Our Club Houses
There were times when it was nice weather - I think!
It wasn't long before the foundations were laid - here the floor of the new premises was under construction . Railway sleepers and blockboard 20' by 30'.
It took three months to complete the new club house (we burnt the remains of the old club house to keep warm during building days through the winter and little flying was done, but many hands made lighter work. We enjoyed the facilities for just three years. Another fire destroyed it completely exactly three years to the date since the last fire, the13th December 1981.
The spirits were dampened for only a short while - the tea was soon being brewed in Barry's inimitable style - we might have called it the Tea Shack.
So what next? we were back to square one and finances were low, but fortunes were in our favour. The insurance company made it possible to buy our present club house and mower, with the other half being invested as the Phoenix Trust to start our flying field fund. The effort members put into building three club houses in a relatively short time lead to the club having a two tire membership system. It was a small way to compensate those members present for all the hard work and disappointment. However it was felt that any future member would after on their fifth year be brought into line and enjoy the full facilities of the club.
Our new club house arrived:- and it was unlikely to burn.
However after two attacks, one which resulted in our lawn mower being taken for a run down the road toward Woodsetts and hidden in a rape field, presumable awaiting collection. The shear weight of the mower made it difficult for our thieves, however we found it first with the help of a local farmer. Since then we have always immobilised the machine after cutting the grass to prevent any reoccurrence. Modifications were also made to the locking devises on the club house to cover the door locks. The hinge pins had to be replaced after it was noticed many had been sawn through.
During 1996 Eddie Kinman did a fine job insulating the ceiling with blue form .
In 1998 we sand blasted the exterior and repainted in the original camouflage colour scheme. The 12 volt lighting has just become more easily maintained by the purchase of a generator - but not the one in the photograph above, this was hired for the sand blasting!