Time, gentlemen, please

The 'gentlemen's club' is an institution under threat, with the number generally dwindling as chaps find other things to do. The latest casualty is the Alliance Club, which will not see another summer. Its secretary, Eric Legg, tells the story of a 19th-century institution which flourished in the 20th but couldn't survive in the 21st

The Alliance Club was founded in 1867 by eight gentlemen who were keen to have a regular meeting place.

They initially used a private room in a hotel, but in 1869 the club rented its first premises, on the site of the present Post Office at Smith Street.

So began a string of addresses, some of which ring a bell for older islanders and others which evoke times when the buildings may have been largely the same, but when we would recognise neither the faces in the street nor the names of the shops.

Subsequent premises included, in 1873, a move to Cohen's tobacconist, at 31, High Street, then in 1883 Bishop's, a draper, at 19, High Street, which served the club until 1910 when it briefly found a home at Parsons', the florist, in Market Place.

The first familiar name crops up in 1912, when Creasey's provided a room at 9, High Street, with a lease agreed at £40 per annum.

The club remained there through two world wars and a host of changes in society before moving to Bob Collins' sweet shop in the Pollet in 1957 at a rent of £200p.a. Its final move, to Le Marchant Street, came in 1983.

While the initial records are missing, minutes of a general meeting on

28 January 1890 record new rules for the club based on the original ones and show subscriptions at the rate of 25s (£1.25), for which the members enjoyed opening hours from 10am to 11pm during the week and also four hours on Sunday evenings.

Billiards (there is no mention of snooker at that time) was charged at the rate of 4d (2p) for games up to 100, with this amount to be entered in a book against the loser, who had to pay the treasurer the following Monday the amount outstanding.

Cards were also allowed, but no betting or 'game of hazard' was permitted, although stakes of up to 2d (1p) were allowed per corner 'as long as solo whist didn't lead to gambling'. Each member had to pay 1d per day for the right to play cards, but only 1/2d per day for dominoes.

In February 1893 it was reported that the States Supervisor was demanding 13 years of arrears for the liquor licence at £8pa but the steward at the time insisted he had been told in 1880 there was no payment due, as visitors were not allowed to pay for their drinks - a tradition which carried on for many years.

Two extraordinary meetings were held in February and March 1893 to discuss this crisis since, although finances were good (£8.0s.5d was held in cash), clearly the club could not afford the arrears. After reference to HM Comptroller, it was agreed that three years'-worth would be paid and the club has continued to pay its licence fee on time ever since.

On 16 January 1891 the club held a 'convivial' evening for the purposes of presenting an eight-key flute to the honorary secretary and treasurer at the time, a John de Garis, in recognition of his services and the president hoped that playing it would remind Mr de Garis of the harmony which the club enjoyed.

At that time there were 28 members and with quarterly audits of figures and half-yearly general meetings, it is no wonder Mr de Garis was busy, with annual turnover running at about £200 and a profit of £10.

In 1909 records show that the committee decided to employ a 'billiard marker' at £0.4s.2d (21p) for a 21-hour week. While this was a huge

sum at

that time for a boy, imagine his friends seeing him in his uniform of dark blue cloth with a red stripe on the trousers and an Eton jacket with silver-plated buttons.

Life in the first two decades of the 20th century was not all good for the club, in that there were many meetings to discuss such matters as the ungentlemanly conduct of one member, who was subsequently expelled, as he also owed £1 2s 1d (£1.10) for drinks, subs and billiards.

The club was served notice to quit the premises in 1910 and while happy to take over the assets of the Arcadian Club for £75 (with a loan from the president) and move into its building, there was no way members of the Constitutional Club would be allowed to join the Alliance.

For his services during these 'difficult' years, the president at the time, A. I. Le Patourel, my great-great uncle, was given a large framed photograph of himself, which he immediately gave back to the club and which has remained on the wall until the end.

There is no real mention in the minute books of the First World War (as regards members fighting in it, for instance), but obviously the camaraderie of the club was still strong at the time as seen in the photograph of the annual drive and dinner in 1913. The presence in the photo of a bucket and spade and a shrimping net suggests they were off for their annual outing to the beach. Club charabanc rides were also common in the 1930s to go to the races and have picnics.

Not much of note happened between the wars, despite many committee meetings and the usual discussions over whether prices should go up to 5d or 51/2d, except perhaps for a referendum which took place on 27 November 1929 to resolve dissatisfaction among members who played bridge.

The outcome, after much debate, was that 'it would not be conducive to sociability, and therefore not in the best interests of the club, to allow auction bridge to be played without any regulations on the subject of cutting in'. Nineteen thirty-seven did see an 'old school tie and cap' ladies' night, which was described as the best in the club's history.

Moving on to the Second World War, 12 members left for the UK due to the impending occupation by the Germans and the committee had to cope with the immediate closure of the club on

9 November 1940 by order of the Bailiff in conjunction with the German authorities.

Luckily the landlord, Creasey's, agreed to reduce the rent to £35pa from

1 January 1941 for the duration of the Occupation and also allowed the steward to retain his lodgings. However, in a letter dated 11 July 1941, signed by Dr Reffler, Kriegsverwaltungsrat, permission was granted for the club to reopen and subscriptions recommenced at 17/6d (871/2 p) per half-year, bearing in mind that there would be little bar trade during this difficult time.

Indeed, on Sunday 12 November 1944 the final bottle of brandy was drunk and members 'saluted the empty bottle with respect and suitably mounted the cork', which was kept for posterity. However, they probably couldn't see what they were drinking, as electricity was rationed to 11/2 units per week by order of the German authorities.

Minutes record that on 19 July 1944 there was a depth-charge bombing of St Peter Port Harbour by an American aircraft which devastated much of the seafront, wrecking the steward's quarters, and the damage to the bar was described as 'a memory too sad to dwell on'. Other disturbing minutes include those of September 1942, which reported the immediate deportation of 12 members and in January 1943 a further three were ordered to leave within three days.

Rather than being saddened by these events, the minutes suggest that parties were held each day till the men left.

The appointment of an auctioneer at each annual general meeting from 1907 remained a mystery to the writer until reading minutes from the late 1940s, when it was interesting to note that just before Christmas each year, the periodicals purchased for the benefit of members were sold off within the club.

Rum punch was supplied in the early evening and then the auction took place, with the princely sum of £18 being raised in December 1947.

A Mr Gicquel paid 12s (60p) for the copies of Men Only, but he was outbid the following year by a Mr Bird, who paid 16s (80p).

The annual auction of periodicals carried on until the 1970s. At that time there were as many as 70 members. Ladies' nights were held (and continued until the 1990s), as well as Liberation Day parties and New Year's Day receptions.

In 1962 the number of people attending the men's annual dinner (there was actually never a female member of the club) had dwindled to 53 members and guests. The reason for this reduction in number is recorded thus, 'It would appear that in these days of television etc. they are just not wanted', but a change to a less-formal night and members only kept the dinners going until the 1990s.

However, in 1967 the club held its centenary dinner with 143 members and guests, including the Bailiff, and the event was described as 'a truly auspicious occasion'.

The demise of the club probably started in 1976-7 when it was noted that it was in the best financial position ever, with 77 members and a profit of £1,364, due to an increase in the subscription from £6 to £15pa. However, the treasurer at the time, Jack Wilson, gave a warning note that the club could no longer afford a steward, with the annual rent increasing later in the year to £1,000.

Even that was a nominal one charged by Bob Collins, as the true figure should have been nearer £3,500. Luckily a five-year lease was obtained, but by 1982 the club once again had to find new premises when Bob retired and sold his business. So it was on to Le Marchant Street, but at a much higher rent of £4,500.

In the late 1980s older members outvoted younger ones over the issue of entering the snooker league - some seniors being concerned that such matches would restrict the availability of tables for members' use - and several younger members left.

So it was that the increasing cost of rent, coupled with a reduction in bar income, meant financial difficulties for the club.

While the lease expired several years ago, the club is indebted to the Heritage Group for charging a nominal rent to ensure proceedings continued to the 139th year before the premises were required for other purposes.

* In keeping with the club's tradition of celebrating bad news, members have decided to throw open the doors of the club in Le Marchant Street in the afternoon next Saturday

starting at 2. It will be selling everything from the rubbish bin to the snooker tables and from tables and chairs to snooker cues. Past members have until 23 March to claim their own cues, otherwise they will be sold.

Any former members wanting to gain access to theirs should telephone either Stewart Hayward on 257937 or Eric Legg on 237396.