Notes About The Avenue Club and the Last Week of 1945 in Biggleswade

Mike Strange of the Biggleswade History Society has provided me a copy of a newsletter he wrote in April 2008. With his permission, I have published it, in its entirety:

NOTES ABOUT THE AVENUE CLUB
AND THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY 1945 IN BIGGLESWADE

Mike Strange – April 2008

We have received this engraved plate from Mike Conniford, son of Mr and Mrs G.T. Conniford

 

 

Mike Conniford told us, “My father was Managing Director of Pobjoys (Aeroengines) Ltd. which were a subsidiary of Short Brothers and based at Rochester Airport in Kent.  Following the outbreak of World War II production was dispersed to Bedfordshire with Headquarters situated at Goldington Hall, a beautiful Tudor mansion on the outskirts of Bedford.  In Bedford sets of Spitfire wings and Hurricane tailplanes were made at the CWS jam factory and also at Meltis Sweets factory.  Following the entry of America into the fray, three other buildings, originally used by Kayser Bondor silk stocking factories in Biggleswade were requisitioned and used to assemble and test Wright “Cyclone aero engines, shipped from America in kit form.  My mother and father were very much involved in the setting up of the Avenue Club and in January 1945 were presented with this plate.  With the end of the War production in Bedfordshire ceased with Pobjoys returning once again to Rochester”.    The family lived in Bedford and he remembers coming to Biggleswade when he was 12 years old but not after that.

Receipt of this item and news prompted a short spell of research which resulted in the following from the Biggleswade Chronicle and Bedfordshire Gazette 2^nd February 1945:

“Presentation – When members of the Avenue Club learned that Mr. G. T. Conniford (chairman of the management committee) was relinquishing office steps were taken to show in some tangible form the appreciation the members felt for the services he had rendered.  The sequel was seen on Sunday evening when Mr. Collison, on behalf of the committee and members presented Mr Conniford with a case of silver spoons.  Mr. Collison gave a brief history of the club.  He said that in 1942 an inaugural committee was formed in the town under the chairmanship of Mr Conniford with the object of providing a club for the use of war workers.  It was through Mr Conniford’s active interest that the Avenue Club came into existence. In a brief reply Mr Conniford said he felt rather embarrassed to accept such a pleasing gift for the small signal service he had rendered.”

No doubt this plate was mounted on the case that contained the spoons, I shall return to Mike Conniford with this news.

Despite the continuing hostilities there were a number of domestic events to report on during the last week of January 1945 in Biggleswade.  Today many of these seem irrelevant but at that time they were a means of maintaining some semblance of normality:

  

• Mr and Mrs D. H. Martin were the M.Cs. at the Avenue Club’s weekly whist drive on the last Friday.  Prizewinners were Mrs Course, Mrs Webb, Mrs V. Skinner, Mr. Webb, Mrs. D. Goodwon and Mr. V. Denham.

  

• The Darts League registered its 240^th player.

  

• The pantomime, “Old Mother Hubbard”, raised approximately £80 for the “V Gang”, a Local Boys Victory fund.

  

• The open show of the Biggleswade and District Fur & Feather Society attracted an entry of six hundred and fifty.  It was held in the Senior Council Schools on Saturday.  The judges were Messrs Jesse Waters (fancy) and W. Allen (fur).

  

• Whilst cycling from work Mr D. Edwards (chairman of the Biggleswade Billiards and Snooker League sustained an unfortunate injury when, owing to the bad state of the roads, he was thrown off his cycle.  Medical attention was soon obtained and fears that were first expressed that Mr Edwards had sustained a dislocation of the shoulder were nullified.

  

• Despite the many uncomplimentary remarks passed in recent times (particularly during foggy weather) the “Humpty Dumpty” between Dells Lane and the L. & N.E.R. main line is now a children’s paradise.  Improvised toboggans and sledges of various designs and shapes are actively transporting passengers down its snow-clad slopes.  Frozen ponds in the district are being well supported and at Beeston Green some good sport has been obtained.

  

• Mrs. Kate Mary Sandon of Richmond Villa, 52 The Baulk died aged 77.  She was at one time an assistant teacher at Biggleswade Council School.

  

• Mr William Brookbanks of Roadside Farm, Potton Road died aged 76.  He was a well known market gardener and in his younger days was a keen cyclist, being a prominent member of the Biggleswade Cycling Club.  In 1894 he held the North Road Cycling Club record of 202½ miles in 12 hours. [He would have known Dan Albone and quite possibly rode an ‘Ivel’ bicycle’- Ed.]

  

• Primrose Wakes, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs Wakes, of 20 Hitchin Street, Biggleswade is serving with the ATS attached to RAOC as a technical store woman.  Previous to joining the ATS she worked in the baker’s shop in Hitchin Street.

  

• Mr Edward Wing of 7 Lawrence Road, Biggleswade is serving as assistant cook in the Royal Navy.  Before joining in March 1944 he was employed as a chef at the Ritz Hotel.

  

• Walter E. Rook is a prisoner of war in Germany after taking part in the fighting at Arnhem.  He is in the Signals Parachute Regiment.  He was formerly employed at Dodimead’s and was an active scouter.

  

• Advertisement: Good opportunity for Young Girls or Girls [that is what it said! – Ed] to learn bookbinding, apply Elphick’s Shortmead Printing Works, Biggleswade.

A contribution to the Society can lead to all manner of small snippets of information resurfacing that give an insight into society of the time and may be useful for future researchers.  An article detailing the history of the Avenue Club and the organisations that made use of it facilities would be welcomed.

 

Research is FUN! - Mike