be
Printed,
(f) The club will remain affiliated to the C.I.U.
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