Sailors and soldiers recreation rooms

[mancpal]

Good evening

When leaving a job today I noticed a blue plaque that must have appeared very recently. It reads as follows:-

THE SAILORS AND SOLDIERS RECREATION ROOMS

The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers had an office and club room here from early 1918.

Ex-serviceman were helped with pension claims and grievances. Entertainment raised funds to assist the newly discharged and the disabled. In the 1920s, six soup kitchens were run from here. It was commonly known as the "Soldiers Club".

In 1923 it was affiliated with the British Legion.

The building concerned is in the small milltown of Mossley (near Ashton-under-Lyne)and is not much bigger than a typical terraced house and had originally been built as a corner shop.

Could anybody tell me anything about this association or at least where to look to discover more? Was there a similar club near you?

Thanks

Simon

[seaJane]

There's a very similar notice still on the wall of the Thai restaurant where I sometimes dine, in Stoke Road, Gosport. I must check again to see if there is a date on it.

[Guest Mike Hally]

Sorry for delayed response - just found this post!  I'm doing my PhD thesis (as a mature student) on the creation and development of ex-services organisations during and after the Great War.  The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers was the first major one, the first branch founded in Blackburn by the local trades council, in september 1916.  Followed early in 1917 by the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, founded by a campaigning Liberal MP, James Myles Hogge.  The Government countered with the Comrades of the Great War.  There was a lot of infighting between the three groups, then a fourth - the National Union of Ex-Servicement. In 1920 Earl Haig formed the Officers Association.  He was already pressing for unity, which wasn't easy at all, but eventually the Association, Federation, Comrades, and Officers came together as the British Legion in 1921.  It's a fascinating but little known story, though Brian Harding wrote some of it in ch 1 of his history 'Keeping Faith' and Niall Barr in 'The Lion and the Poppy'.

 

I would love to hear from anyone who finds local information, such as these plaques, or any old minute books, annual reports, personal records, relating to these organisations

[mancpal]

Thanks for your responses, I hadn't thought about the formation of the British Legion before I spotted this plaque, I assume these small associations must have appeared all over Britain