1952

The resignation of Mr Ivor Snaith, Warden,  prompted the Committee to reflect rather begrudgingly that ‘Wardens of recent times come and go too often. The reasons for this are various and this is no place to go into them but we should say that all our Wardens and some of our sub-Wardens have used the Club as a spring board for jumping into better positions which reflects well on the Club, though frequent changes have an unsettling effect.’

The Committee compared a report written by London Boys’ Club in 1900 to the trials and tribulations of club-life in 1954. The 1900 document described the difficulties of dealing with ‘Members who failed to settle into orderly ways’ or ‘who consort with ruffianly companions’ …’they behave badly, have to be turned out and then war on the Club by ill-treating Members when they catch them singly, or by breaking the windows or breaking into the Club stealing what they can find, and doing mischief.’ This prompted the Committee to reflect: ‘How very similar conditions are to-day, 54 years later! But the outside attractions and diversions from healthy character building are 100% greater and the general welfare is 100% greater but the Club is needed every bit as much, and we can say is still as great, an influence for good in the neighbourhood as it ever was in its 64 years of life.’

‘We believe that we are contributing to solving the problems of our City and helping our youth to live decently.’