South Yorkshire Times March 20th 1965
St. Alban’s, Denaby, the Lucky Club – It’s Members Who Count
Father A.G. O’Kane (left), welcomes Counc. G.Cheshire, Chairman of Conisbrough U.D.C. to the official opening on Wednesday of Denaby St Albans Club
What makes a good club? Good beer, modern décor, top class entertainment, or perhaps clean toilets? It’s not an easy question to answer, for some clubs have all these things, yet lack something; something you can’t taste, see or smell. Some clubs have it, many haven’t.
Denaby St. Alban’s Catholic Club is one of the lucky ones. You could tell that from the briefest of glances at the faces of the folk who flocked to the 43-years-old club last Wednesday for the official opening of new extensions
“There is a spirit of goodwill here for us all. You can feel that atmosphere all around us,” Denaby parish priest Father A.G. O’Kane declared as he performed the opening.
And everyone agreed. You could tell from their faces that everyone there knew St. Alban’s was a “good club”.
But that doesn’t really answer the question – what makes a club a good club?
Higher standard
The Rev. T.N. Evans, Vicar of Denaby, probably hit on part of the answer when, as a guest of the club, he said of the new development, “You are raising the standard of facilities for the whole community in Denaby Main. The whole of the community is behind you in this and wishes you well.” Indeed, one has to have a first-hand look at the St’ Alban’s club extensions to appreciate just how much they are dong to raise the “standard of facilities”. The concert room, spacious and smartly decorated, is part of the “old club”. The new development, costing about £17,000, adds a lounge or “best room”, a card room, a television room, and downstairs a youth centre, which includes sports changing facilities.
The whole affair is most impressive, from the welcoming lights illuminating the outside steps leading to the entrance, to the plush armchairs of the lounge.
Impressed
Coun. G. Cheshire, chairman of Conisbrough Urban Council, followed Mr. Evans with his opinions of St. Alban’s club. He was quite obviously impressed; and, although he didn’t say so, Coun. Cheshire was, judging by his comments, especially impressed by the club’s new youth centre, where a new youth club is to be formed.
He said, “We have to face up to the fact that people are continually getting more and more leisure time on their hands.
“We are faced with problems of vandalism, and this is partly because people haven’t been taught to enjoy their leisure time properly.
“Anything which can do this is going to benefit not only this district, but the country as a whole. This is the great contribution St. Alban’s is making. It is a foundation of friendship, not only for those of the Roman Catholic faith, but for all those connected with the club.”
So now we know that a “good club” enjoys an atmosphere of goodwill, adds to the standard of facilities in a community like Denaby Main, gives people – young folk in particular – something to do, something to take up their leisure time, and is a “foundation of fellowship” for everyone who enters its walls.
The question is then already answered, in part at any rate, but perhaps the most complete answer was given by committee man Owen O’Neill.
“What makes a good club. Why, good members of course,” Mr. O’Neill said on Monday.
“Good members, in turn ‘made’ by good officials,” he added. “Everybody is proud to come into the club, and if anyone steps out of line, he is told about it straight away.
“Take the opening night. It didn’t matter who walked in the door – member or non-member, black or white, new members or old, it was all the same. They had their free drink, and one for the wife. There was no discrimination.
“And the club is not just for Roman Catholics. We have really good non-Catholic members as well.”
“Good club”
And that is why Denaby St. Alban’s is a “good club”. But there is one more important factor – two to be precise – in the shape of steward, 25-years-old Mr. Gomer Davis, and his wife, the 24-years-old stewardess, Mrs. Mary Davis.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are probably the youngest couple in the North to hold such a responsible post, and since a club can certainly be no better than its steward or stewardess, their contribution is pretty important.
Mr. O’Neill commented, “They do a really excellent job. It doesn’t matter how many there are in the club, Mr. and Mrs. Davis take it in their stride.
“It can be a great attraction having a young couple in a position like this,” he added.
Mrs. Davis said “I know we are very young – in fact I have never come across anyone younger in our position – but we haven’t found any real problems. My husband has been brought up in ‘the trade’, and has helped his father, who is licensee of the Eagle and Child Hotel, at Conisbrough.”
After all that has been said you shouldn’t need any convincing that St. Alban’s is a “good club”. If you are in any doubt, there is no easier, nor a more pleasant way to find out, than to go along and see for yourself!
Last word
But just one last word is needed for the people who in a practical fashion made the whole thing possible – the people who built, fitted out and furnished the new extensions, whom Father O’Kane said had “done such an excellent job”.
They are: J.H. Gilbert Ltd’, of Cemetery road, Doncaster, the main contractors; C.L. Fowler, of Low Road, Conisbrough, who installed the electrical heating; H. Sayles and son, of Harlington Road, Mexborough, responsible for the plastering; Barron and Clark Ltd., of Mill Lane, Warmsworth, contractors for built-up felt roofing and asphalting; Gaskell and Chambers (Northern) Ltd., of Princess Street, Sheffield, responsible for the beer meter and bar fittings; Ridgewood Plumbers Ltd., of Cemetery Road, Doncaster, the plumbing contractors; and Melton Painters Ltd’, of Thorne Road, Doncaster, who decorated the St. Alban’s extensions.