The Beginning

On Tuesday 7th of December 1967, a meeting was held at the “Crabb Mill” Public House in Oldswinford to consider the forming of a Men’s Club in Pedmore. For the record, the cost of hiring the room was ten shillings and twelve shillings was collected in subscriptions.

The names of those attending were recorded: Mr Rogers, who acted as Chairman, messers Gittins, Quevatre, Gittins (another of the same name?), Blair, Swift, Kerr, Jones, Mann, Sherr, Allen, Rogers and Wain. In addition apologies were received from messers Bell, Gupwell, Wooldridge, Hill and Quiney. It was agreed that a guest speaker should be invited to a further meeting to see what support might be forthcoming. Mr Kerr was asked to act as Chairman and Mr Jones as Secretary until a Committee could be formed.

Accordingly a further meeting took place in Pedmore Parish Room (now Pedmore School Hall) on
Thursday, January 25 1968. A speaker had been invited, Sgt Renshaw from the West Mercia Constabulary, who spoke on police procedure with particular reference to Pedmore. The names of those attending were not recorded but 23 were present and £1:3:0 (old money) was collected in subscriptions.A month later on Thursday February 29 a Mr Partington from Clent gave an illustrated talk on canals and waterways in England. At that meeting everyone agreed to hold a further meeting to consider “ the formation of a Club on more definite lines”. A date was set – April 4 1968.

Accordinglya meeting took place and seventeen men attended on that date and it was agreed that: a Club be formed to be known as Pedmore Men’s Club, the Club to be affiliated to to St Peter’s Church, a Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Speaker Secretary should be appointed,
plus two additional Committee members, meetings should open and close with prayers, the aim was to promote fellowship and interest in the district, a subscription to be set at 10 shillings a year and an AGM would be held at the April meeting.

As early as November 1968 a pattern of monthly meetings became established to which a speaker was invited. Topics and speakers were extremely wide – ranging. A snapshot of records from October 1968 to October 1970 shows among others, talks on stained glass in Chartres Cathedral, oil exploration and drilling, the law and your neighbour in the garden, antique silver and Stourbridge old and new. Numbers present were recorded at some of these 29, 26, 24, ….. in other words, meetings were attracting attendances of between 20 and 30. While the pattern of monthly meetings continued, social events also became established (when members would bring wives, partners and guests along).

The Raffle Fund

A feature which is characteristic of meetings is the raffle. It has become the custom for raffles to be held at the monthly meetings and at major social events. At the AGM the members then decide how the money they have raised shall be distributed between worthy charities.

There has been a tendency to favour charities which operate in the Stourbridge area. The list is far too long to reproduce here, but it can be seen to include the Sunfield Homes Clent, Pedmore Church, Pedmore Youth Organisations, Riding for the Disabled Hagley, the Air Ambulance, St Dunstan’s and organisations supporting local health care and hospitals. In all, the list contains more than forty names. Due to the generosity of members, over £4800 has been distributed in the last ten years alone.

Commemorative Events

March 1977 saw the 10th anniversary of Pedmore Men’s Club. It was celebrated in some style with a dinner dance at Stone Manor attended by members and their guests. Eleven years later we celebrated our 21st anniversary with a dinner at Hagley Country Club. Grant Baynham provided the entertainment. We were delighted on that occasion that 107 were able to attend, the room was almost uncomfortably full. To mark the event, each member was presented with a whisky tumbler engraved with his initials. In April 2007 the Club celebrated its 40th anniversary with a dinner at Churchill and Blakedown Golf Club. A magician was retained to entertain us. By then the membership stood at 71 plus 4 Honorary members. At that event every member received a lapel badge which had been specially designed and is unique to Pedmore Men’s Club.

Ten years later the club marked its 50^th anniversary with a celebratory dinner and entertainment at The Granary Hotel and Restaurant, Shenstone attended by 100 members and guests.

With 50 years behind us would we wonder, the thirteen who in 1967 met in the Crabmill, have had any idea that in the 21st century, the Club would still be flourishing?