A personal recollection of times spent at the Institute.
Reproduced here with kind permission of Marlene.
Memories of the ‘Stute.
Well I think everyone who was born or who came to live in Earl Shilton has at some time come in contact with someone who has been to or involved with the ‘Stute. Especially if like me you had a dad who enjoyed playing snooker and billiards, as well as three brothers and a husband too.
I can remember my dad talking about going to the ‘Stute. And in later years, when he reminisced with us, of playing with or watching Reg Wright, being about the same age. I can hear him saying it started over what is now the Age Concern shop, onetime the Gas Showrooms.
Most boys could hardly wait to be 13 so that they could join. About the early days, before the big room was used and all kinds of functions taking place there.
There were some army personnel billeted there during the Second World War: My Aunties were pleased about that. I seem to remember there were people who met their future husbands there.
He told me (my dad) that there used to be a snooker table at the back of the King William, then it moved to the Gas Showrooms then onto the building which is now the ‘Stute.
Of course when I was younger girls were not allowed. Then came the dreaded ‘Rock-n-Roll’ and they started the Tuesday night Tanner Hops upstairs in the big Concert Room. But there used to be one of the Committee men at the bottom of the stairs, making sure us girls did not go into the sacred snooker rooms.
We had some really good times there. The old floor used to fair shake when we all started dancing; of course there was no alcohol, so the lads used to go over to the King William at half time, and most of the girls used to follow.
There was never any trouble. I’m sure it must have helped the ‘Stute to be able to carry on.
My brothers joined one by one as they reached the age of 13.
When I married George in 1961, I suppose I lost touch with all that although I’m not sure if George used to go.
I seem to remember they always had a football team.
When our children came along of course they wouldn’t have been allowed to join until they were older, but of course in the 1970’s, George, being involved with the Carnival Committee, we were all roped in to save the ‘Stute from closure.
So started a few years of hard work and help.
Firstly I can remember scrubbing, painting and dusting, oh what dust!!! Trying to make the place look and smell a lot cleaner and fresher. Little by little a good few clubs were formed, Judo, Badminton, over 65’s afternoons and Saturday morning Dads and Lads.
In the large Concert Room there were wedding receptions and parties; every Monday night and Tuesday, George and I used to help run the shop, keep an eye on the youngsters who came in to play cards, dominoes and snooker or just came in out of the cold. We had stalls at the carnival to raise money, jumble sales, a knit-in and cake stalls.
I ran the second hand shop there for a good few years until I had to go into hospital.
George continued to paint & work there for a good while until a new Committee took over, and it’s good to see it’s still going forward.
I further remember when I was in the second hand shop I used to go down to the boiler room to light the boiler and let the senior citizens club in to play snooker.
Also when they fetched the old chimney pots off I asked if I could have them. They are still in my garden now plus one of the small pews from the snooker room. If only they could talk!