LOCAL LINKS OF INTEREST

Other sites of interest:

O/W Lifeguards

Herne Bay Club

Ancient Windsor

Royal Windsor Web Site

Old Windsor Parish Council

Old Windsor Rifle & Pistol Club

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 27^th 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 25^th 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 28^th August and the footings were laid for the new building in St Luke’s Road.

    1969  On 12^th July the new building opened it’s doors to the members and on Wednesday 1^st October the club was officially opened by Mr B.G.W Boyer MP. A Director of Thomas Wethered and Son.

       1970 22^nd 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.