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The Concordia Club
Its Motto : Joy through Service

The inspiration for this club was that of a club for young men, "The Fraternity" with its motto - "A Flame to Serve". It had been formed in the !920's at the time of the General Strike by Mr Ernest Bailey (the chief librarian of the town). Its membership were young men who were unable to find work and many were from some of the different churches in the town. They engaged in sporting activities and would have a meeting on the Sunday afternoon at Mr Bailey's Baptist Church.

After the Second World War the Fraternity Club resumed its activities and at one meeting it was suggested that a women's club should be formed and letters were sent to women through contacts of the Fraternity Club membership. The response was such that in 1948 regular meetings were held each month at the Dorset Cafe in Ocean Road. At that time membership was set a 50 and very soon there was a waiting list of prospective members.

The venue for the monthly meetings of the club has changed over the years mainly due to the closure of the premises. These include Toc H in Westoe Village from 1955, moving to The Kings Hall in Fowler Street, then later in the year to The Golden Lion in King Street, followed by Careme House in Beach Road. At the time of writing the meetings are held in one of the rooms at Trinity House, a community centre in Laygate.

The aims of The Concordia Club are to foster friendship, to foster the arts whenever possible and to foster charitable and helpful acts at all times. 

Monthly meetings will include either a speaker, a discussion or entertainment and at the end of each meeting the following vesper, written by one of the members, Miss Gwen Mackenzie, will be sung:

Mrs Evelyn Drew joined The Concordia Club in the year 2000

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Copyright © 2001 Ron Drew
Last revised: April 18, 2004.