The Union Jack Club

In April 1968, Throckley Union Jack Social Club (or ‘The Jack’ as it’s still known), opened the doors of its newly built premises on Hilda Terrace in the heart of Throckley. The advert for the club’s opening boasted ‘one of the finest working men’s clubs in the North’ with a grill, billiard room, lounge, and 400 seat concert room (Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 3 April 1968). The luxurious new venue was a world away from the club’s previous home on Hexham Road and meant the club could now offer a much greater range of activities and entertainment to its members.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s working men’s clubs were the heart and centre of many local communities and their financial power (coming from the contributions of their many members) meant they could rival many local commercial venues in terms of quality and entertainment. In its heyday, ‘The Jack’ brought big name acts like Tony Christie, Dorothy Squires and the Nolans to Throckley and the community would queue around the block to get a seat. Clubs across the North East were undergoing a similar transformation from ‘spit and sawdust’ venues to major social and cultural hubs.

Inside the Union Jack Club 1951 (Picture Post magazine)

This promise of a place to drink, socialise and be entertained in opulent surroundings at an affordable price was a far cry from the club’s relatively humble beginnings. First opened in 1908 the Throckley Social Club had its home at 4 Stephenson Terrace in a colliery cottage owned by local union man and Labour member, George Curwen. The venue was small and still set up and decorated like a house. However, as the building was privately owned the club was not bound by the rules of the coal company which implemented a strict policy of temperance in Throckley. This meant the club was the first place in the village that working men could drink alcohol – before this they had to walk to neighbouring villages to get a drink. Nonetheless, entertainment at the club was very civil, with leek growing competitions the main attraction.

Throckley Social Club was a member of the Club and Institute Union (set up in the late 1862 to promote self-improvement and sobriety among working men) and, as such, had strict rules about behaviour. While alcohol was sold, excessive drinking was strictly forbidden, as were bad language and betting. The club, which had a membership of around 500, was open all day long and served as much as a community centre than a social club.

Union Jack Club 2013, photo courtesy of Andrew Curtis

As Throckley changed and developed so too did the Union Jack. Having outgrown the house on Stephenson Terrace the club moved to Falmouth House on Hexham Road in 1935 before the new premises was opened in 1968. The club remains one of the biggest social clubs in the North East with over 1,000 members.

Information for this post kindly provided by Cath Coulson with further information from Class, Culture and Community by Bill Williamson (1982)