About

Built originally as a tea rooms for the foreman and managers of Howard and Bulloughs around 1895 for recreation, it originally had tennis courts as well as the bowling green, and billiard room. At that time it had no licence to sell beer or spirits. In those early years it was quite successful, the current building being built around 1900.

The whole reason it became a private club is not clear but in 1939 it became a private limited company with a twelve man /plus secretary board of directors. This is still present practice, with six members up for re election each year. It remained a mens only club until the late seventies.

I became a member of the club 55 years ogo, when there was a waiting list for members, l was vetted by the twelve-man committee, two of whom are still alive today, they being Peter Isherwood, and Roy Hindle. The steward at the time was Murdo Macualy, not sure of the spelling, and his wife Alice, (im a very good friend of their son Richard) hec was an ex Accrington police man who had great pride in the running of the club, dress code being his main trait.

The bowling teams in the seventies were very popular, l remember forming the globe D team with other new members because the A, B, C, teams had Too many members. The game quickly grew on me and l was approached to join the A team, who had become a champion challenging side in the local leagues, them being Accrington league and Harwood league.

The snooker room is one of the best in the country, and was allways very popular with the members, Friday night especially, the teams were regular members of the local leagues.

The club in the past has seen many hard times, and in the past has come close to closure, at one time having to sell its antique table and chairs from its committee room (secretaries office) to pay outstanding debts, and but for the whole committee, running the club for nothing, including the bar, it certainly would have closed. One of the main saviors of the club has been the telephone mast, of which the club got a substantial amount each year to pay the dues and demands.

Today the present committee still give their time and efforts into making the club a pleasant place to go for recreation/social purposes. It has a function room that is in demands for private gatherings, a snooker room still the best in the country, a bowling green envied by many which is always in excellent condition, thanks to its devoted greenkeepers.

I have spent many years at the club, and have been a committee man, chairman, president, barman, temporary secretary, I have made a lot of friends present and past and hope any new members of the club will enjoy their time there as much as I have.

Times have changed in the social habits of people, and the club needs your support more than anything, please use it as often as you can.

Peter Roberts
Former Chairman