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The news this week...
100 years ago
CONSERVATIVES in Berkhamsted and Northchurch held a meeting this week attended by Miss Calthrop of the Tariff Reform Association.
The Gazette reported: “The members of the Women's Branch of the Berkhamsted and Northchurch Unionist and Conservative Association held a splendid meeting at the Sessions Hall last week.”
Miss Calthrop went on to explain the details of Tariff Reform and how valuable it was to the nation, and also said how pleased she was to be addressing an audience of women.
She said: “I strongly believe in the political work of women, of which I have had long experience.”
Following the meeting one Berkhamsted lady composed a skit on a Lewis Carroll poem, on the subject of Tariff Reform (which involved the imposition of taxes on imports).
The first two verses of the poem read:
“He thought he saw a factory, That didn't seem to thrive,
He looked again and saw it was as busy as a hive.
“‘The Germans won't like that,' he said,
‘Tariff Reform's alive!'
“He thought he saw a little loaf, behind the tariff wall, he looked again and saw it was, employment for them all.
‘There's lots of wages there,' he said ‘it makes free trade look small!'”
1956 50 years ago
A ROAD Patrol Officer in Hemel Hempstead resigned this week to highlight to traffic dangers in the town.
A report read: “To draw attention to the need for greater precautions to be taken to protect children from being injured on the roads when leaving school, and because he feels that the education authorities are not taking sufficient interest in the matter a Hemel Hempstead school Road patrol officer has handed in his resignation.”
Mr J Swaine said his job, at Maylands Infant School and Maylands Junior school, was a labour of love, but that drastic action was needed to ensure child safety.
He said he was horrified to see youngsters running out into the road and said he could not be at both entrances at once.
He said: “Two years ago I suggested to the Education Committee that the only solution to the problem (unless someone is stationed at each gate) is to have one entrance gate for the two schools.
“I consider that children are in considerable danger, as this is a very busy road, and I am resigning to draw attention to the seriousness of the position.”
A WATFORD shopkeeper was fined £4 at Berkhamsted magistrates court for driving on the wrong side of the road.
A report read: “Fresh from a holiday in Spain, a Watford man could not get away from the continental rule of the road - driving on the right. Unfortunately he seriously inconvenienced a police officer out in a private car.”
The offence occurred in Leverstock Green when the man over took a stationary car and began driving down the wrong side of the road - straight towards a policeman.
TWENTY-FIVE years before requesting public help to continue, (See 25 years ago, below), Warners End Youth Club was seeking assistance to get started.
The Gazette reported: “It is hoped to form a Warners End Youth Club to fill an urgent need in that area. One of the main problems is lack of funds for essential equipment.”
1981 25 years ago
A LONG-ESTABLISHED Hemel Hempstead Youth Club was facing closure if it could not raise £12,000 in 12 months.
The Gazette reported: “Warners End Youth Club, starting a desperate fight to stay open, is appealing for some ‘go-ahead dynamo types capable of fund-raising.
“The Dacorum District Council, which leases the converted garage block to a management committee, has asked for an expensive improvement scheme to be carried out.”
The clubs flimsy walls had made it a frequent target for vandals.
Youth Worker Don Garnham said: “The youth club building is in a state of dilapidation and we get frequent break-ins. It seems that if they can't get in by the fire exit they simply kick a hole in the walls. We suspect that some of the culprits may be older kids who no longer belong to the club.”
The club were hoping to attract fundraisers to help them meet the bill for improvement works.
NASH Mills Village Hall was suffering from a rat invasion this week.
A report read: “At the last count 13 rats, big and small, were spotted by Herbert Barrow, chairman of the village hall association.
Mr Barrow said: “People are frightened. Someone said they had seen two rats run across the stage.”
Pest control at Three Rivers District Council was sent to investigate the problem and initially believed the rats were attracted to the dustbins, leading to the village hall association spending £100 on a new high standing bin.
But the rats came back.
Mr Barrow added: “I'm just at my wits end with people complaining to me. We've had rats every now and again, but never anything like this. This is a proper invasion!”
THE Alford Arms held its official re-opening this week with shire horses, a brewer's dray, a boar's head and traditional costumes.
More than 60 invited guests came along to wish Landlord Martin Winship and his wife Maggie luck as they took over the running of the popular Frithsden watering hole.
Heritage Special
A Gentlemen's Club is no secret, but a hidden gem with a history
by Pete Bennett
pete.bennett@ccnltd.com
A HEMEL Hempstead club that helped in the formation of the local library is looking back on its 167 year history and seeking new members to carry on its traditions.
The Hemel Hempstead Club is a gentlemen's club based in the Grade Two listed building, The Old House, on the corner of Queensway, that also houses the newly opened Greek Restaurant.
Despite its understated location in the upstairs rooms of the building, the club has had a strong influence in the development of the town and its educational and leisure facilities.
Cliff Randall, a committee member at the club said many people were unaware the club was even there.
He said :”We're not really known by most people in Hemel and with the new restaurant opening we thought it would be a good idea to let people know we're here.
“I would think there's also very few people who recognise the impact the club has had on the town. I think it makes for very interesting reading.”
Formed in 1839 as the Hemel Hempstead Mechanics Institute, the club was one of many “mechanics institutes” formed across the country to help promote education among working people.
The club set up its own small library, apparently in a room of a house owned by one of the founder members, and began giving lectures on subjects of interest to the population.
One of the rules of the club stated its aims as: “The promotion of the arts and sciences, having for its object the cultivation of experimental, natural and moral philosophy and of useful knowledge generally, avoiding politics and controversial divinity.”
By 1850 there were more than 600 similar clubs across the country with more than 100,000 members, despite opposition from the church, who disagreed with the need to educate working men.
In 1857 a reading room was opened at the Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead and the club moved into rooms there.
Many people in Hemel Hempstead signed up to the club to gain access to the books and other clubs sprang up in Berkhamsted, Tring, Kings Langley and Potten End, eventually gaining the acceptance of the church.
In the 1890s the club began to call for the establishment of a new free library in the town, but it would be another 30 years before the Herts Library Service was inaugurated.
In 1908 the club moved to premises on the High Street and changed its name to the Hemel Hempstead Institute and Club, adding billiards tables to the reading room.
After the First World War the club moved again to the Georgian-style Old House, becoming a social club for men and women. The club had two acres of grounds, with tea garden, tennis courts, bowling green and croquet lawn.
Much of the labour in creating the outside facilities was carried out by German prisoners of war.
The club catered for the whole family and by the mid 20s it boasted more than 650 members including children.
Slowly the number of members reduced and land around the property was sold off.
In 1930 the club decided to become a men-only establishment and the name changed once more to the Hemel Hempstead Club.
The lower floor was let out but the upper floors continue to offer a bar, reading room and games facilities.
Mr Randall said: “We still have the reading room and it has been upgraded so there's a video library too. Members come down maybe once a week and on the weekends we open up to ladies as well.
“As times changed and membership has dropped they have sold off bits, but we still have a good games room and room for around 300 members.”
The outside of the building was given a facelift in 2001 and with the opening of the new restaurant, now looks even more impressive.
Mr Randall added: “We're now going to refurbish the interior, that's the plan for the next few months. It's still a nice place to come and relax and it has an interesting history.”
To find out more about the club and how to join contact them on 01442 242380. |
