Our History

WALLSEND BOYS CLUB HERITAGE

We are conducting a research into the history and heritage of Wallsend Boys Club; the origins of the club go back to 1904 when Swan Hunter apprentice club was formed. This club ran very successfully and in 1938 the original Wallsend Boys club  (Built with the help of Swan Hunter) opened on Station Road Wallsend. The committee were all Swan Hunter employees with ninety percent of members being Swan’s apprentices. The club was situated in an L shaped wooden hut with Ernest “Sandy” Laws employed as the club leader. Gymnastics, woodwork, drama, football and boxing were actively pursued in the club. In 1960 the club was burnt to the ground and six years later the present premises were opened on the same site.

We desperately require any old cine footage, video footage, stills and photographs from 1938 up to the present day. Our aim is to produce a DVD on the club’s colourful and varied history.

We would particularly like to obtain any photos/ cine footage of the boys’ club president Sheriton Clements Swan who held the position from 1938 to 1967. We would also like any information on David Swan the son of Sheriton

Swan, who was employed at Swan Hunter in 1968 as a quality control engineer.

 Any photo’s cine footage etc of the original timber boys club or former leaders Ernest Laws, Alan Ruse and Frank Herdman would be particularly appreciated.

 

             

            DAVID SWAN

 

                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           WALLSEND BOYCLUB LOGO 1938

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PAPER ROUND LADS 1977

picture 1 the paper boy round

 

 

 

 

 

THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER AT WBC 1985

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WALLSEND BOYS CLUB

The Employees and Directors of Swan Hunters Shipyard, Wallsend, originally founded Wallsend Boys Club in 1938
The purpose was to provide recreational activities for the apprentices and young people in the area. The original Club premises were a series of wooden huts on Station Road, erected by workers from the Shipyard.
From the Club's Constitution: “The objects of The Club are to help and educate members through leisure activities, to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacity in order to help them become useful and responsible members of society.”
Beardell A fire destroyed the original premises and work commenced on the current Club building during 1964.
In October 1965, with contractors still on the premises, David Beardall was appointed full-time Club Leader. The Official Opening took place on Friday 16th December, 1966.
Club activities in the early days were mainly snooker, trampolining, judo, table tennis, cross country running and football. Various fund raising activities were held, including a 'pram push' across England and a 24 hour relay race from Wallsend to Edinburgh Castle and back.
Kirkley In 1975, the decision was taken to open the Club seven days a week and to form a separate sub- committee for 11-a-side football.
Peter Kirkley was chosen to head the committee, and this was the foundation for what has proved to be an incredible success story. Over the years, the 11-a-side Representative Teams have won hundreds of trophies in local and national competitions. The Club has gained a formidable reputation for the early development of many professional footballers, among them Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley, Lee Clark and Michael Carrick.
See our  Ex-Players page for more details of our past players and the professional clubs they have joined. These players retain strong links with the Club and are extremely generous with their time in supporting Club activities, such as Presentation Nights and Talk-Ins. The Club is justifiably proud of these men and they remain important role models for our Members.