News from Down Under
News from Down Under - from our Aussie Coordinator Maria Fletcher
Club Historians receives a fair few messages from people 'down under', many of them people who emigrated years ago or those who are Aussie born but seeking information about family history back in the UK. Australia has its own share of clubs which have much in common with our own. I've been a few myself and felt quite at home!
Here we print the first message from Maria, who grew up in the UK and has some lovely memories of the clubs. Maria has kindly agreed to act as a sort of coordinator for us. If anyone else in Australia is reading and has something they want to share, please get in touch!
'Remembering and Recognising Clubs from down Under!
It may seem a long way from the tropical heat of Brisbane, to the Working Men’s Club Circuit of Northern England, but for me, it’s only a memory or two away!
I still have fond childhood memories of asking my Dad, a singer and entertainer, to bring back ‘Packets of crisps and bottles of Pop’, when he got home from a gig.
When I first came across Ruth’s site, I was grateful to see that other people recognise how invaluable the club scene in Northern England was as a period of social history and offered my support.
I firmly believe that this period of social history is worth documenting and recording; not only for the pleasure it gave many thousands of people, but because it is a history that is fast disappearing.
Australia has a vibrant history of entertainment for the working class; most notably circus, and I would like to add to that heritage, the stories and histories of the Club entertainers that made the long trip from the Working Men’s Clubs of the North, to the Returned Servicemen’s League Clubs of the South.
If you know of any entertainers that made the trip to Australia, especially during the period before the Bingo halls arrived, we would love to hear from you.'
Please contact Ruth via Club Historians website if you can help out Maria with information or leads! Or if you have any memories from around that time of local clubs.
