Victoria Working Men's Club
| Victoria Working Men's Club, Kew | |
|---|---|
Exterior view of Victoria Working Men's Club, Kew
|
|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Tin tabernacle |
| Town or city | Kew, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames |
| Country | England |
| Completed | 1889 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Corrugated iron |
The Victoria Working Men's Club is a working men's club at 275 Sandycombe Road[1] in Kew, Richmond, London which has operated since 1892.[2][3]
The building
The club is housed in Victoria & St John's, a building made mostly from corrugated iron, which from 1876 to 1889 had been an iron church on the opposite side of Sandycombe Road, housing St Luke's Church and St Luke's School.[3] It was moved to its present position in 1889 when the current St Luke's Church was built in The Avenue.[3] Its close association with the history of Kew has prompted its designation as a Building of Townscape Merit.[4]
The club
Alderman James Weeks Szlumper, an engineer and major benefactor of Darell Road School, who had also been mayor of Richmond,[5] was, for many years, the club's president and patron.[5]
The club was renowned for the amount of money it raised to send cigarettes to British soldiers at the front in the First World War.[3] It was visited by four overseas prime ministers and many British government ministers and by members of the British Royal Family.[3] A photograph shows Alderman Szlumper seated between the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth).[5] David Blomfield, former Chairman of the Richmond Local History Society, says: "In all, the club boasted of visits from 50 such VIPs over seven years – probably a unique record for a club of its size, and most certainly for one set in such accommodation".[3]
Current use
The building is still used by the club as a billiards hall. An extension at the back of the building is used by a school for Japanese martial arts.[4][6]
Four planning applications to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to redevelop the site[4] have been rejected.
References
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External links
- Photograph at Community Archive, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
