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The Youth Club

Di.Poppitt

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The Youth Club I went to was at Kynochs, later ICI. We had our own hut, which was down a long drive and just outside the gates at the Perry Barr end of the factory. Kynocks was my world in the 50's, I worked there and played there.

Every Monday and Thursday night we had our club nights. We paid a sub, which went towards the running costs.There was a record player and the committee always managed to buy all the latest records, and we bopped till we dropped. There was a billiard table, very popular with the lads, and strangely a set of drums.

We had the occasional trips with the football team to away matches, and there was always a dance at night. We girls got quite good at cleaning the mud from our stilletto's and dolling ourselves up after the match.

We had the Youth Club Dance, which was held in the sports pavillion, always on a Saturday night, and so had to end at midnight. We weren't allowed alcohol so the popular drink was Orange Special. It was orange squash, lemonade and soda water - I still make a jug of it on a hot summer day.

The big event of the year was the Summer Camp, at Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire. When we arrived the tents were already pitched, girls in one field lads in another, but we had to fill our palliases with straw. Then we unpacked our kit and hung everything on the tent pole. We used to put our trousers under the palliases to try to get the creases out. We must have looked pretty grim by the end of the fornight.

We were always there during what was then know as Works Holiday, last week in July, first in August. The farmers were harvesting so some of the lads would help, and they were given perry, cider made with pears, by one of the farmers. We were among hop fields and orchards, so the perry was home brewed and absolutely lethal. None of the lads were used to drink and when one of them had a bit too much everbody coverd up for him. If the camp 'Officials' found out the offender would have been sent home.
We had our food cooked for us on open fires, and alwasy finished the day round the fire drinking mugs of cocoa.

Very happy and innocent days. I hope these clubs survive today, although I don't know of any in this area.
 
Are there any members of the Yardley Old Church 13 youth club from 1951 to 1958 still out there?
Bodge
 
Hi Bodge..I remember the 13 club at Yardley Old Church..When I first attended it was held in the Trust School building at the side of the Church..then moved to a new building across the Church yard...I think it was in the early 60s The club leader was a mr Packham.
 
Hi Rob, thanks for your reply,Ihad some great times at the club.Special memories were the annual camp at Lowestoft organised by the vicar, a chap called Crowson.He used to appear on television doing the late night slot. His son went to Oxford university, he had a superb little Morris 8 open tourer, which we were all in awe of! We used to meet in the church rooms after the Sunday evening service.The church was always packed out,not like our local church now sadly
Toodlepip
Bodge
We ended up in the
Ring O Bells a fter that!
 
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Are there any members of the Yardley Old Church 13 youth club from 1951 to 1958 still out there?
Bodge
My wife was a member in mid 50's. She remembers fencing lessons and she insists one of the leaders was called Miss Fitt, could this be so?
 
Hi Devonjim
Cant say I remember a Miss Fitt,however my memory isnt as good as it was.
My contemparies were the likes of john reg ian andtony x, who won some quiz game on tv and bought a triumph tr3 to the envy of the rest of us!
Toodlepip
Bodge
ps
missfit, ha ha good joke!
 
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Youre a bit slow with the repliesThere must be at least two old members.
I picked up at least one bad habit from the club and that was smoking,either a pipe or cigarettes.It took me about 20 years to kick the habit.We must have looked quite funny walking around with a pipe stuck in our heads.We all thought we were the bees knees! That pipesmoke used to certainly burn your tongue.What it did to your breath god only knows, im surprised the girls had anything to do with us and they were all great girls!
Bodge
 
I had to smile at your comment Bodger, about slow replies. You re-activated a thread started fourteen years ago in 2004. ;)
 
Thanks Alan,Lets hope it kick-starts something! Canon Crowson used to smoke, I seem to remember.He eventually left Yardley and went to work as a vicar for the diplomatic service in Greece where he died prematurely.
Toodlepip
Bodge
 
Friday nights were our club nights.Some of the lads formed a skiffle group with the old tea chest used as a double bass and of course washboard and guitars.They were quite tuneful!
There was a little cafe we used just up the road fromthe church towards the yew tree.We had tabletennis at the club and of course records, the most popular were Lonnie Donnegon.We used to play tennis on the courts in the little park next door to the church.I used to be member of The Coop Sports Club in Barrows lane.Are there any members of the Vera rd and Patrick rd Association around We used to have regular dances at Cockshutt Hill school on Saturday nights once a month I think.
Toodlepip
Bodge
 
I used to go to the Lyndon youth club in Daylesford Road Solihull in the 60s, at Lyndon School anybody else remember it.
 
I used to go to the Lyndon youth club in Daylesford Road Solihull in the 60s, at Lyndon School anybody else remember it.

Hi Elmdon boy, no sorry but I went just down the road to Hatchford Brook youth Club in the 60's, not far from your club.
 
Hi Wendylee.
Yes I remember Hatchford Brook youth club, I used to live in Jillcot Rd just round the corner.
I remember it being built, but when I left school in 1965 im sure it wasn't there and my nearest was Lyndon as that was also my school.
It was right next to the parade of shops in Hatchford Brook Rd. There was a record shop in the parade which I bought my first single from with my paper round money. Runaround Sue by Dion and the Belmonts. Also remember the sweet shop opposite the youth club, the hardwear store on the corner of Valley Rd, and Jobes the cycle shop.
 
Hi Wendylee.
Yes I remember Hatchford Brook youth club, I used to live in Jillcot Rd just round the corner.
I remember it being built, but when I left school in 1965 im sure it wasn't there and my nearest was Lyndon as that was also my school.
It was right next to the parade of shops in Hatchford Brook Rd. There was a record shop in the parade which I bought my first single from with my paper round money. Runaround Sue by Dion and the Belmonts. Also remember the sweet shop opposite the youth club, the hardwear store on the corner of Valley Rd, and Jobes the cycle shop.

I started going in 1967 just after I left school and started work, with a new friend, it maybe have just been built, not sure.
I have google mapped it and the building is still there. Happy memories.
 
Are there any members of the Yardley Old Church 13 youth club from 1951 to 1958 still out there?
Bodge
Yes! Are you David Bodger ex George Dixon's? If so, I remember you and think we may have gone cycling together. I remember dozens of names from that time - and would love to catch up with anyone.
Tony Moore.
 
antonym you may find some old chums on the george dixon thread...it is a very long thread so advise you start reading from post 1...click on link below

lyn

 
My wife was a member in mid 50's. She remembers fencing lessons and she insists one of the leaders was called Miss Fitt, could this be so?
I remember Miss Fitt and her fencing lessons. What was your wife's maiden name?

Antonym (Tony Moore)
 
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