Salford Lads' Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salford Lads' Club |
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Salford Lads' Club in 2014
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| General information | |
| Location | Ordsall, Salford, England. |
| Coordinates | 53°28′36.73″N 2°16′27.77″W / 53.4768694°N 2.2743806°W |
| Construction started | 1903 |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Henry Lord |
The Salford Lads' Club is a famous club located in the Ordsall area of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It was built in 1903 as a special place for boys. Today, the club welcomes everyone, both boys and girls.
It offers many fun activities like sports, art shows, and cultural events. People from all over the world visit the club on special open days. You can even buy souvenirs to help the club stay open and keep doing its great work.
The club officially opened on January 30, 1904. It was opened by Robert Baden-Powell, who later started the Scout movement. Many famous people have been members here. These include footballers like Eddie Colman and Albert McPherson. Also, Allan Clarke and Graham Nash from the 1960s pop group The Hollies were members.
In 2003, the building became a listed building. This means it's a special place that needs to be protected. Its inside looks almost the same as it did when it first opened. It still has its original boxing ring, snooker rooms, and a gym with a viewing balcony. Experts say it's the best example of its kind in England.
In 2007, the Manchester Evening News newspaper reported something cool. The club building was used on the cover of The Smiths' album The Queen Is Dead. It was voted the third most iconic building in the whole country!
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Club's Beginnings
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In the 1800s, people started creating "boys' clubs." The idea was to give young boys a safe place to go. These clubs helped them learn good values and stay out of trouble. Rich business people often set up these clubs.
They soon realized that clubs needed more than just quiet games like draughts or billiards. Boys also wanted exciting activities. So, clubs started offering gymnastics, boxing, and outdoor sports. These were things most boys couldn't do otherwise.
Many of these clubs appeared in poor areas of Salford and Manchester. The first one was Hulme Lads' Club, started in 1850. Salford Lads' Club began in 1903. It was founded by two brothers, James and William Groves. Their family owned a brewery in Salford.
The club was designed by Henry Lord, a local architect. He also designed the Salford Royal Hospital. The club first opened in August 1903. The official opening by Robert Baden-Powell was on January 31, 1904. This was three years before he started the Scout movement.
The club was open every evening from 7 PM to 10 PM. In winter, it could have as many as 1,000 members!
Fun Activities and Camps
The Salford Lads' Club has a long history of fun activities. They have held an annual camp holiday since 1904. This tradition started even before the first Scout camps by Lord Baden Powell.
The first camp was in Llanddulas in 1904. A total of 173 boys went on that trip. Since 1934, the camps have been held during the Whitsun holiday.
Today, the club offers many different activities. These include:
- Football
- snooker
- table tennis
- computer games
- boxing training
- Dance classes
- Community meetings
- Art exhibitions
- kickboxing
- Excursions (trips)
- jujitsu
Club's Fame in Music and TV
The Salford Lads' Club became very famous in the music world. The 1960s pop group The Hollies used to practice there. Both Allan Clarke and Graham Nash were members. Their old membership cards are still kept at the club!
The club gained worldwide attention in 1986. The band The Smiths took a photo in front of the building. This picture was used on the inside cover of their album The Queen Is Dead. The club's outside also appeared in The Smiths' music videos for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before".
At first, some people at the club were not happy about this. But now, the club welcomes fans of The Smiths. The famous photo, taken by Stephen Wright, was even put in the National Portrait Gallery in 2008. The club also appeared in a music video for The Dream Academy's song "Life in a Northern Town".
In 2003, a film was made about the club for its 100th birthday. It was introduced by Peter Hook, a musician from the bands Joy Division and New Order. The film included interviews with older people and young members.
The building has also been used for many films and TV shows. Some examples include:
- Channel 4's Shameless
- Granada TV's The Forsyte Saga (a remake from 2002)
- The film version of Jacqueline Wilson's book "Illustrated Mum"
- The BBC police show Conviction
- The 2008 remake of the 1970s BBC show Survivors
- The final season of Peaky Blinders
Even sports shows have filmed there! BBC Sport's The Football League Show and BBC One's Football Focus have used the club as a location. In December 2023, the famous fashion brand Chanel held a special party there before their big show in Manchester.
In 2003, Historic England officially made the club a Grade II listed building. This means it's a very important building. They noted that it is "thought to be the most complete example of this rare form of social provision to survive in England."
Helping the Club Stay Open
Salford Lads' Club is a registered charity. This means it relies on donations and fundraising to keep going. The building has needed repairs in the past.
In 2007, a big effort was started to raise £1 million to fix up the building. The club also got help from the Channel 4 TV show The Secret Millionaire in November 2007. A property developer named Chek Whyte gave money for repairs and became involved with the club for a long time.
Morrissey, the former lead singer of The Smiths, also donated money to help. He gave £20,000 to the club. He wanted to keep it a secret, but people convinced him that sharing the news would help raise even more money.
In 2008, musician Vinny Peculiar released a song to support the club's fundraising. The song was called "Lazy Bohemians." He also wrote a song called "Ghost Camp" for a play about the club. He wanted his music to make people care about the club and help it continue its important work.
Dedicated Volunteers
The Salford Lads' Club has been lucky to have amazing volunteers. Two of the longest-serving volunteers were Arthur Edward (Archie) Swift and Eric Salthouse. Together, they volunteered for over 100 years!
Both men received awards for their hard work. Archie Swift was named 'Salford Citizen of the Month' in 2004. Eric Salthouse was called 'My Hero' in a magazine. Archie Swift was also awarded the MBE by the Queen in 2006 for helping young people. Archie passed away in April 2023 at the age of 88.
