Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Local working men's club
Hi folks
the title of this post might put some of you right off but the Langham Working Men's club has been around for almost 100 years and is very much part of ourlocal history. Yet it hardly gets a mention and is overlooked, just as are the 2000 plus clubs up and down the country. There used to be over 4000 such clubs in their heyday in the 1970s which were often full with queues outside the doors. I am writing about clubs and although my focus is/was on Coventry, the town I grew up in, it has widened. Now I have finally joined the Langham, I am going to talk to members there and start collecting bits of history about that club. It is, like many clubs, struggling to stay open. Maybe clubs have had their day, as some say, but they are very important places to locals, especially older folk and most clubs were once the centre of local communities. I would like now and then to put up things on this site if that would be possible about the club, its life and times. and maybe we could make some links- its a part of the community which we perhaps overlook but its right there on our road! There is also the club in Wood Green and others round and about. I do this research unfunded and unsupported in my own time so I havent got any sponsors. I do have a website dedicated to clubs if anyone is interested www.clubhistorians.co.uk which tries to bring out the community aspect of clubs. (Again, it is sort of my hobby/obsession) Maybe we could support the Langham by joining it? They have bingo a few times a week and line dancing, so I am told. I could always link in HOL to my site once I have something up there about the Langham, Hugh?
cheers to all you potential club goers!
Note from Site Admin: Two blog posts about the Langham, including one with photos inside and out, can be linked to here. Further forum posts about the Langham can be linked to via the "langham working men's club" tag just below.
Tags for Forum Posts: langham working men's club
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Inkjetpack on
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Change or die! Since Thatcher broke the unions the writing has been on the wall for a lot of places like this. Would suggest getting them over to the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club to compare notes, the club's main website is: www.workersplaytime.net (seems to be offline at the moment), but the for the nights getting all the press see their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BGWMC or Timeout: http://www.timeout.com/london/venue/7463/bethnal-green-working-mens...
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Permalink Reply by Ruth on
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Thanks for your thoughts inkjetpack!
Adapt or die has become the phrase being used but it can appear patronising telling long standing club committees what they should or shouldn't be doing. I do my best through my website, visits, write-ups etc but some are not for turning and prefer to tick over in their own way. the Langham does tick over even if not pulling in the crowds it used to. They may be happy to stay that way.
Not all of them can become like Bethnal Green which has achieved something of an iconic status in past years.
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So if the committee members have no interest in changing, why should we waste our time thinking of ideas to support and grow membership? What is CIU doing to safeguard the future of these clubs? I'm not currently a member, why should I join (taking into account what you've said above)?
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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It sounds as if the Working Men's Club movement is in a similar state to the Amateur Radio hobby. From the 1920s to the 1960s something like 100,000 enthusiasts in the UK built, modified and operated amateur radio gear. They talked to each other, went in for contests, collected proficiency certificates and met in clubrooms and at rallies.
From the 70s onwards the cry was " The hobby is dying: the members' profile is getting older and older: we must change to attract the young people. " Enter the home computer which can do anything amateur radio can do and much more.
The Amateur Radio Movement is now trying to adapt to 21st Century culture but there comes a point when you have to say " ... but is this amateur RADIO ? " . Similarly, the Working Mens' Club may need to evolve to survive, but will it still be a Working Men's Club without the bingo, darts and line dancing ?
On the other hand, it looks as if the Bethnal Green club could be a lot of fun :-)
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It's complicated to answer simply in a post but there is the desire to change and to grow but often accompanied by attitudes of 'we've always done it this way, so why should we change..' Like any old social institution, there is resistant to change alongside an acknowledgement that something must be done.
New members can bring new ideas and influence but I know that takes time. Some clubs will fade and close but many are fighting back to grow and reach out to different people and offer more up to date entertainment. Plus retaining the darts, bingo and snooker. Bingo is more popular than ever due to big bingo halls and online versions, snooker became a mass televised game decades ago and attracts many into clubs still plus the various forms of dancing. A combination of old and new, old presented in new ways etc... I wont go on. There are clubs that are thriving once again in some places.
It's up to you Inkjetpack if you want to join and take advantage of its facilities and maybe take along friends, family etc. It might just not be your scene. I havent been for a while myself must admit to our local one, been too busy visiting others and writing about them. Clubs do have good social spaces, are decent venues, provide live entertainment, games and the cheaper pint. THey have been and I believe some still can be important parts of our community. They need to do outreach for sure- we perhaps need to be in-reaching!
I am going down there on Weds night to see if they are going to do anything during the Festival, and have a half or two whilst I am there. Cheers!
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Hi again folks
I went down t'club tonight and had a chat with a few of the committee people before their weekly meeting. They are aware of the H'gay Festival but hadn't seen any flyers. I told them a lot of it is being advertised/organised online but they unfortunately still haven't got online which is a big disadvantage. Bob Mead, President there, realises that this is a disadvantage and he is keen for things to change and for the club to thrive. I think there may be a lack of know-how to some extent rather than lack of will. He promised he would raise the Festival at the meeting to see if anything could be done also the need for a web presence. I said that if they could let me know what their weekly ents programme is, perhaps I could pass on to HoL? So- I do believe they are interested but probably are marginalised by their lack of internet and also by fact that they are not part of the Harringay Traders Org I guess. It's a bit six of one, half dozen of the other as my lovely mother used to say.
I still feel inclined to try to help them out. Bob said that they had a really good BBQ last Friday and had live entertainment, a local band who performed for free but there was a whip round after for them. A lot of people turned up for a really good family night and the club had good bar takings.
This is also a possible way ahead, to offer the venue as a practice space and Bob is keen for this idea to be developed. So all is not lost yet with our club- they just need to be included somehow into the Green Lanes group and into HoL.
More soon
R
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That would be great if it became such a venue. They have the space for sure but they need to get a proper internet connection first and then get things agreed with the committee. But the ideas are there. Will keep you updated and thanks for support.
Wood Green Social is also a live music venue btw. They have regular concerts for members.
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Permalink Reply by RuthE on
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Can anyone go in the Langham or do you have to be a member? Can you take two year olds in there?
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hi Ruth
You are meant to be a member but I'm sure if you wanted to have a look around first you could do so. They do allow children in I'm sure for concert evenings.
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Hi I've been going in the langham for years now. I have 2 young children 10 and 2, and its really my only chance to get out.
They do try to do stuff to encouage children to come in. They have a halloween party and a christmas party for kids. Also christmas and new year is fantastic great atmoshper and you get to spend it as a whole family.
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thanks for the info, I'll check it out during the week and see if I can become a member.
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