About Colne's Royal British Legion Club

Colne Royal British Legion Club -  A Brief History

The names of the founders of the Club have been lost in time’s ever rolling stream.  The folk of Colne, and its surrounding Villages, through the generations since the Great War of 1914 – 1918, owe a great debt to those founding members of “The Legion”.  That little group of war veterans, young as they were, founded a local institution that has helped and succoured needy ex-Servicemen and their dependants through the years up to this present day.  It has provided a wider range of sporting facilities than any other Club in the area, and its thriving social club has a membership nigh on nine hundred.

  The first meeting, on 15^th November 1919, was held in a cottage property in Buckcroft, which was situated approximately behind the Red Lion Hotel and the Health Centre, on Market Street.  It was known then as “No 7 District of the Lancashire and Cheshire Division of the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers” and covered the area of Colne, Nelson, Barnoldswick, Brierfield and Burnley.  This association was eventually absorbed in 1921 into the then newly formed British Legion under Field Marshal The Earl Haig.

 By 1921 the premises at Buckcroft were proving to be too small and inadequate for the activities of the ever-expanding Club.  Mr Dick Sagar, a well known woollen manufacturer who lived at Heyroyd, Lidgett and owner of the Carry Bridge Mill, made a generous gift to the Club of land at East Parade, Keighley Road, where the present Club now stands.  Two old Army Nissen Huts were acquired from the old ammunition dump, which was established during World War I in the bottoms between the Colne to Skipton railway line and the canal at Salterforth.  The huts were joined together and fitted with the original brown Army linoleum, rather worse for wear; the furniture comprised of old toast-rack tram car seats, deal tables and stools.

By the early 1950s it was obvious that the life of the old huts was limited and a more permanent building was required.  The present premises were built in 1954 and officially opened by Captain Hampson in the presence of local dignitaries and Legion officials on 2^nd October 1954.

 The Club continued to expand and its sporting activities included bowls, snooker, football, darts, a small arms shooting section, a glee club and cards and dominoes.  Colne British Legion Club has always proved ready to assist other local organisations, which find themselves in difficulty.  Colne Borough Band Club, whose premises were destroyed by fire in 1936 were taken in by the Legion and allowed to meet and practice in the Club.  In the summer time they would hold their practices on the land, which is now the Club car park, to the delight of some, and the bane of others!  This band incidentally was later to become the Home Guard Band.  The Club also took in the College Club when it became insolvent.  This club was principally a male voice choir and it eventually became the British Legion Male Voice Glee Club under the baton of Mr Harold Hey.  In 1974 the Brierfield Rifle Club lost its premises and 20 members came to the Royal British Legion Club converting the old bowling alley into a small arms range.  This was the original nucleus of the Colne Royal British Legion Target Rifle Club which thrives to this day.

 For several years, prior to its refurbishment in 1992/1993, a local disabled persons club was given the free use of the premises for their meetings and social activities.  Colne Royal British Legion Club still hosts an annual lunch for the Colne Blind Society.  Colne Homing Society, reputedly the oldest sporting club in Colne, also moved into the Club premises where they have a room overlooking the bowling green in which they organise their races and sales.  The Club currently has teams with varying levels of success in local Darts, Snooker, Crown Green Bowls, Pool, Pigeon Racing and national Target Rifle competitions.

 Over the years members of Colne Royal British Legion have contributed much to the development of the Legion in East Lancashire and the North Western Area, with some members achieving high office within these formations.  J Brown became a member of the Area Council in 1947 and was followed by Dick Dinsdale and Captain J Leonard; the latter was also County Treasurer from 1953 until 1958 when he became a County Vice-President.  J Bancroft, Dick Dinsdale, Wilf Brett, D Uttley, C Dinsdale, S Cowling and J Harris all served on the County Committee at various times and Major George Royd was County Chairman from 1954 until 1958 when he became County President, a position which he held until 1961.  In 1963 Major Royd along with Captain Leonard, R Dinsdale and Wilf Brett became County Vice-Presidents.  Major Stanley Riddiough MBE became President of East Lancashire County in 1973 and held office until 1975.  Mr John Lawson accepted the appointment of East Lancashire County President in 1980 and held office until its amalgamation with North Lancs County in 1992 thus becoming the longest serving President in the County’s history.  John also served on the Area Council.  Squadron Leader Robert ‘Bob’ Ellis served as the last County Chairman up to the amalgamation and also represented the Area Council on the National Review Working Party which re-structured the Royal British Legion nationally in 1994/95.  Following this restructuring Bob Ellis became Lancashire’s first County Field Officer – a full time Royal British Legion post.  Most recently Peter Goode represented the Branch on the County Committee.    

The Club remains one of the country’s biggest consumers of Benedictine liqueur “discovered” by soldiers of the then 11^th Battalion the East Lancashire Regiment while serving in Fercamp, Normandy during World War I where the monks of the local monastery brewed this exotic mix of herbs, spices and alcohol.  On returning home to Lancashire after the war these soldiers brought plenty of Benedictine with them and from this the local favourite “Bene and Hot” with its alleged medicinal properties became renowned.  It is still as popular as ever some 90 years later.   

In recent years Colne Royal British Legion has taken great pride in raising money for the Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal.  Through the sterling work of Committee-men and volunteers the monies generated now average an outstanding £10,000 per year, all of which goes to the country’s leading charity providing support for ex-Service personnel and their dependants, from all conflicts worldwide.     

The Remembrance Day Parade itself is always well attended by the people of Colne and supported very much by local Government, Pendle Borough Council and the our Emergency Services. 2011 has seen the 90^th Anniversary of the formation of The Royal British Legion, the 90th Anniversary of Colne Royal British Legion’s move to its Keighley Road site, and the 85^th Birthday of our Sovereign and Patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, all of which were recognised in appropriate style. The Government also introduced a new national day for recognising the contribution that all former members of the Armed Forces have made to society.  Armed Forces Day is to be celebrated on the nearest weekend to 27^th June each year henceforth - in 2012 it will be held on Sunday June 24th.  

There have been major changes in recent years, both in the demographic makeup of those who become Members of the Legion, and in the National Legion Rules for membership.  The Club and Branch continue to evolve with these changing times and, thanks to the continuing support of the Members, and the tireless efforts of the Management Committee over the years, the future remains daunting but manageable.

 New Members are always more than welcome.  Anybody wishing to enquire about Membership of The Royal British Legion, or Colne Legion Club itself should contact the Branch Secretary at The Club premises on Keighley Road Colne any Monday evening between 7pm and 8.30pm.

The Colne Branch of the Royal British Legion Club Ltd. ("The Club") is registered as a Private Members Club under the terms of the Licensing Act 2005. The Colne Branch of The Royal British Legion is run in accordance with the Royal Charter of the Royal British Legion.

Royal British Legion Members and Visitors who are not members of The Club are required to register as visitors on arrival at The Club premises.