the working men’s clubs of south wales
rhys waring
the working men’s clubs of south wales
masters of architecture dissertation rhys waring w1657087
L-R:
5th Welch Social Club, Aber & Senghenydd Ex Serv.Club, Aberavon Lib. Club, Abertridw R.A.O.B. Soc. Club, Abertysswg W.M.C, Bargoed Labour Club, Barry Dock Lib. Club, Barry West End Club & Inst, Beechgrove Social Club, Brecon W.M. Soc. Club, Briton Ferry Constitutional Cl, Caerphilly Municipal & Gen WMC, Caerphilly Social Club, Canton Liberal W.M.C. & Int., Cardiff West End Social Club, Coed Ely Constitutional W.M.C., Cogan Coronation Club, Cwmaman W.M & Social Club, Cwmavon Social Club, Cwmdare Miners Welfare Soc. Clb, Cwmllynfell Uplands W.M.C., Cynon Valley Club & Inst, Dan Y Graig Labour Club, Dunvant W.M.C., Ferndale Conservative Club
L-R:
Ferndale Imp Cons W.M.C, Ferndale Labour Club, Fernhill & Blaenrhondda Miners, Fishguard & Goodwick Railwaymens Soc Club Hall, Gelli & Ton Pentre Hibernia Cl, Gelli & Ystrad Comrades Club, Gilfach W.M.C., Glanrhyd Coronation Club, Glyncoch Social Club, Glynneath Social Club, Godrergraig W.M.Club, Gorseinon W.M.C., Harlequin Bowling Club, Heol-Y-Cyw WM Sport & Soc Club, Heolgerrig & Dist Rec/Soc & Cult, Llanbradach Old Comrades Club, Llanesco Social Club, Llantrisant Rugby Football Clb, Llantrisant W.M.Club, Llwchwr W.M.Club, Loughor & Dist W.M.Club, Maesteg W.M.Club, Mansel W.M. Club, Merthyr Tydfil Labour Club, Merthyr Vale & Aberfan Social
rhys waring w1657087 MArch RIBA part II masters of architecture dissertation tutor: richard difford
january 2019 school of architecture and the built environment the university of westminster london 04 | the working mens clubs of south wales
the working mens clubs of south wales & the architecture of the everyday
contents 0. ABSTRACT
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6. MOTIVES
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1. INTRODUCTION
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7. CLUBS VS THE WORKPLACE cooperative communities
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2. CASE STUDIES gorseinon working mens club cwm national workingmens club coed ely constitutional elub swansea workings mens club and institute
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8. THE WORKING MAN’S CLUB & THE HOME
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9. ASPIRATIONS
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3. HISTORIC & REGIONAL CONTEXT the working men’s club & institute union south wales the CIU in south wales development of education
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10. CONCLUSION
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11. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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4. WHAT MAKES A CLUB? programme
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12.
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5. THE PHYSICAL CLUB TYPOLOGY the feature club the domestic club the functional club contextualising the categorisation interiors
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APPENDICES appendix I - club catalogue appendix II - mapping appendix III - fLOORPLANS appendix IV - statistics
contents | 05
abstract The Working Men’s Club and Institute Union (WMCIU) was founded in 1862 by Victorian social reformer and temperance campaigner, the Reverend Henry Solly. Since its conception the ideas and goals of the WCMCIU developed far beyond Solly’s original vision. What was once meant to be a place to draw working class men out of public houses and gin palaces of Victorian London transformed into a community focused self-help movement. The overarching narrative of this dissertation explores the idea of the working man’s club, since the beginnings of the union, tracking their development from founding ideas by philanthropic individuals, dreaming of a working man’s equivalent to the Victorian private members club. This progresses through its growth to the point at which the movements members took it into their own hands, forging unique spaces catering to their needs. This development aligns with a path of historical discourse beginning with the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of the working man of the modern day, through to the present day situation, in which the existence of the traditional ‘working man’ is being questioned. On the surface these clubs look like little more than variations on pubs or entertainment venues, however, there was much more at play beyond this outside view, in their founding, and in the ideas behind them. The intent is to examine the social context of this movement, and how it shaped the clubs themselves, from the physical evidence of the clubs we see today. Framed specifically within the region of South Wales this relates to uprisings of the nineteenth century and shifting opinions on workers and wider social rights. The unique architectural and geographical context is examined as a backdrop for this social situation, drawing together three key narratives; that of the CIU movement, the wider social context and the specific regional context. The research within sets out with two specific aims, firstly to document the clubs of the region, of which many have little to no presence in any documentation, even less so in online presence. Tending to be written out of any history of social reforms or trade union action, the majority of clubs are however, fortunately still in existence making them a physical resource in this documentation. There are 128 clubs
06 | the working mens clubs of south wales
affiliated to the CIU within the region, and countless more unaffiliated working men’s, miners or other clubs and institutes. For the purposes of this study, only the CIU clubs will be used as a sample of data. This research will form a catalogue of clubs in the South Wales region, acting as a reference point for the second aim. This aim is to examine the social relationships, power struggles, and clashing motives that underpin every aspect of the movement and its clubs. From employee-worker relationships to the changing aspirations of society, these have impacted on the CIU and more importantly and explicitly on the buildings and clubs themselves, developing them as vastly varying architectural and social artefacts, across their historical and geographical spread. The approach taken is an exploration of this ordinary and everyday typology through a wider analysis of its context, and the relationships existing between them.
contents | 07
128 registered clubs in the South Wales and Monmouthshire region. The study focuses on a region of South Wales stretching from Swansea in the west to the edges of Monmouthshire in the east, encompassing Merthyr, Cardiff, and the South Wales valleys. 5th Welch Social Club
Cwmfelinfach W.M. Const. Club
Llwchwr W.M.Club
Penywaun Club
Aber & Senghenydd Ex Serv. Club
Cwmllynfell Uplands W.M.C.
Loughor & Dist W.M.Club
Pontardulais W.M.Club
Aberavon Liberal Club
Cynon Valley Club & Inst
Machen Constitutional Club
Pontllanfraith Exservicemens Club
Abercarn W.M.Club & Inst. Ltd
Dagger Reform Club
Maesglas Sports & Social Club
Pontlottyn Empire Club
Abergavenny Labour Hall Club
Dan Y Graig Labour Club
Maesteg W.M.Club
Pontnewydd W.M.Club
Abertridw R.A.O.B. Social Club
Dunvant W.M.C.
Mansel W.M.Club
Pontycymmer Const. Club
Abertysswg W.M.Club
Elgam & Dist W.M.Club
Merthyr Tydfil Labour Club
Pontygwaith Non Political Wmc
Bargoed Labour Club
Ferndale Conservative Club
Merthyr Vale & Aberfan Social
Pontypool W.M.Club
Barry Dock Liberal Club
Ferndale Imp Cons W.M.Club
Mid Rhondda Workmans Club
Pontypridd & Dist Ex Service
Barry West End Club & Inst
Ferndale Labour Club
Mid Rhonnda Central Club
Race Labour & Social Club
Beechgrove Social Club
Fernhill & Blaenrhondda Miners
Morfa Soc.& Ath.Club
Rhoose & Dist Social Club
Bettws Social Club
Fforest Fach Embassy Soc Club
Morriston W.M.Club
Rhydyfelin Non-Political Club
Blackwood W.M.Club
Fishguard & Goodwick Railwaymens Soc
Mountain Ash Hibernian Band Cl
Risca W.M.Club
Brecon W.M. Social Club
Club Hall
Mountain Ash Workmans Club
Rogerstone & Bassaleg Soc. Club
Briton Ferry Constitutional Cl
Gaer Park Social Club & Inst
Nantyffyllon Rugby Football Cl
Samlet Social Club
Brynmawr R.B.L. Club
Gelli & Ton Pentre Hibernia Cl
Nantymoel Social Club
Sea View Labour Club
Caerphilly Municipal & Gen Wor
Gelli & Ystrad Comrades Club
Neath W M Social Club Ltd.
Seaside Social & Labour Club
Caerphilly Social Club
Gilfach W.M.C.
New Cross Hands Workingmen’s Club and
Severn Bridge Social Club Ltd
Canton Liberal W.M.C. & Int.
Glanrhyd Coronation Club
Institute Ltd.
Sofrydd Social Club Limited
Cardiff West End Social Club
Glyncoch Social Club
Newbridge Constitutional Club
South Wales Branch Exe Clb
Cefn Fforest Central Club
Glynneath Social Club
Newbridge Labour Club
Sunnybank W.M.C.
Clarence Workman’s Club
Godrergraig W.M.Club
Ogmore Vale Constitutional Club
Swansea Railmens Club
Coed Ely Constitutional W.M.C.
Gorseinon W.M.C.
Ogmore Vale Non Political Club & Inst. Ltd.
Taff’S Well Exservice & Soc C.
Cogan Coronation Club
Gwynfi Athletic Social Club
Parc & Dare Ex Serv Mens Clb
Tonyrefail W.M.C.
Cwm Comrades Club
Harlequin Bowling Club
Pencoed Social Club Ltd
Trallwn W.M.Club
Cwm National W.M.Club
Heolgerrig & Dist Rec/Soc & Cult
Penlan Social Club
Trehafod & Dist Social Club
Cwm Premier Club
Heol-Y-Cyw WM Sport & Soc Club
Penrhiwceiber British Legion United Services
Twyn Y Ffald Constitutional Cl
Cwm Riverside Social Club
Hereford Welsh Social Club
Clb & Inst Ltd
Twyn Y Ffald W.M. Social Club
Cwmaman W.M & Social Club
Lewistown Ath.Social Club
Penrhos Social Club (Brecon)
Tylorstown Exservicemens Club
Cwmavon Social Club
Llanbradach Old Comrades Club
Pentre Comrades Club Ltd
Ynyshir & Dist W.M.Club
Cwmbran W.M. Band Club
Llanesco Social Club
Pentrebach & Abercanaid WMC
Ynyshir Union Jack Ex Club
Cwmcarn W.M.Club
Llantrisant Rugby Football Clb
Penydarren Social Club
Ystrad Mynach Non Political Club
Cwmdare Miners Welfare Soc Clb
Llantrisant W.M.Club
Penygraig Lab.& Prog.Club
08 | the working mens clubs of south wales
MERTHYR TYDFIL
SWANSEA PORT TALBOT
NEWPORT
CARDIFF
THE BRISTOL CHANNEL
KEY CIU registered club Built up area
contents | 09
chapter 1 introduction The working man’s club is rarely an example of a building of outstanding architectural interest, and their image in wider society is one of fading appeal, with dwindling membership numbers and clubs closing across the country every month01. The clubs however, in putting the aesthetic quality of the building aside, are an important manifestation of the everyday lives of thousands of people over the last century and a half. The founding ideas were true aims at changing the lives of working class men for the better.
Figure 1.1
From humble origins founded in 1862 by teetotaller Henry Solly, to their peak in the mid-1970s, working men’s clubs have continued to drastically evolve through to present day. Solly aimed to breathe life into an alcohol-free alternative to the gin palaces and public houses of the late Victorian era for the rapidly growing and developing working class of the late nineteenth century, believing that these spaces would “[help] them throw off the wretched and degrading bondage to the public-house02”. These institutions eventually transformed into lively social hubs at their peak in the 1970s03, forming the central social scene for many communities across the country. Some of these would have had a strong hand in drawing together communities in relatively new towns that were popping up as a result of the rise of industry and population boom across Britain. This study looks at how these clubs went on to develop as parts of their respective communities, looking at specific case studies in the South Wales area. Putting these physical clubs into the everyday context of the working man, hints at a possible three-way relationship between the home, workplace and the club. The workplace as the necessary source of many of their hardships, the home as the place with which the rest of their (free) time is shared, and the club which eventually became a valuable social space. This relationship is explored in detail in combination with how the human forces behind the three initially aimed for them to work in harmony, but wider economic or societal changes affected this throughout modern history. Going in further depth to this are the motives and driving forces of different parties
Figure 1.1: The Reverend Henry Solly, founder of the Working Mens Club & Institute Union.
10 | the working mens clubs of south wales
01 Paul Routledge. “Death of Working Men’s Clubs”. The Mirror. September 1, 2016. https://www. mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/death-working-mens-clubs-could-8751135 02 Tremlett, George, Clubmen: The History of the Working Men’s Club and Institute Union. (1987, Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd.) p. 12 03 See appendix 4
involved, from the employers who retain almost all power to the workers themselves, attempting to achieve the self-improvement and empowerment that they were deprived of. The representation of clubs in mass media or literature is very minimal. A number of documentaries explore the club movement, generally from its peak when it first garnered the media attention04 to more recently at its decline05. Members are often seen lamenting the reasons the clubs may be closing down or no longer appealing to community members. A small fraction of clubs have been overrepresented as the result of entertainers who have gained success through performing there. Working men’s clubs were central features of two comedy series broadcast, ‘Phoenix Nights’06, following a fictional clubs decline and competition with another club, and ‘The Wheeltappers & Shunter’s Social Club’, focusing more on the variety acts that would perform at such clubs07. Outside of this clubs generally tend to fall under the radar, often seen to be little more than working class pubs.
Figure 1.2
Figure 1.3
The life of the working class man when the movement was founded was one of long working hours, for little pay and rarely gave an opportunity for escaping their situation. Did these clubs give men a sense of freedom or self-fulfilment that their working lives took away? Was there something in the way these clubs were founded, as semicooperative institutions, giving power to their owners that touched upon a form of social liberation? Was something lost or gained across their development from a working man’s ‘Victorian private members club’ equivalent, into the club that came out of their wants and needs? Given the evolution of the working class since the nineteenth century, if there had been a scenario in which the working men were given the means to create a club of their own from the start, it would likely be drastically different to the clubs we see built today. With these clubs omitted from many historic and fictional accounts of Welsh working class history, there is a question around where exactly they fit back in. What impact did they have on the rest of society, and what impact did societal changes have upon them? 04 A Working Men’s Club in Sheffield. Dir. Peter Nestler. (1965) 05 Last Orders. Directed by Henry Singer. (2008, BBC2) 06 Kay, Peter. Phoenix Nights. (2001-2002, Channel 4)
Figure 1.2: Cast of Channel 4’s Phoenix Nights, outside the ‘Phoenix Club’ the fictional club around which the series is situated. Figure 1.3: The Wheeltappers & Shunters Social Club, ITV Granada
07 Manning, Bernard. The Wheeltappers & Shunters Social Club. (1974-1977, ITV Granada) introduction | 11
Cwm National Workingmen’s Club
Gorseinon Workingmen’s Club Swansea Workingmen’s Club Coed Ely Constitutional Club
Figure 2.1 12 | the working mens clubs of south wales
chapter 2 case studies The scope for the project is defined by the 128 clubs currently registered with the CIU01 in the South Wales and Monmouthshire branches. The following pages examine four of these clubs in detail, as physical artefacts to be used as a grounding and reference point for reinserting them into the wider historical discourse of the area and the working men’s club movement. These clubs were chosen as key examples drawn from a wide array of styles and contexts. Firstly is Gorseinon Working Men’s Social Club, a large club in a former tin-plate producing town. Cwm National Workingmen’s Club sits unassumingly within a residential terrace in a quiet former coal mining valley, dealing with the mass decline of the local industry. Coed Ely Constitutional Club is a more prominent club built around the peak of the club movement and went on to adapt to its needs. Finally, a club no longer in existence, Swansea Workingmen’s Club & Institute sat at the meeting point between the heavily productive industry of the valleys and what was formerly one of South Wales’ busiest port cities.
01 “CIU Branches”, WMCIU Website, accessed June 2018, http://www.wmciu.org.uk/branches.php. case studies | 13
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GORSEINON WORKING MENS CLUB
GORSEINON, SWANSEA
Purpose built and evidently intended as a stand out building within the community, Gorseinon Working Men’s Club sits within the small town of Gorseinon in Swansea County. Gorseinon existed as a village prior to the Industrial Revolution, however, expanded greatly around the tin-plate and coal mining industries that began to emerge in the 1890s. The original club was constructed around the mid-1920s and intially had a direct view of the tin-plate works01, a short distance away, which sat on the site of what is now a modern housing estate. The tin-plate works closed in 1957, and would have been a large source of employment in the town until that date. Today the club sits in a residential area, off the high-street of Gorseinon amongst terraced housing typical to the area. The original club saw a large extension to add a function room, now used for events, both club related and private events to provide income. The facade is more elaborate than many other clubs, with an obvious element of overall design to it, and generally stands out amongst the architecture of the area, primarily simple terraced housing, with other stand-out buildings being schools and chapels, particularly non-conformist as has historically been dominant in the area. This is indicative of the perceived importance of the building within the community at the time of its construction.
Figure 2.2: Front view of Gorseinon Working Men’s Club. Figure 2.3: Location plan of Gorseinon Working Men’s Club shown in black, location of former tinplate works highlighted in red.
01 “GORSEINON TINPLATE WORKS | Coflein”, Coflein Online Catalogue, last modified 7th January 2013, https://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/418178/details/gorseinon-tin-plate-works.
Figure 2.4: Gorseinon Tinplate Works prior to closure.
case studies | 15
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16 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Figure 2.7
CWM NATIONAL WORKINGMENS CLUB CWM, EBBW VALE
This club occupies a unit of a residential terrace in the small town of Cwm, in the Ebbw Vale valley. There are clear adaptations made to the facade of the building, causing it to stand out in the streetscape, whilst to the rear a large extension added a function room. The founding date of the club is unknown (historic maps date its existence in its current building between 1920-1960). The reuse of a residential building as a club appears common throughout the valleys and suggests a need for a physical club space at a low cost. This can also perhaps be tied to the emigration that followed the decline of the South Wales coal industry following the Second World War, which would in turn lead to an abundance of empty housing stock, ready for re-purposing. This reused of the house also puts the club right at the heart of the community in its physical location. Many of the residents of Cwm would have worked in the Marine Colliery and it was a large factor in the existence of the village in the first place. It was one of the valleys’ largest collieries, opening in 1890, and also the last to close, finally closing it’s doors in March 198901. This led to the wider economic decline of the town with unemployment rising and many facilities closing02, making the club an even more important feature to those who remained in the town.
Figure 2.5: Cwm National Workingmen’s Club Figure 2.6: Location plan of Cwm National Workingmen’s Club, seen amongst rows of identical terraced houses. 01 “MARINE COLLIERY, CWM | Coflein”, Coflein Online Catalogue, last modified August 3, 2018. http:// www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/33571/details/marine-colliery-cwm accessed 01/12/2018 02 Mark Easton. “The Unbearable Sadness of the Welsh Valleys”. BBC Magazine. June 25, 2013. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23028078
Figure 2.7: The Marine Colliery in 1973, prior to closure.
case studies | 17
Snooker Cellar
Stage
Bar
Lounge
Main Hall
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Figure 2.9 18 | the working mens clubs of south wales
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COED ELY CONSTITUTIONAL CLUB HEOL ISAF, TONYREFAIL
Originally built in the mid to late 60s, this is a relatively modern example of a club, formed of a number of extensions to an original building, demonstrating the way clubs adapt to the needs of the community. Spaces are highly separated by their uses, allowing different user groups to occupy and use the space at the same time. Materiality has seemingly little aesthetic importance but is rather derived from functionality or cost factors. The club sits in a primarily residential area. At the time of its construction the village was little more than a road running the length of the valley lined by a single terrace of housing, dating back to around 1910. This road sat adjacent to the railway that would transport coal from the now closed Coed Ely Colliery01, which sat within direct sight of the club, a short distance down the valley. The colliery closed on the 28th of November 1986.
Figure 2.8: Coed Ely Constitutional Club front view. Figure 2.9: Location plan of Coed Ely Cons Club.
01 “COEDELY COLLIERY”. Coflein Online Catalogue. https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/33461/details/ coedely-colliery
Figure 2.10: Coed Ely Cons Club floorplans, reproduced from planning application accessed via the RCTCBC Planning Search
case studies | 19
Figure 2.11
Store WC WC
Fencing Room
WC
WC
Tea Room
Tea Room
Dart Room
Dart Room
Fencing Room Snooker Room
Library
Bottom Bar
Store
Snooker Room
Library
WC
Main Hall
Main Hall
Card Room
Card Room
Figure 2.14
WC
Bottom Bar
Top Bar
TV Room
TV Room
Figure 2.12
20 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Figure 2.13
Top Bar
Figure 2.15
SWANSEA WORKINGS MENS CLUB & INSTITUTE
ALEXANDRA ROAD, SWANSEA
This is a prime example of a club that has run the course of its life. Despite having existed for over 100 years, the club closed its doors in 1985, before being converted to its current use as flats, with a retained original facade in front of an entirely new interior. The club was deemed to be a success on its opening01, The design implies an intent to serve as a central building to the community, in appearance similar to a town hall or such building of the era. The architect is unknown however ‘Mr Harman’ is mentioned as architect to some alterations in its early life02. Industry in Swansea at the time of was primarily based around the docks, as South Wales was exporting all over the world as fast as it could. Historic drawings show the changes made to the club throughout its history, most recently to remove the library and snooker room and adapt the space into a second stage area and hall, demonstrating the change in focus. Internally many of the rooms were timber panelled with fixed seating around the edges, and removable furniture making them adaptable spaces. The top floor featured a large hall with fixed seating and a stage for performances with decorative oak panelling running around the room03. Founded: 1874 Closed: 1985
Figure 2.11: Photograph of Swansea Working Men’s Club prior to closure, looking from Swansea Train Station, date unknown. Copyright West Glamorgan Archive. Figure 2.12: Ground floor plan of Swansea Working Mens Club prior to alterations, exact date unknown. Scale 1:200. Figure 2.13: First floor plan of Swansea Working Men’s Club prior to alterations, exact date unknown. Scale 1:200. Figure 2.14: Photograph of Swansea Working Men’s Club prior to closure, date unknown. Copyright West Glamorgan Archive.
01 “THE SWANSEA WORKING MEN’S CLUB AND INSTITUTE”, The Cambrian. July 30, 1875. Accessed via Newspapers Online Wales. 02 ibid. 03 Source: Photographic evidence in the West Glamorgan Archive, photos cannot be reproduced for copyright reasons.
Figure 2.15: Location plan of Swansea Working Men’s Club today shown in black, with swansea train station at the top right.
case studies | 21
chapter 3 historic & regional context THE WORKING MEN’S CLUB & INSTITUTE UNION Despite clubs having a level of independence, they do so under the backing of the Working Men’s Club & Institute Union, and so the ideas and beliefs they promote are vital to understanding the clubs today. The Working Men’s Club & Institute Union (known as the WMCIU or CIU01) itself was a nationwide organisation, centred in London, however has always had an eye to spreading their ideas far beyond.
Figure 3.1
The union was founded in 1862 off the back of the trade union and chartist movements of the time. Whilst the chartist movement sought for suffrage, and the trade union movement fought for workers rights, the Club & Institute movement specifically focused on improving working class life outside of the workplace as well as the betterment of men as individuals. It is apparent that Henry Solly, the union’s founder had very specific ideas about what a working man’s club would entail, most surprisingly perhaps, when looking at today’s clubs, as he was adamant on the fact they would not serve alcohol. The initial manifesto drawn up by Solly in 1862 stated that the movement aimed to provide a place for ‘conversation, business, and mental improvement’02. This initial manifesto talks of improving the character of the working classes, seeking to cure some of the perceived issues such as ‘intemperance, ignorance, improvidence and religious indifference’. The manifesto refers to the temperance movement and the mechanics institutes that existed at the time as being positive steps03 and this WMCIU movement would collate all of these ideas into an all-encompassing venue for entertainment and self-improvement. In 1865 the sale of beer was allowed within union rules, the first step in the shift towards what the club movement would become at its peak, as Solly moved away from the union. Over the following years the movement’s ideas shifted somewhat and its backers went on to spread them around the country, assisting in the growth of the union. 01 Tremlett. Clubmen. p. 203. The union elected to refer to itself as the CIU, removing the ‘WM’ in a move to disassociate with the discriminatory nature of past policy regarding admitting women and women on comittees. This was first mooted with a vote that failed in 1955, but later was passed. 02 Tremlett. Clubmen. p. 13 03 ibid. p. 14
22 | the working mens clubs of south wales
As the movement developed, its running fell more into members’ hands04 far from the initial committee formed primarily of the landed gentry of the time05. Today the CIU is a registered co-operative or community benefit society (formerly known as an Industrial and Provident Society) signifying that it still acts for the mutual benefit of its members, and as always any club profits are still reinvested into the club06. SOUTH WALES There are a number of regional circumstances that set the groundwork for and would go on to influence the development of clubs in the region, outside that of the movement. The region of South Wales stretching from Monmouthshire in the east through to Swansea and the Gower in the west is highly unique within Britain for its geographical and architectural setting. Having long been sparsely populated much like the rest of Wales, the region saw drastic change in the last two centuries. The first radical development came with the ironworks in areas such as Merthyr Tydfil springing up from the late eighteenth Century, followed by the coal industry utilizing the vast coalfields spread throughout the valleys in the nineteenth Century right through to the late 1980s07. This focused development combined with the physical limitations of the valleys led to the long narrow settlements running up the length of the valleys, generally in steep terraces to accommodate the terrain. Many of these communities were restricted from expanding to match the size or density of the nearby port towns and cities such as Cardiff, Newport and Swansea due to this geographical limitation. A consequence of the rapid rise of industry and population was an influx of predominantly English migration into the valleys and surrounding areas. Historically Wales as a nation had retained a cultural identity separate from that of England, with its music and 04 Ruth Cherrington, Not Just Beer and Bingo! A Social History of Working Men’s Clubs. (Authorhouse, 2012) p. 27. Cherrington discusses how club members generally aimed to fund the construction of the clubs themselves where possible but in many cases towards the beginning of the movement wealthy donors were required, and so these often demanded a certain level of control over the running of the club. 05 Tremlett. Clubmen. p. 291 06 Cherrington, Not Just Beer and Bingo! p. 21 07 Kenneth O. Morgan. Rebirth of a Nation: A History of Modern Wales 1880-1980. (Oxford University Press, 1981)
Figure 3.2
Figure 3.3
Figure 3.1: Depiction of a victorian gin palace, the blight Henry Solly was attempting to cure with the beginning of the club movement. Figure 3.2: Typical sights across the valleys were large coalfields with looming lift towers and webs of railway tracks leading to the port towns. Figure 3.3: Swansea docks - one of the largest exporters of coal in the world through the early 20th Century.
historic & regional context | 23
literature showcased in the yearly Eisteddfodau08 occurring across the country, with communities banding together to enter as choirs or literary groups. The influx of English and other nationality residents to whom this had no particular relation or importance led to a gap being left open in the cultural and leisure area at this time, reinforcing the need for a reform in community facilities. This diversifying of the communities would also lead to a lessened national sense of pride, albeit with stronger local sense of community. This, combined then with the push of British ‘togetherness’ that came with World War II, further extinguished any lingering welsh identity. The post-war situation however did lead into a shift in industry, moving it more into public ownership09 and in turn further improving the working men’s situation. THE CIU IN SOUTH WALES The first effort to spread the ideas movement in Wales can be traced to Hodgson Pratt, then vice-chair of the WMCIU. A Welsh language newspaper referenced a trip he made through the South Wales valleys in 187410, though no report of it s success was made. This trip occurred amid the areas drastic population rise, perhaps prompting the decision to visit in the first place. To understand the implications of the CIU’s ideas in South Wales, there must be a clear distinction between London and South Wales in the time of its founding. While events like the Merthyr Rising protests in the early nineteenth century reflected a home-grown movement for workers’ rights, the century was a time when Wales was still growing into the modern nation it is today. Attitudes towards Wales shifted from common references of ‘neglected Wales’11 to being viewed as one of Britain’s most productive and valuable regions by the dawn of the twentieth century, thanks largely to the South Wales collieries. Communities in South Wales in particular were largely founded on this industry and so many were relatively new when the CIU movement began, making them arguably even more in need of that which the union aimed to deliver. In looking at the demographics of these communities at the rise of the club movement the area 08 Eisteddfodau are an annual Welsh festival of literatute, music and other performance, existing in some form since the twelfth century. 09 Huw Edwards, The Story of Wales. 2012. BBC. 10 “Working Men’s Club & Institute Union“ Y Gwladgarwr, August 16, 1873. Accessed via Newspaper Library of Wales Online 11 Morgan. Rebirth of a Nation. p. 4 24 | the working mens clubs of south wales
consisted of mainly young males. There are records of numerous newspapers publishing the ideas and goals of the CIU12, as well as publishing annual meeting reports13, this would have no doubt been a large factor in the beginnings of clubs in the region. DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION Amongst many other societal developments that ran alongside the club movement was the increase in state educational provision, with compulsory education first coming into effect in 188014, when the leaving age was only ten. This occurring 18 years after the founding of the movement would demonstrate reasoning for the initial focus on education in both the CIU manifesto and the early clubs to be built. The school leaving age was increased gradually up until 1918 when children were required to attend school until the age of 14, giving everyone more than the basic standard of education many members of the working class would have had around the founding of the first working men’s clubs. This is one of many shifts that diluted the distinction of the ‘working man’ and so likely lessened the allure of the working men’s club over other clubs, or other recreational venues in general. In addition to this was the development and increased availability of non-compulsory means of education. The Public Libraries Act of 185015 set the groundwork for the beginnings of public library, and shared aims with those of the WMCIU. In the modern day these are widely available (despite some recent cuts).
12 “Working Men’s Club and Institute Union”. The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian. March 11, 1864. Accessed via Newspaper Library of Wales Online 13 “Working-Men’s Club and Institute Union”. The Western Mail. July 3, 1869. Accessed via Newspaper Library of Wales Online 14 “Education Leaving Age”. Politics.co.uk. Accessed November 2018. http://www.politics.co.uk/ reference/education-leaving-age 15 Kelly Thomas, A History of Public Libraries in Great Britain, 1845-1965. (London Library Association. 1973) p. 4. historic & regional context | 25
1824 Legalisation of trade unions 1831 Merthyr rising protests 1837 Coronation of Queen Victoria 1851 Population of the Rhondda Valley less than 1,000 ‘A liberal institute, situated in Arcot Street, has just been opened. The readingroom will be supplied with the leading newspapers and magazines and the billiard-room contains a capital table. Non-intoxicating refreshments will be obtainable on the premises, and chess, draughts, cards, and other indoor amusements have been provided. The ordinary membership fee is 4s. per annum. Mr R.A. Lewis is Hon. Sec. for the committee.’ - Club and Institute Journal, 30 Oct 1886
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish The Communist Manifesto. 1857
1862 Foundation of the Working Mens Club & Institute Union by Henry Solly
1871 Holbeck Working Men’s Club founded, believed to be the oldest working mens club in existence. 1873
This newspaper record from 1886 early in the club movements history shows the form that clubs took at this time, resembling private members clubs of the time more than the clubs we see today.
1848
Hodgson Pratt offers to travel through South Wales to promote the clubs ideals and kickstart the movement in the area
The Reddish Library & Institute is founded This institute, predating the founding of the CIU movement is one of the oldest clubs, and later joined the CIU. Despite 1862 marking the official founding of the movement, such ideas were forming across the country leading up to that date.
1872 Coal mines regulation act 1874 Swansea Working Mens Club opens
1880 Compulsory education for all children up to the age of 10
1901 Death of Queen Victoria Coronation of Edward VII
1911 Population of the Rhondda Valley more than 150,000 26 | the working mens clubs of south wales
1910 1,450 clubs registered with the CIU and over 450,000 members
1914 Outbreak of World War One; there are 1,613 CIU-affiliated clubs nationally
1917 Oakdale miners institute opens A paralel movement, the miners institute held similar ideas as those of the CIU however generally backed by employers and mine owners rather than the self-help approach of working mens clubs.
1918 Compulsory education age raised to 14 1922 Langland Bay, Swansea Convalescent Home Opens
Langland Bay Convalescent Home was a small hint towards the early aspirations of the CIU, to look after their members in more ways than social and education. These became particularly important after the two world wars, in rehabilitation and care of ex-servicemen members.
1939 Outbreak of World War Two; there are 2,863 CIU-affiliated clubs nationally 1974 Over 4,000 CIU registered clubs & over 6 million members, peak of club popularity. 1985 1989
Swansea Working Mens Club closes
Marine Colliery closes in Ebbw Vale
2018 128 registered clubs in the South Wales & Monmouthsire Regions
2018 1600 clubs registered in the CIU
historic & regional context | 27
Home
Entrance Lobby
Door Staff Room Reading Room
WCs
Committee Room
Circulation
Lounge Bar
Library
Restaurant
Bar
Main Hall / Function Room
Bowling alley
Beer Cellar Brewery
Convalescent Home
28 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Welfare Facilities
Pool/Snooker Hall
Education Space
chapter 4 what makes a club? Clubs as a wider concept are made by their members, and as a definition have been shifting, from a more exclusive space leading up to the end of the nineteenth century, with the countless private members clubs, particularly in London01, into a more inclusive idea as the twentieth century progressed. The ‘Working Man’s Club’ however, has always been very concerned with its physicality, and existence as a built space, the ‘club-house’, this can be traced to its origins in aiming to replace the physical realm of the pub. This yearning for a physical space or domain to own points at the importance of what may be gleaned from examining them today as architectural artefacts, and representations of the state of society or societal thought at the time. This generalized study is based on research & case studies of the previous chapter in the South Wales area and is representative of how the clubs functioned and were constructed in the region specifically, and in relation to the local vernacular. PROGRAMME Clubs fundamentally are, the physical spaces that helped to facilitate the social lives of their members. By first looking at their functional makeup we can better understand how they succeeded or failed to serve their members. The programme for a working men’s club was originally derived from the aims of the movement. In very early clubs, reading rooms and libraries were a predominant feature however in more recent clubs a large function room or hall are central to the floorplan. The diagram opposite shows a typical programmatic layout of a club, drawn from a combination of examples, however typically clubs room functions are less extensive, with more general multi-use spaces being adapted. The initial manifesto for the WMCIU from 1862 lists functions that a club should contain; ‘rooms to be used for conversation, refreshments, recreation, etc. and others for classes, reading, lectures, and music.’ 02 Today the CIU is much less prescriptive on the requirements of a 01 Bruce Rosen. The West End Club. September 30, 2010. http://vichist.blogspot.com/2010/09/westend-club.html 02 Tremlett. Clubmen. p. 15 what makes a club? | 29
Snooker
Snooker Cellar
Bar
Cellar Stage
Stage
PATIO AREA
Bar LOUNGE
Lounge
Lounge
Main Hall
WCs
Main Hall SNOOKER ROOM
WCs
Skittles & Pool Hall
SKITTLE ALLEY
Skittles & Pool Hall
BAR
Conservatory
Conservatory Conservatory
Smoking Shelter Smoking Shelter Conservatory
STAIRWELL
0
0
10m
10m
Figure 4.1
30 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Figure 4.2
club, with a much heavier focus on the social side, and particularly the strength of the union as a collective of clubs. Swansea Working Men’s Club (p. 20-21) is a club that typifies the original functional intents of the CIU, and reportedly in its early days was very successful in doing so03. It also demonstrates the development of the typology, with original features like the library going on to later be converted into a part of a stage within the large function room04. This begins to support the idea of the clubs’ shift from a facility solving a perceived need, by the higher classes, into an actual manifestation of the working man’s needs or desires. As a more recent club, Coed Ely Constitutional Club, has no sign of a library, reading room, or any such features relating to the education or ‘institute’ aspects that were so prominent in early clubs. This club instead prioritises a large function hall and rooms for games and activities, putting the social side first. Clubs, particularly early ones, would often have had dedicated smoking rooms, as they were perhaps modelled after the Victorian private members club; these however have been phased out for good with the smoking ban in 2007. By this time most clubs had already added outside shelters for members to smoke, as this was a fundamental social activity within clubs, and is regularly attributed by the CIU as a major reason for their downfall05.
Figure 4.1: Coed Ely Cons Club Floorplan, reproduced from plans on the local planning portal. 03 “The Swansea Working Men’s Club & Institute”, The Cambrian, July 30, 1875. Accessed via Newspaper Library of Wales Online. 04 Plans obtained via the West Glamorgan Archive Service – reproduced full size in appendix 3.
Figure 4.2: Trallwn Workingmens Club Floorplan, reproduced from plans on the local planning portal.
05 “Union Fights for Smoking Review”. CIU Journal. January 2011. what makes a club? | 31
Figure 5.1
Figure 5.2
Figure 5.1: Category 1; the feature building, Morriston Working Men’s Club Figure 5.2: Category 2; the domestic style. Gilfach Workingmen’s Club. Figure 5.3: Category 3; the functional club, Cwmbran Workingmen’s Band Club
32 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Figure 5.3
chapter 5 the physical club typology The majority of the clubs standing today were likely not designed by an architect and do not bear outstanding architectural qualities in their own right. The forms they take, however, can suggest to us how and why they were built, and what role they attempted to fill within the community. Generally as clubs have little to no documentation on their construction the architectural ideas behind them must be interpreted from the physical clubs standing today. Anecdotal records mention many original clubs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century being no more than timber or metal shacks at the edge of towns01. The clubs we see standing today however are generally much more permanent and established structures. In examining them as artefacts the club buildings in this study focussing around the South Wales area begin to fall into three distinct categories, outlined below; THE FEATURE CLUB The first of these categories could be called the ‘feature building’, these clubs take on an almost civic style, sometimes borrowing classical or Victorian architectural elements, albeit at a smaller scale. This typology makes up many of the early CIU movement and pre-WWII clubs. This typology generally has more in common with other community facilities of the time, in South Wales particularly the miners institutes that were common around the beginning of the twentieth century.02 These buildings were designed as a central feature in the community, aiming to stand out and be a source of pride to its members. This has stronger ties to the original intentions of the CIU, and the idea of these being more rounded, as educational institutions as well as entertainment venues. This typology however isn’t restricted to the more traditional building types. As tastes and styles changed through the twentieth century, we begin to see buildings that are fully formed designs, not derived from the surroundings, as modern versions of the civic/town hall style, however these are less prevalent throughout time as less clubs were being built, and less funding was available from rich philanthropists. 01 Ruth Cherrington. Not Just Beer & Bingo! A Social History of Working Men’s Clubs. (2012) p.37 02 Craig Jones. The Miners Institutes and Workmens Halls of South Wales. (BSc Diss., Polytechnic of Wales, 1990) the physical club typology | 33
This typology also reflects a stylistic association to the architecture of the great educational institutions and so reflects the aims of the union at the time, of mentally improving the state of the working classes. A subcategory of this group however is a more modern version identified as those, often more recent clubs, built when the typology as a whole is more developed, and the uses and ‘image’ of a club is more defined, such as Hereford Welsh Social Club03. Whilst it has a similar outward appearance, though often more modern, there are vastly different motives at play in these cases. THE DOMESTIC CLUB The second type observed is what could be called the ‘domestic style’ buildings, clubs visually fitting in with the local housing stock. Some of these are formerly residential properties that were occupied and re-purposed by clubs, whilst others were constructed, likely using local skills and materials, in keeping with the distinctive terraces of the South Wales valleys. Within this we see some clubs taking spots on the high street, somewhat more prominent within towns and villages. In the South Wales valleys however, the majority towns, shops and high streets are built similarly to the terraced homes of the area and so don’t aim to stand out. Where clubs occupy an existing residential building it suggests a greater necessity for a space than those with purpose built clubs, able to spend the time to raise the funds and construct a club, though this was generally the desirable route where possible04. THE FUNCTIONAL CLUB The final typology is the ‘functional or unique club’, with a floor plan derived from the required uses, and often extended or altered numerous times, perhaps adding an additional storey, or a concert hall to the back of the club. These form the majority of clubs built from the 1960s onwards, with parts often of different ages constituting the whole. This approach almost appears as the most resilient, creating an adaptable space, with temporary elements, and hints at the approach that could be taken with these clubs as they face obsolescence. This typology could be seen to have inadvertently taken on ideas formed by rationalist modernists, with overall form a 03 Appendix 1, ref MN18 04 Cherrington. Not Just Beer and Bingo!. p. 27
34 | the working mens clubs of south wales
secondary concern to functional requirements, whilst other reasoning behind this could be cost concerns. Generally all of the clubs studied fit into these typologies, though some share characteristics of both. In cases such as Aberavon Liberal Club05, the club initially occupied a residential unit before expanding as required creating an assemblage of functions within a wider site. Similarly Barry West End Club & Institute06 is contained primarily within a large grand purpose built building, that would have been funded by external sources as a symbol of power, however later in its life the club members took control and adapted it to suit their different needs. A sub-typology of the feature club could be the ‘chapel’ typology as was common amongst miners institutes07, however this is much less prevalent in the case of working men’s clubs, due to almost entirely absent religious affiliations of the clubs. There is some parallel with these clubs and the domestic style clubs in that some may occupy parts of existing buildings, however these encompass a wider variety. and those clubs that have gone on to expand upon their occupied buildings. Some narratives emerge in some of these clubs, with two examples of pre-World War I drill halls being converted into Ex-Servicemen’s clubs following the war, indicating the importance of the physical ties to a space. 05 Appendix 1, ref SW03 06 Appendix 1, ref SW08 07 Craig Jones. The Miners Institutes and Workmens Halls of South Wales. 1990.
Figure 5.4: - Typical view of a victorian gentlemans club
Figure 5.4
Founders of the movement, such as Henry Solly would likely have been familiar with scenes like this as the domain of the rich men of London during Victorian times.
the physical club typology | 35
CONTEXTUALISING THE CATEGORISATION Looking at these three typologies we can begin to put them into a historical timeline in relation to the movement. Generally the earliest clubs (outside of the low cost temporary sheds) are the feature club variety, due primarily to the nature of the origins of the movement. This being the philanthropic side out of which the movement was born, where donors sought to create a place that physically demonstrated their deed to the community. Whilst not the desired path generally by members of clubs, receiving support from donors was often the only path available to many early clubs08. The functional club on the other hand falls at the later end of the club narrative, when the club, as a space, not only a physical building has shifted its priorities, to be an adaptable space suiting the direct needs of its users, rather than the perceived needs, imposed upon them by the upper-class proponents of the movement. This aesthetic similarity to rational modernist architecture then is no coincidence, with modernism developing from ideas of solving functional problems rationally, in the same way as club members would adapt their clubs to answer their functional needs. The original vision for the club typology appears very closely drawn from the gentleman’s club, owing to their familiarity as a reference point to those who were supporting the movement. We can see the early clubs09 as an attempt to reinterpret the Victorian gentleman’s club for the working class, which they seem to allude to closely, with the reading rooms, and similarities in style and appearance. In this scenario the club is transplanted from its location in the richer quarters of London into a working-class community. In the examples examined however this is generally only applicable to early clubs and many of those went on to be adapted to be closer to what is generally pictured as a working man’s club. Conversely, the functionally derived clubs resemble the ideas approached by architects of the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The intent and ideas behind the clubs of adaptability, openness, and answering needs is reflected in the manifestos of architects such as 08 Cherrington. Not Just Beer and Bingo!. p. 27 09 Ruth Cherrington. “The Glorious Past & Challenging Future”, CIU Club Journal, June 2012. 36 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Konstantin Melnikov, for his Rusakov Workers’ Club (fig. 5.5) in Moscow. This club defines an adaptable space for the workers, refraining from the urge to control or manipulate their actions. Despite lacking the formal architectural design elements, the functional club typology follows these principles, through an organic development based on need. These clubs are unconsciously designed based on these principles. These clubs aren’t using complex architectural language to communicate their functions, however the pure necessity and level of simplicity they exhibit helps them in doing this in the first place. Many Soviet Workers Clubs however were symbols of the power of the government10, through showing their commitment to the rights and welfare of the worker, in this way relating more to the feature club typology. The working man’s club then, contrary to the soviet workers club, is perhaps the architectural result of the failings of capitalism. whilst the soviet clubs are representative of the successes of socialism. The third typology, falling throughout the timeline is the residential club, which generally is down to the space available, where a club is set up within an established community, and so uses left over spaces or buildings. This applies to a sub-group of this typology that presents itself on high-streets such as the 5th Welch Social Club in Pontypridd, where the club occupies a former retail unit, and so takes on the architectural appearance of any other shopfront, making the club present itself more openly to the public. In rare cases clubs are designed as part of a high street, as the Swansea Railmen’s Club, however in plan the club features a step back from the high street, 10 “The Final Stop: Rusakov Workers Club”, http://dighist.fas.harvard.edu/courses/2015/HUM54/ exhibits/show/moscow-constructivist-architec/the-final-stop--rusakov-worker
Figure 5.5: Rusakov Workers’ Club in Moscow, by Konstantin Melnikov. In parallel to the club movement in Britain ideas were developing in the soviet union in relation to workers welfare and facilities. This constructivist club in Moscow is close in form to the ‘functional club’ typology however through specific design rather than organic growth. Figure 5.5 the physical club typology | 37
differing from a typical shopfront, to retain the separation that a club has due to its membership requirement.
Figure 5.6
To put these typologies into a physical context we can examine the architectural reference points present in the area, overwhelmingly dominant are the terraced houses, so abundant they become almost a part of the landscape, snaking through the valleys. Although they are less prominent today, throughout the majority of the twentieth century the valleys would have been littered with the industrial architecture of the coal industry, lift winding towers visually dominating the landscape, a visual sign of the productivity of the region, going on to be a sign of decline as these were one by one demolished or shut down. INTERIORS
Figure 5.7
Overriding these three typologies, is the interior appearance of the Working Man’s Club, diverging from any domestic or civic leanings. The timber panelling is prevalent in almost all clubs recorded. Clubs do not have a domestic appearance internally, but relate closer to public houses or performance venues, and again in earlier cases to Victorian private members clubs. The interior of a club is often a great source of pride amongst its members11. There are contradictory ideas at play, whilst certain elements represent the image of a male domain, or ‘men’s shed’ there are also elements seemingly drawn from wider afield, with elaborate and theatrical decorative elements. These elements tend however to be more prevalent in modern clubs, than in any historic records, and perhaps attest to the clubs aiming to branch out as family entertainment venues, as they deviate from the ‘working man’ image.
Figure 5.6: Seaside Social Club Interior view Figure 5.7: Canton Liberal Club Interior view
38 | the working mens clubs of south wales
11 Club & Institute Journal Archive. In many of the journals ‘club of the month’ feature the focus is on how the interior spaces of their clubs are up to top standards or their aesthetic qualities, rather than specific facilities.
This map relates the typology of the club from those previously defined to physical location. The feature clubs are seen to have a minor prevalence around dock towns, however the spread is quite wide, and typology relates closer to the age of the club. Feature Clubs Domestic Style Clubs Functional Clubs the physical club typology | 39
chapter 6 motives In digging deeper into the creation of these clubs it becomes clear there are different motives coming from all different parties involved, and these would go onto change throughout the history of the CIU’s existence. In the Victorian era employers aimed to use their workers as a tool in a larger machine to keep the rich in their position of power and keep their workers from ever reaching their level. The economic system - set up by the rich - needed the workers to stay at their social and class position to keep functioning, and in some ways still does today. The three key players at the beginning of this movement are the workers, the employers and the CIU proponents. In the case of the workers themselves, these are generally young men who have moved to the region for the primary reason of finding work in mines or other industry01. Then we have the employers, generally rich land or factory owners, in Wales often coming from historically wealthy land-owning families, as a consequence of the semi-feudal nature of wales in the nineteenth century02. Finally, tying these together are the CIU proponents, generally rich philanthropists, often coming into the poorer areas from London and its surroundings with big ideas about improving the lives of the working classes. To get a better understand of the workers and their motives, we must first explore what their situation was in South Wales when the CIU was formed in 1862 We see exploited workers getting more rights and improved working conditions as a result of trade union and other civil rights movements03, and so people eventually gaining more free time and more disposable income04. This set the groundwork for the movement and allowed it to exist as a self-help movement as intended, rather than through charitable deeds alone. The times when the poorest workers were being forced into 10-12 hour working days, 6 days a week,05 left little time for movements like this to exist, so 01 Edwards. The Story of Wales. 02 Morgan, Rebirth of a Nation, pg. 9. During the 1870s Wales is still largely owned by historically weatthy families,, with farms and smallholdings all feeding into their wealth.. 03 Key to this was the mines regulation act of 1972, detailed in The History of the T. U. C. 1868-1968: a Pictorial Survey of a Social Revolution. (London, Trades Union Congress. 1968) pp. 26-27 04 Marwick. British Society Since 1945. 05 John Hannavy. The Victorians and Edwardians at work (Shire, 2009). 40 | the working mens clubs of south wales
MOTIVES/GOALS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS IN RELATION TO THE WORKING MAN working men
social life physical domain sense of community
independence empowerment
employers
CIU founders self-improvement education self image
working efficiency
obedient workforce
retention of a working class
temperance
the pub was the obvious option for any spare income they may have had, much to Henry Solly’s despair. However, when time and more money became available to the workers they were able to band together to achieve a step towards self-liberation and empowerment. This was true despite the amount of increase in time and/or income. This moment came at a point prior to mass consumerism06, where for example the workers were not quite their own customers yet07, 06 Marwick. British Society Since 1945. p.187 This chapter talks about the drastic change that happened in the years immediately following WWII in this regard, with more and more options becoming available such as credit on purchases and the expansion of supermarkets. 07 This is generally considered to first occur with the Ford production line, which aimed to make the employee the customer, by drastically reducing the cost of the end product, and in turn being able to raise their wages. motives | 41
and so could pool their wages. Unlike the workers, the employers’ motives proved to be a bit more complex. ‘A balance was needed between profit and more investment in their workers’ welfare, which in turn gave workers more power to resist or seek further improved conditions and rights. In giving them higher wages, employers saw a long term benefit as it shifted the workers identities, from employees into potential customers. With this shift came the bitter-sweet realisation that workers were no longer trapped in their employment, as they were presented with more opportunities to develop and potentially find better, more rewarding jobs.. This Fordist model later developed into mass consumerism08 and further opened opportunities for workers self-improvement. The reason the self-improvement aspect of the CIU movement could be seen as negative by the employers is that the entire manufacturing or labour industry relies on a less qualified or educated workforce to fill these jobs, but on the inverse, they were attempting to strike a balance between a content and satisfied workforce and one that would be working efficiently and without disruption. In recent years workers have been further distanced from their employers, and have been increasingly commodified, as work output can be less and less tangible in the production of a commodity, and notions of success or productivity are abstracted. The third motive is that of the proponents of the CIU, those sometimes distant from the working men themselves however with aims to improve society at their heart. Intents and motives here were more disparate, with the original movement aiming to create an absolute alternative to public houses, an adaptation of temperance halls aimed at the working man, a place for self-improvement and education with little of the entertainment that we see today. An example of this kind of working men’s club still exists today in the Walthamstow Working Men’s Club09, founded in 1862, however very few were built, particularly so in the South Wales region, where the temperance movement didn’t have the same hold it may have done in other regions. Many Welsh temperance societies were known to promote moderation as opposed to abstinence in drinking10, on top of that is 08 Peter Gurney. “The Battle of the Consumer in Postwar Britain,” The Journal of Modern History 77, no. 4 (2005): pp. 956-87. This is considered to have happened from the 1950s onwards. 09 Ruth Cherrington. CIU Journal. 2012. 10 Morgan. Rebirth of a Nation. p. 17. There was a move in the 19th century of young boys taking a ‘blue ribbon pact’ of temperance, however this never implemented in prohibition licensing laws or had as strong an impact as in other parts of the UK. 42 | the working mens clubs of south wales
the fact that the CIU movement came to Wales at a later date due to its founding in London, records talk of Hodgson Pratt, the vice-chair of the CIU at the time, making a trip through the South Wales valleys in 1874 as an effort to spread the ideas of the movement there, published as part of a welsh language newspaper article spreading the ideas of the movement to the welsh speaking population11. This accounts for many of the clubs categorised as ‘feature clubs’, such as Swansea Working Men’s Club (p. 20-21), where there is not only this well-intentioned action, but also a desire to demonstrate it, and have a physical monument of it, in this case a functional monument. These aims can clearly be seen to be opposing those of the employers to some extent, however the movement was never about creating a shift in their status12, or levelling the class divide, but instead making working men content and so perhaps strengthening this separation, with the illusion of helping them. Ultimately, workers were aiming to create a space of their own in which to socialize, whilst their employers were interested in keeping them set in their situation. Despite not always perhaps being entirely realistic goal, there is a vision is of a perfect balance with the club filling the gaps in the workers lives formed by their situation. Despite all of these aims and intentions, the entire social situation is an artificial construct, and so in turn are its issues. The situation is one that is beneficial to the employers more so than the workers and so it is largely in their interest to maintain it. If any of this were to promote wider social change or alter the power dynamic, then the need for these clubs might lessen (though this may be a positive thing). General historic discourse suggests perhaps this is what happened, albeit through other means, leading to the decline in club popularity, as they simply needed to serve as a stopgap. The workplaces are where the issues are manufactured that create the need and so the clubs are simply patching over these rather than solving them as a larger reform would do.
11 “WORKING MEN’S CLUB & INSTITUTE UNION”. Y Gwladgarwr. August 16, 1873. Accessed via Newspaper Library of Wales Online 12 Tremlett. Clubmen. p. 13 motives | 43
chapter 7 clubs vs the workplace
Figure 7.1
Figure 7.1: Oakdale miners institute prior to its 1987 closure. Known locally as the ‘stute’ it formed the centre of the Oakdale community, and was originally built as part of the town development funded by mine owners. The institute itself was funded through a penny in the pound scheme matched by the employers, meaning the workers would never have full ownership of it, however this did not damage their pride over the building.
44 | the working mens clubs of south wales
In the ideal situation there would be no need for the clubs, if the workplace and the home were to provide all that workers needed. The issues that arise in cases - as with the majority of South Wales in mining towns are manufactured by employers seeking to exploit their workers. In the instance of miners institutes, we see a conscious attempt by the employer, in this case mine owners, to create a space that is a close extension of the workplace, through funding it01. If a worker ceases to be employed at the mine, they then lose access to the institute, this however wasn’t much of a problem in many of these South Wales communities in which almost every resident was employed by the mines. Working men’s clubs differed from this in being more widely accessible, and so more likely to be a vehicle for change amongst the workers. Whilst miners institutes give the appearance of the mine owners supporting their workers the actuality is that they are supporting them for the purpose of them staying in their jobs and making a content and stable workforce. This relationship between the worker and their employer in the case of the miners institute represents a dependent and cyclical relationship with the power and security in the employers hands. In contrast the working men’s club retains a more distant relationship from the employer, given a step of separation, both giving more power to the worker and establishing a resilient facility to the community. For the club to fully achieve its goals then, it requires it to be operating independently of the workplace, however funded by the wages earned, at the same time due to the need for a club being a direct result of the working circumstances the workplace has a direct relation to the club. If we can eliminate the working circumstances that create the need for the club, then perhaps the club can be eliminated, as we see it filling the gap left empty in the first place. Modern ideals of workplaces today are to create places employees wouldn’t want or need to leave, with companies like WeWork creating spaces that incorporate social activities alongside traditional offices02. This could be seen as a development on the idea of a working men’s club, with far closer ties to the employer, and a potentially 01 Gerallt D. Nash, Trefor Alun Davies, Beth Thomas. Workmen’s Halls & Institutes: Oakdale Workmen’s Institute. 1995. 02 Will Reynolds. “How WeWork redesigned the workplace”. Virgin Entrepeneur. June 22, 2017. https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/how-wework-re-designed-workplace
more detrimental situation to the worker. Where a social life becomes exclusive to a workplace this gives the worker less freedom, and gives them more of a dependence on the employer. This scenario perhaps begins to solve some of the problems set up by the working situation, however likely relates strongly to the more recent shift away from manufacturing or labour based jobs, with less tangible means of productivity. This then represents a false progression of working standards and perhaps even a step backwards in that there is no longer a trend for owned space, separated from the workplace. But above all this is a consequence of wider automation03 and so the decline of the traditional ‘working man’.
Figure 7.2
At the opposite end of this however, looking at the more elaborate architecture of the region that was built with coal or industrial money, such as the Bute families indulgent Burges designed extensions to Cardiff Castle and reconstruction of Castell Coch04, it would explain why some clubs are required to occupy existing buildings, or build on such an ad-hoc basis. This is a visual representation of the imbalance of wealth that came out of the coal industry. COOPERATIVE COMMUNITIES The way the clubs were founded as semi-cooperative member-run organisations05 hints at the opportunity for the owners to develop this experience into creation of a further community based around this idea, and this eventually replacing the workplace, when there is a united collective of people with similar goals and interests. There are no examples that have become apparent, whether this is due to lack of ambition or practicality it is unclear, or simply the nature of a club, as the ‘other’ place, distanced from the stresses of working or home life that prevented them from developing as enterprises. Following the narrative of societal developments in the working class, there is less concern about the collective but more about individual empowerment, so these ideas seem less developed, and are coming into prevalence more in the modern day as new groups embrace the power of the collective06. There would be an understandable 03 Arthur Marwick. British Society Since 1945. (Penguin History, 2003) 04 https://www.cardiffcastle.com/the-butes/ 05 Tremlett, Clubmen. p. 14.
Figure 7.2: Cardiff Castle, approx 1922 The Bute family, known for leading the coal industry in the region, had extensive alterations made to the historic Norman & Roman castle between 1820 & 1927 to make it fit for use as their residence, including an elaborate wall lined with sculptures of stone animals.
06 DIY Space For London. https://diyspaceforlondon.org/about/ clubs vs the workplace | 45
position that employers would take to prevent the members from taking on an enterprising nature. Further power relations are seen in the way the entire movement could be interpreted as a form of controlled or drip-fed development attempted by the upper classes, this new typology being a way of reinforcing the class boundary and preventing people from crossing it. Private members clubs by nature excluded the working or trading classes and so a gap had to be filled before it was dissolved through progression of society. Reinforcing this is the categorisation of the clubs, whilst private members clubs were split into interests to promote development of ideas, working men’s clubs are split by the class or trade of members, limiting potential for connection with likeminded individuals and limiting the learning opportunities, despite members having the same background and generally similar areas of knowledge. In this view the tie is even stronger to the workplace, and the controlling implications of the clubs is highlighted further.
46 | the working mens clubs of south wales
chapter 8 the working man’s club & the home Having examined the complex dynamics between the club and the workplace, what then was the relationship between the working men’s social club and the home of the working man, and how did one support or limit the other? There is a level of specificity to this argument that applies to the region under study. There are various notions tying the home to the club, from the sense of belonging and ownership that is shared, to the comfort and relaxation they provide as a respite from the workplace. The living conditions in the region were developing toward the end of the 19th century, moving away from the slums that formed much of Merthyr Tydfil in the earlier part of the century01, as mine-owners built terraces or even entire towns for their workers02. These were however still relatively basic and small in comparison to today’s living standards (see fig 8.2). Homes of workers during the late nineteenth century were often very basic03, as documented by many social historians, and so through this sense of community given by the social club were given an extended physical domain to call their own.
‘The form of an industrial house can tell us something about the motives of its builder and his relation to the occupants. Many of the early factory masters sought to influence all aspects of the lives of their workpeople, even outside working hours. Some built on an impressive scale either from genuine concern for their workes, or as a conscious exercise in ‘imagepromotion’. Other masters showed their influence ina less benevolent way, providing housing which was a constrant reminder of the workman’s state of dependence.’ - Lowe, Jeremy Burman. 1977. Welsh industrial workers housing, 1775-1875. Cardiff: National Museum of Wales. p.36
This new domain gave its members the physical space to utilize as they liked, albeit initially within the guiding principles of the CIU; ‘for conversation, business, and mental improvement’ amongst other things within the prescribed functional spaces. With the movement beginning at a time when the primary sources of entertainment were the public houses or gin palaces, aiming solely to make money from their patrons, this opened up new possibilities for these working men. As a possible precursor to the coming of mass consumerism, the movement started at a time when the working class lacked the income to open up an enterprise of their own to begin profiting, but between a small community, with funds gathered together were able to set up a shared facility that would benefit them all. Perhaps this movement then, was only needed to bridge the gap between the 01 Huw Edwards. The Story of Wales. BBC. 2012 02 Nash, Davies & Thomas. Workmen’s Halls and Institutes. 1995. 03 JB Lowe. Welsh Industrial Workers Housing. (Cardiff: National Museum of Wales, 1977). the working man's club & the home | 47
Figure 8.1
Figure 8.2 48 | the working mens clubs of south wales
age of exploited workers, given barely enough wage to survive, and that of mass consumerism, at which point the worker was a valid customer and so the higher wages benefited the employer, but also gave the worker the empowerment desired. With this dawn of mass consumerism two key changes occurred that could be seen to have impacted the movement and the success or failure of the club movement. Firstly, with employees earning more they became closer to the level of their employers and so a world of consumer home items opened up, elevating the home from solely being the retreat at the end of the day, offering little more than a place to prepare food and shelter into somewhere to spend time in its own right. With radio sets beginning to be seen in peoples homes from around the 1920s04, and televisions becoming more and more common from the 1950s05, these not only provided entertainment but to an extent a sense of company that could prevent people from feeling the need to leave the home. Through into the 1960s brought American companies with the latest home conveniences to further improve the once basic dwellings06. Secondly then with this shift in the role of the home, a shift came in the wider entertainment sector, as people realised there was a new category of disposable income becoming available from the working class. The realisation was there was money to be made from providing a new level of entertainment beyond that of the public houses and gin palaces that had dominated Victorian Britain. There had been other forms of entertainment that died out such as cock-fighting or bear baiting, however this was a shift towards the entertainment sector we see today. If we see the home, the workplace and the social club as a triangular relationship at the beginning of the movement, this shift caused by mass consumerism causes this triangle to cease to be equally weighted, as more and more components to people’s social lives opened up, causing the importance and uniqueness of the working men’s club to be diminished greatly. These changes observed in the programme of the clubs could be attributed to these societal shifts. 04 “The History & Development of Radio in the UK”, media.info. 19 October, 2015. https://media.info/ radio/data/the-history-and-development-of-radio-in-the-uk 05 Peter Gurney. “The Battle of the Consumer in Postwar Britain,” The Journal of Modern History 77, no. 4 (2005): pp. 956-87. 06 Edwards. The Story of Wales. 2012.
Figure 8.1: Typical terraced houses of the south wales valleys. This is an example of some back-to-back houses constructed in around 1840, that were later converted into single homes, as space standards for living increased. Figure 8.2: Typical plans and sections of industrial workers homes in South Wales, this example is near Port Talbot, constructed in the mid 19th Century.
the working man's club & the home | 49
In looking at this we can start thinking about what the working men’s club did give as a supplement to the home, and what it was that meant it was no longer needed or wanted to the same extent. Initially it offered the prospect of education, however that later shifted. There is often the notion that the club, in comparison to the pub is closer to a homelike space, and more relaxing when a member can visit any time they like without pressure to buy a drink07. To the members of ex-servicemen’s clubs they sought the camaraderie that they were missing from their time in service, that was lacking from their own homes, and even from the public houses that were available to them, a place where whilst remaining unspoken, the other members understood their plight. In a sense this is the most relatable notion to movements occurring in the present day, looking to provide safe spaces for those who need them and fail to find a sense of belonging otherwise. There are an increasing number of such social organisations occupying leftover spaces08 in the same way as many working men’s clubs did in the 20th Century. This again reflects the changing nature of the ‘club’, being an inclusive space rather than a private exclusionary space. In this same vein the form of organization and running of the clubs is echoed today, with cooperative aims and member ownership, all for similar reasons, there is no individual championing these groups, but they are championed by the power of the collective. To the inverse of the argument, the social club, in its initial form took the man away from his home and family, into another venture, that was purely for himself, as opposed to going away to work which was for the entire family’s benefit. This changed later as clubs developed into something closer to entertainment venues than their original vision and so would begin to be spaces for the entire family, and through this becoming something more unique, in comparison to pubs. Up to the 2003 changes in licensing restrictions, the regulations were prohibitive towards children in pubs09, again making clubs stand out amongst what was initially their prime competitor. 07 Marwick. British Society Since 1945. p. 126. 08 In London these are most prevalent with now defunct Power Lunches, and ‘DIY Space for London in South Bermondsey. Emma Garland. “Long Live Power Lunches, a Space for Everyone” 15 December, 2015. https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/rnva4z/long-live-power-lunches-a-spacefor-everyone 09 “Children in Pubs”, British Beer & Pub Association. http://beerandpub.com/wp-content/ uploads/2017/LicenseeGuidance/Children-in-pubs.pdf 50 | the working mens clubs of south wales
In separating the activities and physical space of the club from the home what is achieved and why is there a need for this distinct separation? Looking at the present day scenario where the home has become an all-encompassing bastion, able to provide entertainment and to an extent a social life on top of the place to rest at night, it could be argued that this is the separation having now been revoked. The element missing, in this scenario is the opportunity to make new acquaintances and grow social circles, But this can be another attribution to the decline of club popularity. In cases where homes were built by the mine owners or factory owners the club could be a liberation from this space into a space of their own. It was common for employers to fund the construction of homes to draw new workers to an area10, and different approaches were employed, in some cases homes would be built generously attempting to either keep workers happy or to demonstrate their position of power, whilst others would have minimal provisions, in a move indicating the workers dependence on the employer. In this context, a structure, and space formed out of the mans own toil and drive towards self-help could be highly liberating and empowering. This situation only applies in cases closer to those of Coed Ely Cons Club (pg. 20-21) than for example Gorseinon WMC (pg. 16-17), where even the club was wholly or in part funded by the employer. In this sense the relationship is different, becoming the sole space that they have absolute control or ownership over. This draws in notions of ownership of land and space, in the specific context of the United Kingdom where the majority of people across the country live in individually owned homes11 and the societal pressure is to aspire to ownership, perhaps this was a first step towards this. The ownership of space is ingrained as a measure of success in Britain, right through society, up to the pinnacle of the Royal Family residing in sprawling palaces across the country. This leads into a discussion on aspirations of members and the working class in general in relation to both the concept of the home and the club. There are other governmental shifts in services and supplemental facilities to the home such as provision of public libraries and wider access to education, which would have added to this. As with the workplace, the general condition of housing itself appears as a major component leading to this perceived need for a club to fill in the gaps. 10  J.B. Lowe. Welsh Industrial Workers Housing 1775-1875. (National Museum of Wales, 1977) p.36 11  The English Housing Survey states that 63% of households are owned by their occupiers. English Housing Survey, Home ownership, 2016-17 the working man's club & the home | 51
chapter 9 aspirations The CIU pushed the club movement for the perceived needs of the working classes as established coming out of the situation of both the workplace and the home being inadequate. It was well-intentioned but disconnected form the reality of working class desires. The working classes looked up and perhaps aspired towards the things that the upper classes had: two prime things are property ownership, and private club membership. The working men’s club gave them something of a step towards both of these. The mystification of the private members club was knocked down by creating a club for them alone, and within this they are given the beginnings of a sense of land or space ownership. These two things however by the 1970s were no longer so limited to the upper classes as the rise of mass consumerism had shifted the wealth divide and class boundaries. More people began owning their own homes and the elements of mystery surrounding clubs were shattered, as the classes became less pronounced and separate. Perhaps it was noticed that in fact there was nothing special about being in a club, but only this sense of mystery surrounding things going on behind closed doors, a symbol of power, and of being in a place in which not everyone belongs. Today when there are fewer prominent private social venues, there is perhaps less intrigue about these Working Men’s Clubs, and more of a sense of bizarre exclusion or isolationism, as measures are still in place to allow new members only by recommendation of an existing member. Private venues still retain some of their intrigue to an extent in the ‘hidden’ or ‘exclusive’ bars and restaurants that have been popularized in the last decade but these are no more than marketing attempts to provide profit for these businesses. This potentially relates to a lessening focus on the power of the collective and a focus on individual gain. Can this be attributed to a social shift showing that there is now a much greater sense of individual empowerment than was ever present in times around the founding of the CIU?
52 | the working mens clubs of south wales
chapter 10 conclusion In undertaking this analysis of motives, aspirations, and power relationships underpinning the CIU movement in South Wales, perhaps the true narrative coming out of this is that the aspiration, desire and need was largely fabricated as a means for philanthropy. It is documented that there were other agendas surrounding the founding of the movement, (primarily temperance) and - putting the educational aspects aside - the problem being solved was the reliance of men on the public house, a problem that was far from the working man’s own concerns. With this occurring amidst numerous other uprisings and social reforms perhaps it was simply a blurred image of a better future on the back of this other momentum, being handed to them by the rich. The change was already in motion and so this movement, as far as the philanthropic interest was concerned was just jumping on the back of it. Whilst other movements of the time have proven themselves to have been long lasting and successful, perhaps the WMCIU’s demise is more of a sign of it being a well-intentioned misfire amidst this time of rapid social change. However these good intentions still come from those in the upper classes, aiming to solve something that those involved in had no issue with. And so is perhaps more a case of the CIU proponents attempting to shape the working classes into something more fitting with what they were required for. They would benefit more from a more educated workforce, if they were kept at a lower level of education than the employers of course, and keeping workers out of the pub would have an impact on their capability to work. In placing the research into the wider context, and comparing these clubs to the miners institutes around, it becomes apparent that within that movement there was a much heavier show of power by the mine owners, and in the bigger picture these clubs affiliated with the CIU are very much more a product of self-help than handouts by the rich. This is evidenced in the architecture exhibited by the miners institutes, which is much more documented than that of the working mens clubs due to its relative grandeur, and many more examples are listed by Cadw or preserved and restored as architectural artefacts than those of Working Men’s Clubs. There is something to be said for the fact this was a highly targeted conclusion | 53
movement of social reform, as a non-governmental, self-help act, meaning there were large groups of society left out. This meant there was still a necessity for solving some of the problems the movement was addressing outside of its specific targeted audience. Numerous governmental acts would go on to address some of these things, such as the education reforms, public libraries acts. It is clear from the physical evidence of the clubs studied that their physical form does reflect the society in which they were constructed. The development of the club movement has evidently led it to a point where it is no longer relevant in the same way as it was when it was first founded, through failing to keep up with the development of society. This fundamentally signifies that society no longer has the same need for it as it once did, whether this was perceived or real. In this manner though the clubs have been successful if we see frame them as items of transition from the heavily labour and industry led society of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, easing us into the situation today where the majority of manufacturing has shifted outside of the UK. From this perhaps comes a key need then to redefine who today’s equivalent of the ‘working man’ is. The voiceless or neglected of today, that are in need of a ‘club’ or domain of their own to assist in the period of shifting societal ideals. If a movement such as this were to arise today however it would no doubt be a self-driven one, and perhaps be all the more successful for it. Looking to the future of these buildings specifically, the fact that they are mostly architecturally and spatially unremarkable and unprescriptive makes them ideal candidates for re-purposing. There are numerous examples across the country of clubs remaining open, and in the hands of the original club members whilst earning additional income through allowing use of the space as gig venues on certain nights01. The feature club typology would likely never exist if the movement were starting out today in the same form, due to the nature of construction in the UK today. There are numerous cues however to be taken from the way clubs occupied existing buildings and adapted to their needs as they changed 01 Welsh, April. “Working Men’s Clubs - can this British institution rise from the ashes of Phoenix Nights?“. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ working-mens-clubs-can-this-british-institution-rise-from-the-ashes-of-phoenix-nights-8423577.html 54 | the working mens clubs of south wales
To look at the wider context however, shows some clubs that have been highly successful in transitioning themselves into feasible establishments in the twenty-first century. Prime examples of these are Leeds Brudenell Club, a former non political club, and the Bethnal Green Working Mens Club02, originally built in 1953, now a lively and progressive venue far from the male only, alcohol-free origins of the movement. These hint at a positive future, and the embracing of the shifts that have occurred in society, but this models success in South Wales is likely to be limited, due to the sheer quantity of clubs in the area combined with the decline of its population. We can celebrate these clubs for what they did in the past, but perhaps now is time for some to fade away. 02  Richard Hall. Working Men’s Clubs: Past, Present and Future.. http://historytothepublic.org/ working-mens-clubs-past-present-and-future/
conclusion | 55
BIBLIOGRAPHY Birch, Lionel. The History of the T. U. C. 1868-1968: a Pictorial Survey of a Social Revolution. London, Trades Union Congres. 1968. Cherrington, Ruth. Not Just Beer And Bingo! A Social History Of Working Men’s Clubs. -: -. 2012. Cherrington, Ruth. Club Historians. clubhistorians.co.uk. Coekin, Chris. Knock Three Times: Working Men, Social Clubs & Other Stories: Working Men, Social Clubs and Other Stories. Dewi Lewis Publishing. 2006. Gurney, Peter. “The Battle of the Consumer in Postwar Britain.” The Journal of Modern History 77, no. 4 (2005): 956-87. Gentleman, Amelia. “Time, gentlemen: when will the last all-male clubs admit women?”. The Guardian. April 30, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/apr/30/time-gentlemen-when-willlast-all-male-clubs-admit-women Gibson, Paul. Working Men’s Clubs. 2009. https://www.paul-gibson.com/social-history/working-mens-clubs. php Jones, Craig. The Miner’s Institutes, Workman’s Halls and Welfare Halls of South Wales. BSc Dissertation, Polytechnic of South Wales. 1990. Keenan, John. “Do not mourn working men’s clubs”, The Guardian. March 7, 2008. https://www.theguardian. com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/07/lastorders Lowe, Jeremy Burman. Welsh industrial workers housing, 1775-1875. Cardiff: National Museum of Wales. 1977. Marwick, Arthur. British Society Since 1945. London: Penguin History. 2003. Miller, Claire & Mears, Tyler. “Traditional working men’s clubs are declining across the South Wales Valleys,.” Wales Online. November 10, 2016. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ traditional-working-mens-clubs-declining-12146047 Morgan, Kenneth O. Rebirth of a Nation: A History of Modern Wales 1880–1980. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1980. Nash, Gerallt D., Davies, T. Alun & Thomas, Beth. Workmen’s Halls and Institutes: Oakdale Workmen’s Institute. National Museum of Wales. 1995.
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Perry, Grayson. 2016. The Descent of Man. Penguin. Sanders, Joel. 1996. Stud: Architectures of Masculinity. Princeton Architectural Press. Taylor, John. From Self-Help to Glamour: The Working Man’s Club, 1860-1972 (History Workshop Pamphlets). History Workshop, Ruskin College. 1972. Tremlett, George. Clubmen: The History of the Working Men’s Club and Institute Union. Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd. 1987. Woodock, George. The History of the T. U. C. 1868-1968: a Pictorial Survey of a Social Revolution. London. Trades Union Congress. 1968. Welsh, April. “Working Men’s Clubs - can this British institution rise from the ashes of Phoenix Nights?”. The Independent. December 18, 2012. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/ features/working-mens-clubs-can-this-british-institution-rise-from-the-ashes-of-phoenixnights-8423577.html A
man’s
world, The Guardian, guardiansocietysupplement
2000,
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2000/oct/04/
DATA SOURCES CIU Club Journals 2011-2018 online archives Digimaps. https://digimap.edina.ac.uk. Google Maps. https://www.google.co.uk/maps. WMCIU Website. http://www.wmciu.org.uk. StatsWales. https://statswales.gov.wales. Local Planning Portals. Welsh Newspapers Online - http://newspapers.library.wales/home West Glamorgan Archive.
bibliography | 57
58 | the working mens clubs of south wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
appendices
APPENDIX I - CLUB CATALOGUE
This catalogue collates all the current clubs listed on the CIU website for the South Wales & Monmouthshire branches. Dates for construction are given in a range as information was not always recorded and in many cases is only available from historic maps. Typologies refer to those defined in previous chapters.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW01 CF37 1BE 5th Welch Social Club 114 Broadway Treforest Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 08492 89584 1943-1961 Domestic/Retail
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW02 CF83 4HA Aber & Senghenydd Ex Serv.Club 18-19 Gwern Avenue Senghenydd Caerphilly Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 11564 90714 1953-1960 Domestic/Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW03 SA12 6NE Aberavon Liberal Club 30 Ysguthan Road Aberavon Port Talbot West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 75680 89918 1939-1952 Domestic/Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW04 CF83 4DH Abertridw R.A.O.B. Social Club The Square Abertridwr Caerphilly Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 11932 89417 Unknown Functional Affiliated to the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes
appendices | 59
60 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW05 NP22 5AQ Abertysswg W.M.Club Walter Street Abertysswg Rhymney Tredegar Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 12936 05629 Unknown Joined 2016 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW06 CF81 8PE Bargoed Labour Club 1A Upper Wood Street Bargoed Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 14922 99480 1953-1958 Domestic -
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW07 CF63 4JL Barry Dock Liberal Club 1 Thompson Street Barry Dock Vale of Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 11815 68049 1893* Retail *Club founded in 1893, unkown when existing building was built.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW08 CF62 6QY Barry West End Club & Inst 54 St. Nicholas Road Barry Vale of Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 10445 67010 1900-1919 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW09 CF82 8BT Beechgrove Social Club Penpedairheol Hengoed Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 14121 97490 1960-1975 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW10 LD3 9AN Brecon W.M. Social Club 3 Watergate Brecon Powys Powys County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 04329 28644 1904-1964 Domestic Formerly an Inn (circa 1900), front extension likely added when converting to a club
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW11 SA11 2YY Briton Ferry Constitutional Cl The Graig House Briton Ferry Neath West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 74358 94238 Pre-1878 Feature Building in existence since pre 1878, unknown when its use as a club began
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW12 CF83 1NX Caerphilly Municipal & Gen Wor Market Street Caerphilly Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 15740 86915 Post 1975* Functional *Converted from public house
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW13 CF83 1NZ Caerphilly Social Club 44 Castle Street Caerphilly Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 15737 87144 Post 1970 Functional Current building post 1970, club in existence prior to 1920
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW14 CF5 1JB Canton Liberal W.M.C. & Int. 301-303 Cowbridge Road East Canton Cardiff South Glamorgan City of Cardiff Council
GRID REF ST 16584 76531 YEAR BUILT 1901-1920 TYPOLOGY Feature NOTES Sat in a residential area of Cardiff, comprised of rows of terraced homes, likely would have been frequented by dock workers.
appendices | 61
62 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW15 CF5 5BY Cardiff West End Social Club ‘Rosemeade’ Cowbridge Road, Ely Cardiff South Glamorgan City of Cardiff Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 13297 75947 1922-1940 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW16 CF39 8BA Coed Ely Constitutional W.M.C. Nantmelyn Terrace Tonyrefailporth
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 01680 86530 1961-1973 Functional See case studies chapter.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW17 CF64 2JZ Cogan Coronation Club 1 Hewell Street Cogan Penarth Vale Of Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 17592 72212 1942-1955 Domestic Football club started in 1961.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW18 CF44 6LA Cwmaman W.M & Social Club Glanaman Road Cwmaman Aberdare Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99602 99564 1960 Functional Current building opened in 1989, club founding date unknown.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW19 SA12 9DW Cwmavon Social Club 1 Hazelwood Terrace Cwmavon Port Talbot West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 78622 92426 1919-1936 Functional
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW20 CF44 8UA Cwmdare Miners Welfare Soc Clb Cwmdare Road Cwmdare Aberdare Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 98254 03339 1921-1938 Functional Possibly built as part of a miners institute setup and joined the CIU later.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW21 SA9 2YY Cwmllynfell Uplands W.M.C. 38 New Road Cwmllynfell Swansea West Glamorgan Carmarthenshire County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 75024 12397 1918-1962 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW22 CF44 7LB Cynon Valley Club & Inst 30 Victoria Square Aberdare
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 00285 02543 Unknown Domestic/Retail
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW23 CF46 5LH Dan Y Graig Labour Club 27 Mary Street Treharris
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 09616 96880 Unknown Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW24 SA2 7TB Dunvant W.M.C. 1 Killan Road, The Square Dunvant Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 59420 93870 1964-1973 Domestic
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
appendices | 63
64 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW25 CF43 4HL Ferndale Conservative Club 56-57 Lake Street Ferndale Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99819 96926 Pre 1962 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW26 CF43 4HW Ferndale Imp Cons W.M.Club Rhondda Road Ferndale Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99731 97030 Unknown Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW27 CF43 4HE Ferndale Labour Club 21 Lake Street Ferndale Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99907 96805 Pre 1919 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW28 CF42 5SE Fernhill & Blaenrhondda Miners Near Chapel Street Blaenrhondda Treorchy Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW29 SA5 5AN Fforest Fach Embassy Soc Club 75 Ravenhill Road Fforest Fach Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 92772 99920 1912 Feature
“Fernhill & Blaenrhondda Workmen’s Hall and Institute opened in 1912. A cinema operated here from the 1920s and had a capacity of 500 seats. It remains in use as a social club.” Looks like potential residential conversion? Original stone façade is retained behind modern (80s possibly) extension to front.
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 63454 95635 Pre 1960 Domestic/Functional
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SM 95523 37432 Pre 1965 Functional
SW31 CF41 7TR Gelli & Ton Pentre Hibernia Cl 142 Gelli Road Gelli Pentre Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 97651 94894 1900-1919 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW32 CF41 7LY Gelli & Ystrad Comrades Club 27-28 Gelli Road Gelli Pentre Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 97388 94989 Post-1960 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW33 CF81 8LX Gilfach W.M.C. 85-89 Park Place Gilfach Bargoed Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 15189 98787 Converted Pre-1960 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW34 SA9 1BG Glanrhyd Coronation Club Glanrhyd Ystradgynlais Swansea Valley South Wales Powys County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 78247 09116 Pre-1974 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW30 SA65 9NP Fishguard & Goodwick Railwaymens Soc Club Brodog Terrace
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
Fishguard Dyfed Pembrokeshire County Council
appendices | 65
66 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW35 CF37 3BY Glyncoch Social Club Porchers Avenue Glyncoch Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 07855 92367 1965-1978 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW36 SA11 5AW Glynneath Social Club 74 High Street Glynneath
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 88350 06554 Pre 1962 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW37 SA9 2HA Godrergraig W.M.Club Glanyrafon Road Ystalyfera Swansea West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 76179 07778 1965-1984 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW38 SA4 4BW Gorseinon W.M.C. 11 Brighton Road Gorseinon Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 59050 98895 1926 Feature More ornate facade than many clubs, architect unknown.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW39 SA13 3YE Gwynfi Athletic Social Club Western Terrace Blaengwynfi Port Talbot West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 89573 96426 Pre 1962 Functional
West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
no image available, unknown if still in existence
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW40 CF44 8EL Harlequin Bowling Club Park Grove Trecyaon Aberdare Rhonda-Cynon-Taff Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 99711 03398 Post 1990 Functional Joined the union in 2013, likely to have existed before then
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW41 CF35 6HH Heol-Y-Cyw WM Sport & Soc Club 27-31 Pant Hirwaun Heol-Y-Cyw Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 94271 83914 Registered 2008 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW42 CF48 1RP Heolgerrig & Dist Rec/Soc & Cult Penrheol House Heolgerrig Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 03322 06128 1950-1960 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW43 CF32 7HU Lewistown Ath.Social Club Lewistown Ogmore Vale Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 93393 88319 Unknown if still in existence.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW44 CF83 3NX Llanbradach Old Comrades Club 1 Oak Field Street Llanbradach Caerphilly Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 15145 91271 Convereted 1960 Domestic
appendices | 67
68 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 50593 99962 1916-1951 Domestic Entrance to side of another building, doesn’t seem to be purpose built, possibly used office space.
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 05075 83851 1940-1962 Functional
SW47 CF72 8EB Llantrisant W.M.Club 19 Swan Street Llantrisant Pontyclun Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 04698 83505 1962-1971 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW48 SA4 4BX Llwchwr W.M.Club 7 - 9 High Street Gorseinon Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 59362 98538 1939 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW49 SA4 6RS Loughor & Dist W.M.Club Oakleigh Road Swansea
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 57797 98505 1916-1935 Functional Originally built 19161935, extended/rebuilt approx 1955
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW45 SA15 1AL Llanesco Social Club 11 Station Road
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW46 CF72 8HA Llantrisant Rugby Football Clb St David’s Place Llantrisant
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
Llanelli Dyfed Carmarthenshire County Council
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW50 CF34 9YY Maesteg W.M.Club 11 Temple Street Maesteg Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 85514 91243 Converted 1919-1939 Functional Former late 1800s drill hall, converted to a WMC/institute approx 1930s, likely following WW1, when no longer in use as a drill hall.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW51 SA4 3DA Mansel W.M.Club 7 Cecil Road Gowerton Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 58933 96237 1916-1935 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW52 CF47 8DU Merthyr Tydfil Labour Club The Court House Court Street Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 05114 05864 1957-1969 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW53 CF48 4QQ Merthyr Vale & Aberfan Social Democratic Club & Inst.Ltd Aberfan Road, Aberfan Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 07182 00538 1900-1919 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW54 CF40 2RQ Mid Rhondda Workmans Club 32A Court Street Tonypandy Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 98966 92948 1920-1962 Domestic Nicknamed ‘The Monkey’, original building 1900-1919, current unkown.
appendices | 69
70 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW55 CF40 1BQ Mid Rhonnda Central Club 71-72 Primrose Street Tonypandy Rhonnda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99434 92277 1920-1961 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW56 SA15 2BS Morfa Soc.& Ath.Club 33 New Street New Dock Llanelli Dyfed Carmarthenshire County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 51299 98846 Post 1971 Feature Current building post 1971, club in existence since at least 1952
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW57 SA6 8AA Morriston W.M.Club 11 Slate Street Morriston Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW58 CF45 3NS Mountain Ash Hibernian Band Cl 12 Pryce Street Mountain Ash
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW59 CF45 3HD Mountain Ash Workmans Club Duffryn House Oxford Street Mountain Ash Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF SS 67026 97926 YEAR BUILT Pre 1876 TYPOLOGY Feature/Functional NOTES Sign above door saying ‘no. 2018’ - possibly the clubs registration number with the CIU (the 2018th club to register). Originally built pre-1876, extended around 1910, and extended again around 1970. GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 04671 99170 1919-1958 Domestic Converted from ~3 terraced houses
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 04867 98973 1930 Feature/functional
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Converted hotel The Mountain Ash Workman’’s Club and Inst was established in the early 1900s in other premises and moved to the hotel in 1930s. Grade 2 listed building. Included as a former large-scale hotel from the period when the steam-coal trade of Mountain Ash was at its height, retaining its character externally and despite partial later interior refurbishment interesting fittings and features including a rare purpose-built skittle alley.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW60 CF34 0HP Nantyffyllon Rugby Football Cl Blosse Street Nantyfyllon, Maesteg Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 85086 92882
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW61 CF32 7RB Nantymoel Social Club The Square, Commercial Street Nantymoel Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 93454 92915 1929 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW62 SA11 3HA Neath W M Social Club Ltd. 38-42 Wind Street Neath
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 75438 97686 1909 Feature Neath Working Mens Club existed in 1909 current building date unknown
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW63 SA14 6RD New Cross Hands WM Club and Institute Ltd. 41 Llandeilo Road Cross Hands Llanelli Dyfed Carmarthenshire County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 56347 12953 Unknown Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW64 CF32 7AG Ogmore Vale Constitutional Club 59 High Street Ogmore Vale Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF SS 93334 89992 YEAR BUILT Early 1900s TYPOLOGY Feature NOTES Ogmore Vale Con Club is one of the oldest Clubs in the Ogmore Valley, Built in the early 1900’s with a current membership of 160.
West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Functional
appendices | 71
72 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW65 CF32 7AD Ogmore Vale Non Political Club & Inst. Ltd. 5/7 High Street Ogmore Vale Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 93311 90276 1918-1940 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW66 CF42 6ND Parc & Dare Ex Serv Mens Clb Sunny Bank Terrace Cwmparc Treorchy Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 95274 96209 1920-1962 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW67 CF35 6TB Pencoed Social Club Ltd 37 Hendre Road Pencoed Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 95769 81631 1951-1964 Feature Originally british legion club.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW68 SA5 7BT Penlan Social Club Heol Gwyrosydd Penlan Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 64532 96203 1968-1982 Functional Single storey, large plan. Part of a new town development.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW69 CF45 3SN Penrhiwceiber British Legion Untd. Serv. Clb & 55 Penrhiwceiber Road Mountain Ash
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 05851 97768 1919-1958 Domestic Converted terraced house.
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW70 SA9 1QX Penrhos Social Club (Brecon) Rhianfa, 329 Brecon Road Penrhos, Ystradgynlais Swansea West Glamorgan Powys County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 79842 11180 Converted 1918-1964 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW71 CF41 7JX Pentre Comrades Club Ltd 55 Albert Street Pentre Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 96684 96198 Converted 1919-1962 Functional Converted from drill hall.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW72 CF48 4BY Pentrebach & Abercanaid WMC Taibach Pentrebach Merthyr Tydfil
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 06492 03582 1951-1964 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW73 CF47 9AF Penydarren Social Club Alexandra Avenue Penydarren Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 05191 07230 1977-1983 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW74 CF40 1HA Penygraig Lab.& Prog.Club 10-11 Penygraig Road Penygraig Tonypandy Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 99888 91269 1904 Feature
Mid Glamorgan Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
appendices | 73
74 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW75 CF44 9DE Penywaun Club Welfare Ground Gwladys Street, Penywaun Aberdare Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 97677 04547 1951-1964 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW76 SA4 8TH Pontardulais W.M.Club Dulais Square Pontardulais Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 58864 03865 1916-1960 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW77 CF81 9QE Pontlottyn Empire Club 7 Stuart Street Pontlottyn Bargoed Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 11708 06115 1919-1961 Domestic/Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW78 CF32 8LN Pontycymmer Const. Club Waunbant Pontycymer Bridgend Mid Glamorgan Bridgend County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 90408 91537 1899-1919 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW79 CF43 3LA Pontygwaith Non Political Wmc Dolgwillym Street Pontygwaith, Ferndale Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 01042 94094 1947-1965 Feature Nicknamed ‘Cosmo’
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW80 CF37 1DZ Pontypridd & Dist Ex Service Woodland Terrace Maesycoed Road, Maesycoed Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 06770 89772 1965-1976 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW81 CF62 3DR Rhoose & Dist Social Club Fontygary Road Rhoose Barry South Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 06187 66460 Converted 1919-1943 Feature/Functional Converted from hotel.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW82 CF37 5LS Rhydyfelin Non-Political Club Rear Of Poplar Road Rhydyfelin Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 09543 87998 1961-1976 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW83 SA7 9AG Samlet Social Club Samlet Road Llansamlet Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 68240 97640 Post 1970 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW84 CF63 3QQ Sea View Labour Club Dock View Road Barry Dock
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 12575 68181 1920-1936 Feature The club are in talks to move out of this building into a pub, possibly no longer fit for purpose as usage has changed.
South Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Council
appendices | 75
76 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SS 74682 90147 1964-1980 Feature Featured in the BBC Wales production ‘The Passion of Port Talbot’ starring Michael Sheen.
CF37 5HR South Wales Branch Exe Clb 5 Lionel Terrace Rhydyfelin Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 08893 88050 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW87 SA6 5JB Sunnybank W.M.C. 132-134 Lone Road Clydach Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SN 68699 02256 1935-1964 Feature Detail feature over front door, possibly done by the members.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW88 SA1 1EE Swansea Railmens Club 42 Wind Street
GRID REF SS 65864 92900 YEAR BUILT Pre-1951 TYPOLOGY Retail NOTES Purpose made frontage, building has existed since late 19th century, unkown date occupied by the club. Threshold area at door reatining privacy unlike typical retail unit.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW89 CF15 7QD Taff’S Well Exservice & Soc C. Glanyllyn Taff’s Well
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW85 SA12 6SF Seaside Social & Labour Club Dalton Road Port Talbot
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
West Glamorgan Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Swansea West Glamorgan City and County of Swansea Council
Cardiff South Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 11941 83973 1942-1959 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW90 CF39 8EW Tonyrefail W.M.C. 28 Waunrhydd Road Tonyrefail Rhondda Cynon Taff Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 00819 88238 Pre 1965 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW91 CF37 4LR Trallwn W.M.Club Coedpenmaen Road Pontypridd
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 08134 91091 1919-1943 Feature Almost modernist style. Original building early 20th Century, current building approx 1960.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW92 CF37 2NP Trehafod & Dist Social Club 18 Coedcae Road Trehafod Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 04121 91058 Post 1972 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW93 CF43 3DA Tylorstown Exservicemens Club 228-229 East Road Tylorstown, Ferndale Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 01039 95322 1920-1959 Domestic Nicknamed ‘The Shot’
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW94 CF39 0AU Ynyshir & Dist W.M.Club Aber-Rhondda Road Porth Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 02646 91274 1900-1919 Feature
Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
appendices | 77
78 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW95 CF39 0NR Ynyshir Union Jack Ex Club Gynor Place Ynyshir Porth Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 02330 92729 1919-1962 Domestic Converted chapel, post 1919.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
SW96 CF82 7AA Ystrad Mynach Non Political Club Bedwylwyn House Ystrad Mynach Hengoed Mid Glamorgan Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 14557 94411 1919-1961 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN01 NP11 5GW Abercarn W.M.Club & Inst. Ltd Market Square Abercarn
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 21629 94948 1901-1920 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN02 NP7 5TN Abergavenny Labour Hall Club The Labour Hall Abergavenny
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 29816 14806 1950-1965 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN03 NP20 7DZ Bettws Social Club Lambourne Way Bettws Newport Gwent Newport City Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 28811 90732 1964-1972 Functional Built as part of new town development.
Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
Gwent Monmouthshire County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 17291 97131 Pre 1960 Feature Known as the woodbine club, formerly on the site of Woodbine Cottage.
MN05 NP23 4XX Brynmawr R.B.L. Club Branch Headquarters Church House, 61 Beaufort St. Brynmawr Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 19083 11680 Unknown Functional Formerly the ‘Griffin Hotel’.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN06 NP12 3JX Cefn Fforest Central Club 93 Cefn Fforest Avenue Cefn Fforest Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 16290 97754 1920-1960 Retail
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN07 NP19 8BW Clarence Workman’s Club 27 Chepstow Road
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 31669 88508 Unknown Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN08 NP23 6SX Cwm Comrades Club 86 Marine Street Cwm Ebbw Vale Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 18838 04419 Unknown Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN04 NP12 1QJ Blackwood W.M.Club 10 Woodbine Road
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
Newport Gwent Newport City Council
appendices | 79
80 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN09 NP23 7RH Cwm National W.M.Club 117 Canning Street Cwm Ebbw Vale Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 18254 05580 1920-1960 Domestic See case studies chapter.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN10 NP23 7TH Cwm Premier Club William Street Cwm Ebbw Vale Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 18428 05185 1951-1962 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN11 NP23 7RP Cwm Riverside Social Club Canning Street Cwm Ebbw Vale Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 18276 05424 Unknown Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN12 NP44 3JU Cwmbran W.M. Band Club Oldbury Road
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 29499 94510 1964-1972 Functional Originally part of a post WW2 newtown development (Cwmbran)
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN13 NP11 7LZ Cwmcarn W.M.Club 72 Newport Road Cwmcarn, Cross Keys Newport Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 21926 93481 1962-1973 Domestic
Cwmbran Gwent Torfaen County Borough Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN14 NP11 7GW Cwmfelinfach W.M. Const. Club 1 Hill View Cwmfelinfach Ynysddu, Newport Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 18688 91604 1920-1962 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN15 NP12 3JR Dagger Reform Club 1-3 Waunborfa Road Cefn Forest Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 16459 97560 1948* Domestic Registered as Industrial and Provident Society on the 18th of March 1948.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN16 NP4 9QS Elgam & Dist W.M.Club 5 Rifle Street Blaenavon
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 25290 09485 1920-1961 Domestic Built prior to 1920, converted before 1961.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN17 NP20 3NA Gaer Park Social Club & Inst Gaer Park Drive
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 29521 87343 1921-1937 Domestic
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN18 HR2 6BL Hereford Welsh Social Club 1 Hinton Road
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 50886 39088 1970-1985 Feature More modern example of a ‘feature’ style club, borrowing elements from local styles and almost arts & crafts styles.
Gwent Torfaen County Borough Council
Newport Gwent Newport City Council
Hereford Herefordshire Council
appendices | 81
82 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN19 CF83 8NA Machen WM Constitutional Club Dranllwyn 18 Commercial Road, Machen Machen Caerphilly Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 20917 89187 1920-1964 Retail
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN20 NP20 3BT Maesglas Sports & Social Club Maesglas Avenue
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 30183 85908 1921-1937 Functional Original club preWW2, current building possibly built at a later date.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN21 NP11 4FW Newbridge Constitutional Club High Street Newbridge Newport Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF ST 20629 96749 YEAR BUILT 1910 TYPOLOGY Feature/Domestic NOTES Sat adjacent to Zion Chapel. Date of construction indicated on carved stones in facade. A purpose built club, built however in the style of the local domestic.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN22 NP11 5FA Newbridge Labour Club Bridge Buildings Newbridge Newport Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 21021 97022 1945-1962 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN23 NP12 2JY Pontllanfraith Exservicemens Club 6 Commercial Street Pontllanfraith Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 18023 95965 1920-1953 Domestic
Newport Gwent Newport City Council
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN24 NP44 1DL Pontnewydd W.M.Club Chapel Street Pontnewydd Cwmbran Gwent Torfaen County Borough Council
GRID REF ST 29115 96044 YEAR BUILT 1960-1970 TYPOLOGY Feature NOTES Founded in the 1920s, before moving to a new purpose built building in the 1960s as Cwmbran was developing. Featured club of the month in the CIU Journal September 2013
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN25 NP4 6HN Pontypool W.M.Club Broadway
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
SO 27888 01079 Post-1988 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN26 NP4 5RT Race Labour & Social Club Blaendare Road Upper Race Pontypool Gwent Torfaen County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 27920 99944 1954-1962 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN27 NP11 6GQ Risca W.M.Club The Ferns 60 St Marys Street, Risca Newport Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 23685 91020 1920-1962 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN28 NP10 9DN Rogerstone & Bassaleg Soc.Club 1 Tregwillym Road Rogerstone Newport Gwent Newport City Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 26754 88127 1964-1972 Functional
Pontypool Gwent Torfaen County Borough Council
appendices | 83
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN29 NP16 5JN Severn Bridge Social Club Ltd Bulwark Road Bulwark Chepstow Gwent Monmouthshire County Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 53345 92798 1955-1968 Functional
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN30 NP11 5HT Sofrydd Social Club Limited Walter’s Avenue Sofrydd, Crumlin Newport Gwent Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 21714 98908 1965-1982 Feature
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN31 NP12 3HB Twyn Y Ffald Constitutional Cl Bedwellty Road Cefn Fforest Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 16424 97963 1901-1920 Feature Situated within a village that only came into existence due to the Britannia Colliery opening in the early 20th Century.
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
MN32 NP12 3HD Twyn Y Ffald W.M. Social Club 7 Twyn Y Ffald Road
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
ST 16585 97664 1920-1959 Domestic Nicknamed ‘The Blue’, repurposing of semidetached house
REF POST CODE CLUB NAME ADDRESS LINE 01 ADDRESS LINE 02 TOWN/CITY COUNTY LOCAL AUTHORITY
84 | The Working Mens Clubs of South Wales
Blackwood Gwent Caerphilly County Borough Council
GRID REF YEAR BUILT TYPOLOGY NOTES
APPENDIX II - MAPPING
Clubs mapped by approx year built - from white (earliest) to dark blue (latest) Yellow clubs unknown date of construction.
appendices | 85
APPENDIX III - FLOORPLANS
Snooker Cellar
Stage
Bar
Lounge
Main Hall
Skittles & Pool Hall
Conservatory
0
Conservatory
Smoking Shelter
10m
Coed Ely Constitutional Club Floorplan 1:200 Reproduced from plans accessed via the RCTCBC Planning Portal 86 | the working mens clubs of south wales
Store WC WC
Tea Room
Fencing Room Snooker Room
Library
Bottom Bar
WC
WC
Tea Room
Fencing Room
Store
Snooker Room
Library
Dart Room
WC
Dart Room Main Hall
Main Hall
WC
Bottom Bar
Top Bar
TV Room
TV Room
Top Bar Card Room
Card Room
Swansea Working Mens Club Floorplan 1:200 Reproduced from plans accessed at the West Glamorgan Archives appendices | 87
Swansea Working Mens Club Floorplan - following alterations to create second function room/ stage area 1:200 Reproduced from accessed at the Glamorgan Archives
Bottom Bar
88 | the working mens clubs of south wales
plans West
APPENDIX IV - STATISTICS
N O . O F C L U BS I N U N I O N 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500
1863 1866 1869 1872 1875 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986
0
No official statistics have been published beyond 1983 for total numbers of clubs in the union, however the figure is known to have continued to fall, to around 1600 clubs in 2018.
appendices | 89
Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly county boroughs have the highest density of clubs by far, with both of these being key areas of the mining industry. These boroughs have one club per 6800, and 7500 people respectively.
Density of clubs by area Newport Monmouthshire Torfaen Bla enau Gwent Caerphill y Merthyr Tydfil
Club Data: http://www.wmciu.org. uk/Branches.php Welsh Borough Data: https:// statswales.gov.wales
Rhondda Cynon Taf Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan Bridgend Neath Port Talb ot Swansea Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire Powys 0
0.0 1
0.0 2
0.0 3
0.0 4
0.0 5
0.0 6
0.0 7
0.0 8
0.0 9
0.1
Density of clubs by population Newport Monmouthshire Torfaen Bla enau Gwent Caerphill y Merthyr Tydfil Rhondda Cynon Taf Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan Bridgend Neath Port Talb ot Swansea Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire Ceredigion Powys 0
90 | the working mens clubs of south wales
0.0 0002
0.0 0004
0.0 0006
0.0 0008
0.0 001
0.0 0012
0.0 0014
0.0 0016
the working men’s clubs of south wales. The Working Men’s Club and Institute Union (WMCIU) was founded in 1862 by Victorian social reformer and temperance campaigner, the Reverend Henry Solly. Since its conception the ideas and goals of the WCMCIU developed far beyond Solly’s original vision. What was once meant to be a place to draw working class men out of public houses and gin palaces of Victorian London transformed into a community focused self-help movement. The overarching narrative of this dissertation explores the idea of the working man’s club, since the beginnings of the union, tracking their development from founding ideas by philanthropic individuals, dreaming of a working man’s equivalent to the Victorian private members club. This progresses through its growth to the point at which the movements members took it into their own hands, forging unique spaces catering to their needs. This development aligns with a path of historical discourse beginning with the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of the working man of the modern day, through to the present day situation, in which the existence of the traditional ‘working man’ is being questioned.
rhys waring masters of architecture dissertation tutor: richard difford january 2019 school of architecture and the built environment the university of westminster london