Home The Club Membership What’s New History Trials Club Runs Events Classifieds Links
Archive Review Archive
Woodside Avenue, Eastleigh. SO50 9ES
History
Compiled by Wilf Paskins, member since 1945
The Southampton Arms at West End
When basic petrol rationing was introduced, it was possible to hold the Friday evening meetings at a pub and the Southampton Arms in Moorgreen Road at West End, where Jack Cuff was the licensee, was chosen. Jack was very helpful, a large room was made available
for committee meetings and this was also used on Friday evenings but was filled to overflow into the corridor and, in the summer, outdoors. Licensing laws in those days were more onerous than today, no children allowed, no music or dancing and a strictly applied 10.30 closing time which also meant ‘go home’.But the Club pursued a very busy programme of sporting events which required not only members to devote a lot of their time to working parties but also their wives and girlfriends to staff the gates, sell programmes, make tea etc.
(In those days ladies were not allowed to officiate at ACU events except in minor roles).
To complement these activities a social programme, which members whole families could
enjoy at no cost to themselves, was essential. To achieve this the Club used to hire the St. Denys Rowing Club hall for socials and for the AGM.
