Spondon Church Boys' Club

                   A Tribute to a Great Man with a Towering Personality

by one of our members:

 Many people have written about “The Vicar”, as we used to call him. It was the ex- M.P. for Derby, the late Philip Whitehead who described him in 1979 as “a true English Worthy” and reminded us of the bucolic world of the past that he represented, living in...

Yes I am still here at the age of 88 and just enjoyed reading the memories of Mr Barber by Carolin Ferguson ( my Cousin Len Dickins Daughter ) and the memories of Shirely Hitchcock, I don't know Shirley  but both brought back wonderful memories of my time as a founder member of Spondon Church Boys Club. Thank you both very much for  bringing back memories of happy simes .Albert Bennett

                                                   Memories of Shirley Hitchcock

We moved to Spondon, Devas Gardens, in September 1965, my son Paul was 21 months old, and my daughter was born there in 1967.

After settling into our new home I decided to visit St. Werburgh's, such a beautiful church. My ne...

I have posted several additions to the official Wikipedia entry for St. Werburgh's, Spondon. The church the Vic served for nearly 50 years.  Yet, every time I write something, the entry is taken down.   Personally I will never enter the church doors again until the Vicar's name is properly honoured.  It was disgraceful the way he was treated towards the end, both by the Church of England and by certain people in Spondon who should have known better.

Ian

Just got back from reunion. Great night Old friends and new friends, shared memories new stories and old stories. whens the next one?

Tony

Like many of the other members I browse through the updates each time they appear. I was surprised to see and read this article, view the lead photograph and shocked to see the lad in the tartan shirt at the front of the picture - why? because it is me. The suggestion that it is early 1960's is in error simply because the last Camp I attended at Sidmouth was in 1959. The people photographed were TEMB, Len Dickens, Kenny Swainson, Maurice Nicholson, Alan McHale, Arthur Hawtin(Archie), Brian (T...

I have just come back to normality again after reading Ian Penman's memories of Mr Barber and the club, For the last half hour or so I have totally forgotten the problems that come with getting old and with the help of Ian's memories, although much later on my fondest memories of Mr Barber come flooding back .I am so pleased that members of the club are finding out about the Website and find time to add their stories  for all to read. Albert Bennett

Dear Stephen,

Thank you for placing the article in the Bygones section of the Derby Evening Telegraph in 2009 and for inviting me to join this group. It brought back floods of memories, which prompted me to drop you a line with a few of my recollections of Mr Barber and my time as a member of the Spondon Church Boys Club.

I am 46 years old and I joined the Spondon Church Boys Club circa 1977, although I do not appear in the photograph of the same year, wh...