The Rushden Echo and Argus, 17th December 1954, transcribed by Gill Hollis
Club began as college for working men
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While the members enjoy themselves in the bar or the games room, the administrative work goes on behind the scenes. Here is the secretary,
Mr L Penness, keeping his books,
with president, Mr A H Ball (right)
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Oldest working men’s club in the town, Rushden Working Men’s Club, in Griffith Street, claims an unusual, if not unique origin. It started as a working men’s college.
The group of founder members who got together in 1891 included a schoolmaster from South End School, and initiated the “Rushden Working Men’s Club and College Co., Ltd.” with lectures three or four nights a week for members.
A reminder of those days is still to be found in the entrance porch to the club in the form of a notice board announcing the Company’s registered offices. Many present members, however, are unaware of the club’s unusual beginnings and have never seen the board, which is concealed when the door is open.
Still Active
Only one founder member Mr. Billy Letts, of Crabb Street, Rushden, survives. He regularly attends the club, taking an active part in various games.
A number of other members have been with the club for more than half a century and recall when every night was Saturday night and the club was always crowded.
There were traditional Christmas “feeds” then. They started one day with hot meals, carried on a second day with the meat and puddings served cold, and still left enough to make snacks on the third day for members who got in early enough.
Holiday Walks
The food was all prepared by the members themselves, with the aid of their wives.
Holiday walks were another feature. They started early in the morning and took members from Rushden to Sharnbrook, Felmersham, Radwell, Harrold, Carlton, Milton Ernest, Souldrop and back over the river to the club.
At that time beer was two-pence a pint and a day out need cost no more than a florin.
500 Members
The club, however, does not live in the past.
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Playing skittles
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Membership now approaching the 500 mark is as high as it has ever been, and there are a number of games trophies in the bar.
Prominent among these is the Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire Club Union Cricket Cup, won two seasons running. Last season, when the club needed only to win it once more to make it their own property, there was no other club willing to challenge them. So in the bar the cup remains.
With it are the “Parker” trophy, won in the annual series of tournaments with Higham Town Band Club, and the local league and knock-out cups for snooker.
An old pewter cup awarded to the winners of the Wellingborough and District Whist Association in 1914, prompts more memories of the old days, when members travelled as far as Desborough and Rothwell for matches. Less welcome as a reminder is a massive wooden spoon awarded to the club when they lost five successive matches.
The club also has a thriving fishing section. Card games and skittles are much in vogue.
The “Working Men’s” is the headquarters of the Risdene Lodge of the R.A.O.B. and several sports clubs.
President is Mr. A. H. Ball, with Mr. L. Penness as secretary and Mr. E. Betts as steward.
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