# the stanley club (west hallam derbyshire)



## odeon master (Aug 24, 2008)

heres some photographs of the now demilished STANLEY CLUB near ilkeston in derbyshire
HISTORY
originally built by the BRITISH COAL BOARD in 1958, it was first known as THE STANLEY COMMON MINERS WELFARE CLUB .
this club lasted in the coal boards ownership until 1981 when a local chap who worked at THE STANTON IRONWORKS factory in ilkeston took ownership and turned in into the STANLEY CLUB .
this place is an absolute time capsule ! it should not have been demolished in my opinion, its a classic example of a working mens club in the now ex mining area that it was in.
it closed in 2001 due to the fact there are several other WMC clubs near by. i photographed it in 2003 just before it was pulled down for a row of cheap houses 
the club even boasted a 1960's hammond organ complete with rotating leslie speaker. this is now fully restored and in my house !
genuine WMC's are becoming a rarity now, most having closed due to the smoking ban and drinking at home.
hope you enjoy this time capsule of a club and imagine the days in the 60's and 70's when they were packed full....haze of smoke and all ....

enjoy





THE STANLEY CLUB WEST HALLAM DERBYSHIRE NEAR ILKESTON










REAR OF CLUB





LOOKING THROUGH DANCE HALL










NICOTINE INFESTED EXTRACTOR FAN !










LOOKING INTO BAR AREA





BAR AREA















THE HAMMOND ORGAN WITH LESLIE SPEAKER NO CLUB SHOULD BE WITHOUT ONE


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## stesh (Aug 24, 2008)

Time warp indeed


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## mineme (Aug 24, 2008)

wow great find well done shame its now gone well done for saveing the orgon !!!.


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## Foxylady (Aug 25, 2008)

I really love the wrought ironwork over the bar...gloriously tacky.  Nice capture before it went.


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## smileysal (Aug 25, 2008)

Good grief, that looks like a club I used to play the organ in in Huthwaite about 18 years ago lol. And used to play a hammond with a leslie speaker just like this lol. 

Excellent pics mate, nice to see it like this. Shame it's been demolished, and little boxes put up in its place. Like the wrought iron work over the bar, and the nicotine covered extractor fan.

Glad you saved the organ, I love old Hammonds.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## odeon master (Aug 25, 2008)

smileysal said:


> Good grief, that looks like a club I used to play the organ in in Huthwaite about 18 years ago lol. And used to play a hammond with a leslie speaker just like this lol.
> 
> Excellent pics mate, nice to see it like this. Shame it's been demolished, and little boxes put up in its place. Like the wrought iron work over the bar, and the nicotine covered extractor fan.
> 
> ...



cheers sal,
glad it brought back memories of long ago for you 
the hammond sounds ace by the way

THE ODEON


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## Panther (Aug 15, 2009)

Very nice report, and love the hammond organ - just wondering what type it is? Haven't seen one like it before.


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## Krypton (Aug 15, 2009)

OMG!!!! That Hammond Organ & Leslie Speaker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Theyll have made a few bob from them!


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## odeon master (Aug 15, 2009)

Panther said:


> Very nice report, and love the hammond organ - just wondering what type it is? Haven't seen one like it before.



the organ is a X77 made in 1968.
cheers

THE ODEON


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## Flexible (Aug 26, 2009)

Small world, Smileysal. 



> Good grief, that looks like a club I used to play the organ in in Huthwaite about 18 years ago lol. And used to play a hammond with a leslie speaker just like this lol.



That's what I used to do! I've played my fair share of Hammonds in many workingmen's clubs so similar to this one around the south wales valleys. Love the sound, but was never that keen on them - not enough gadgets for me! You have to be able to PLAY an organ to to make one such as this sound good.

I preferred organs such as the Yamaha D-85 and the dogs b0ll0cks back in the day, the Technics U90.

Nice pics and a bit of nostalgia. Hope you enjoy your 'acquisition'.


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## odeon master (Aug 26, 2009)

Flexible said:


> Small world, Smileysal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice one, i remember the yamaha D 85, it had 3 keyboards and loads of gadgets, cost about 3 grand new in the early eighties too !
No match for a Hammond tone wheel organ though if you know what to do with it , you get the Blackpool sound out of this one , full blast !!!


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## Flexible (Aug 26, 2009)

I envy you OM. 

Sorry to go slightly off-topic, you can't beat real tonewheels for genuine sound, but have you heard the theatre organ samples on the new Wersi's and the Tyros 3? One word: WOW!


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## Margaret Sisson (Feb 7, 2022)

Panther said:


> Very nice report, and love the hammond organ - just wondering what type it is? Haven't seen one like it before.


It was an X77 pro Hammond . It's was one that was used by professional organists ...it was portable and could easily be dismantled for travel. The club and organ was owned by my father and sold to the founder of this site.


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