Marsden Socialist Club
Marsden Socialist Club
 |
| Victor Grayson, MP |
Over 100 years
later and the club is still going strong but there is little or no written
history of the club.
An article in The
Examiner Live gives some memories from members in 2011 –
Neil Kewley joined the club as a young lad and has
been on the club committee all of his adult life. He told of memories of his mother, and
brother who were both Labour councillors, and their involvement with the
Marsden Club.
“One of my
earliest memories of the club was on election days when it would be heaving.
They used to go down the polling list and see who in the village hadn’t voted
and then we would run and knock on their doors and send them down to vote.”
The club had been a lot more active politically
then and actively encouraged young people to become involved in the club and
politics. It was the only club in Marsden that was legally allowed to serve 16
year olds. Neil told the Examiner
“The
tables were laid out and in those days it was more of a canteen fashion with
regimented rows of chairs.”
Another member Colin Perry joined the club in the
early 1960s after moving to the village and being told about the club.
“It was just a good atmosphere and being a
bit of a socialist I thought it was a good idea,” he said.
In 1929 the club had extensive alterations to the
gable. On the initial plans this would
have added a second floor providing a general meeting room, but for some unknown
reason only the ground floor was extended.
June Leonard became a member of the club when she
was 18 already being familiar with it due to her father being involved with the
club. She told the Examiner how she
went to the club nearly every Saturday evening, getting there around 7pm to
ensure a good seat because it was so popular.
She described it as being “homely” with fundraisers held for community
causes and children’s parties.
