This is just a small insight to the history of the club, as if I was to write down everything that the longest serving member, Ivan Hood (over sixty years continuous membership) informed me, it would be endless!
The March United Services Club was formed in the early 1900’s, and records show that that in 1925 the club was officially formed, as the British Legion. Before the club became the United Services, it was The Royal British Legion, until the British Legion moved to its present riverside site. In between the World Wars the club was used by The Home Guard, and they had a rifle range along the side of the club, which doubled up as a concert room. Memberships when the club first formed was a shilling a year, and members could pay it quarterly, as money back then was tight.
Talking to one of the oldest members of the club, Ivan Hood, who has served the club as President and a Committee Member, he first joined the club before it was renamed as The United Services Club in 1953. Having started to use the club as a boy, Ivan has many fond memories to tell, which could last for days, and has guided me on the history of the club. Ivan remembers well, that at the club there always have been two snooker tables and a dart board along with other pub sports being played. Ivan remembers (with a large smile) Brian Pepper as a lad coming in, and Brian joined the club in 1963, making him the second longest continuous serving member of the club (fifty years), Brian has followed a little in Ivan’s footsteps and has been a committee member of the club, also known for his skills on the pool and snooker tables and other pub sports. Talking to the two together, you can sense of fondness for the club, and they remember the price for a pint in 1969 was 13 new pence. Whilst chatting to these two stalwarts of the club we were joined by Chunky Stacey, who is believed to be the third longest serving member of the club.
All in all, the club has grown over the years, extensions have been added on, the concert room enlarged, and the bar and snooker area is now open plan, and caters for parents with small children to hosting senior citizens afternoons. The club is well known in the town for its hospitality and sportsmanship, handed down by the stalwarts of the club over the past sixty years.
My short time chatting to Ivan, Brian and Chunky was very enlightening, I would recommend that if anyone was wishing to know more of the clubs history, it would be worth their while sitting and chatting with the guys, and I’m sure if you brought them a beer they would be more than welcome to enlighten you of the clubs history.
Tyler Rimes
The March United Services Club was formed in the early 1900’s, and records show that that in 1925 the club was officially formed, as the British Legion. Before the club became the United Services, it was The Royal British Legion, until the British Legion moved to its present riverside site. In between the World Wars the club was used by The Home Guard, and they had a rifle range along the side of the club, which doubled up as a concert room. Memberships when the club first formed was a shilling a year, and members could pay it quarterly, as money back then was tight.
Talking to one of the oldest members of the club, Ivan Hood, who has served the club as President and a Committee Member, he first joined the club before it was renamed as The United Services Club in 1953. Having started to use the club as a boy, Ivan has many fond memories to tell, which could last for days, and has guided me on the history of the club. Ivan remembers well, that at the club there always have been two snooker tables and a dart board along with other pub sports being played. Ivan remembers (with a large smile) Brian Pepper as a lad coming in, and Brian joined the club in 1963, making him the second longest continuous serving member of the club (fifty years), Brian has followed a little in Ivan’s footsteps and has been a committee member of the club, also known for his skills on the pool and snooker tables and other pub sports. Talking to the two together, you can sense of fondness for the club, and they remember the price for a pint in 1969 was 13 new pence. Whilst chatting to these two stalwarts of the club we were joined by Chunky Stacey, who is believed to be the third longest serving member of the club.
All in all, the club has grown over the years, extensions have been added on, the concert room enlarged, and the bar and snooker area is now open plan, and caters for parents with small children to hosting senior citizens afternoons. The club is well known in the town for its hospitality and sportsmanship, handed down by the stalwarts of the club over the past sixty years.
My short time chatting to Ivan, Brian and Chunky was very enlightening, I would recommend that if anyone was wishing to know more of the clubs history, it would be worth their while sitting and chatting with the guys, and I’m sure if you brought them a beer they would be more than welcome to enlighten you of the clubs history.
Tyler Rimes