The Melville Club

Big 50 !! Happy, Happy Birthday Melville Club 31st March 1973.

We celebrated our 50 years in style on the 21st February 2024 (read our article here). We invited the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mandy Thorn, MBE DL, Dr Nigel & Mrs Hester, Dr. Graham Wynn. Mr. Francis McMorrow & Mr. Del Mattinson, who both represented the Albric Festival Lodge 9576.

To add the icing on the cake{s} Mr. Richard Gulliver was 97 on the 24th February & we made it a joint birthday celebration. To help Mr. Richard Gulliver celebrate his birthday we invited his two sons {Richard & Andrew} & their partners {Heather & Susie}. Dr. Graham Wynn introduced the High Sheriff who really made us all feel proud & lucky to have the Melville Club. The High Sheriff unveiled brass commemorative plaque to mark this milestone in our history.

Thank-you Wayne Butler for supplying & mounting the celebration plaque which he did free of charge.
Melville Club ~ Golden Years.

Golden Years Activity Group

Mrs. Niccy Cottle is holding ‘The Melville Club “Golden Years” every Tuesday from 13:00 to 15:00 for light entertainment & light refreshments. You do not need to be a member of the Melville Club to attend. Interested: ring Niccy on 07449 167116. You never know you may enjoy yourself !!

Part 3: Mrs. Constance Rosemary Legge {CRL}. Dr ‘Melville’ Legge {DJML}

Sadly, there is not a great deal of information available about CRL. Considering the time & energy she spent making Albrighton & the surrounding area a better place to live, it is a shame, hopefully I have made a start placing CRL on our map history.

DJML & Miss Constance Rosemary Garnett-Botfield were married in St. George’s, Hanover Square, London in 1915. Both arrived to live in Albrighton by 1922 & operated an extremely effective ‘unofficial’ welfare service in the local district until sadly CRL died in 1958. How many of you know where & what the Fellowship Hall is.. & where ?? Until researching Dr & Mrs Legge I did not know these answers. Of course, it is now known as the Table Tennis Club !! This was built in the 1920’s & financed by a loan from Mrs W.D. Garnett-Botfield of Beamish House {now Birchfield School}, possibly CRL’s mother or Aunty. In its day the Fellowship Hall had over 100 members & interestingly CRL was the very 1st Secretary.

Both were very involved with Shifnal Hospital & one way of raising donations was to have recorded names of those who had donated embroidered on cloth. These signatures were embroidered in colour to enhance their visibility. Constance Rosemary Legge can be seen along with many other names.
The local Girl Guides started in 1919 by CRL, called 1st Albrighton Guide Company. Her sister Evelyn & Mrs Russell would help test the girls on their various badges. Later in the 1920’s CRL formed the Brownies. By 1929 the Girl Guide Company closed, then in 1932 the Albrighton company was reborn.
In 1948 CRL had donated the land for the Scout HQ & by 1956 she opened the new building. The building came from Burlish Camp {Stourport}. This building could cater for approx. 250 children. CRL had a sister Evelyn Garnett-Botfield & in the 1950’s she was a popular President of the local WI & there is a stone plaque in her memory in St. Mary’s Church. In Mick Perry’s reflections he did mention that he was very proud that CRL was his god mother & she was very kind & guided him well.

Friends of Albrighton:- Based at the Melville Club & Sponsored by ‘Home Instead’.

Siobhan Davies is holding ‘Friends of Albrighton’ with future meeting{s} for 12th & 26th April at 14:00 to 16:00.

We offer a welcoming warm room, tea/coffee, cakes etc & activities. Melville Club members & guests welcome. This facility is for you to enjoy: Siobhan {07903 175997}.

Mandy:- Melville Club Committee Chairman:- Mob: 07817 417314
Richard:- Melville Club Committee Member:- Mob: 07889 573306