Leisure in Cliffe & Cooling - Cliffe History

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Leisure in Cliffe and Cooling


Cricket appears to have been played in Cliffe nearly a   hundred years ago, and with only lapses during periods of   was, has continued ever since, - at the present time two   teams turn out each weekend during the Summer months.

Football is perhaps even more popular, and records   show that the Football Club was first formed in 1883. Since   then they have gained many trophies and are still going   strong.

Early in the present century a Choral Society was   well supported, a Gymnastic Class existed, and evening   classes in First Aid, Home Nursing, Wood Carving, and   Arithmetic were started, but these latter fell through,   either through lack of teachers or lack of pupils. Those   requiring evening tuition nowadays are well catered for at   Technical Institutes in the neighbouring towns, and W.I.   members can attend the various handicraft Courses from time   to time.

A great event in past years was the Annual Village   Sports, but these were discontinued about 1912. Several lean   years owing to the bad weather had almost landed the   Committee “in the red.”

The first troop of Boy Scouts was formed in the   village in September 1911, and it’s Scoutmaster Mr. A.R.   Marchant. They existed for some years then lapsed, but were   revived by Mr. J. Penglase in 1941. At this time there was   also formed a pack of Cubs, which Miss Goodges as   Cubmistress. A company of Girl Guides and Brownies also   flourish.

1925 saw the beginning of the British Legion, and in   1926 and Women’s Section was formed. Premises in Church   Street were opened as a British Legion Club in 1930.

The Co-Operative Women’s Guild is older, having been   started in 1915, and its members continue to meet regularly   for relaxation.

Of more recent formation are the Youth Club (1946)   and the “Darby & Joan” Club (1950) and both are   enthusiastically supported.

Cliffe Nursing Association formed in 1910, gave   yeoman service during the years of its life, it started as a   Cottage Benefit Association, but when the “little   nurse”(Nurse Allen) retired in 1927, it became difficult to   find nurses willing to work under “Cottage Benefit” rules,   and a District Nurse was appointed. With the coming   operation of the National Health Service, the Nursing   Association disbanded. The following ladies comprised the   first Nursing Association Committee when it was formed in   1910: - Mrs. G.A. Batchelor (chairman), Mrs. J. Robertson,   Mrs F.M. Wharton, Mrs. J.A. Briggs, Mrs. J.G. Shacklady,   Mrs. W. Filmer, Mrs A. B. Rogers, Mrs. H. Lane, Mrs. K.W.   Bowles, Mrs. F.E. Rogers, Mrs. W.E. Novis, Mrs. W. Frayling   and Mrs. J. Elford.

The Six Bells - as it was before rebuilding

At the present day there six public   houses in the village; the “Six Bells” and the “Black   Bull”are mentioned in old 18th century books. Both were   practically rebuilt about 70 or 80 years ago.


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