A Night to Remember - Thirty Years Ago ...
Monday 15th September 1969
-A brief note by Dave Irwin
Above: - The Belfry, 1961. Photo: Mike Baker
Right: -Cover of belfry Bulletin No. 259 that was published a week later informing members of the disaster.
It seems only yesterday that the club faced one of the worst crises in its history. The old wooden Belfry caught fire and suddenly the Club was 'homeless'.
It happened one wet Monday night when a group of visitors
were sinking their beer at the Hunters. 'Jock' Orr was also staying at the
Belfry but was spending the evening in
'Jock' returned to
Within the next couple of days a group of 'club elders' met and decided the next move and what was needed by the Club AGM to be held as usual in early October.
Fortunately, plans for a more permanent building had been in being for some time and at that time a number of regular Belfryites had been paying a quid a month for a period of three years - quite a lot of money at that time.
General view of the Belfry on 15th September, 1969. Photo:
Though many people on Mendip were spreading 'malicious' rumours and rubbing their hands with glee that the BEC had burnt the Belfry deliberately and in any case this event would be the end of the BEC they were to a shortly disappointed. At or about the time of the AGM, Bob Bagshaw announced that combining the Belfry fund, various anonymous donations and the insurance money, the Club was only some £700 short of the £3,000 to commence the building work.
Added to that the collections and fund raising devices
arranged at the Annual Dinner, and subsequent further donations, that shortfall
was raised in the coming months. The upshot
was that the Belfry was up and running and officially opened by Mrs Shuter, the
retired landlady of the Waggon and Horses at Redcliffe,
What happened in between? Well, the stone Belfry, now the tackle store and MRO store, was converted into a temporary bunkroom and living quarters for the intervening winter - it was tolerably comfortable but no real substitute for that which had been destroyed in the fire.
All the photos accompanying this note are being published for the first time.
Top and above: In daylight 15th September 1969. Photos: Roy McR Pearce
Above: Another view of the general scene after sorting members valuables from the wreckage. Photo: Roy McR Pearce
Below: Phil Davies (right) then Hon. Secretary of
the