in the 1970’s a press cutting reported that some 18 men had got together to form a Men’s Club where men could gather to smoke a pipe and chat.

One of the rules was that men were to use their Christian names. According to an anonymous O.A.P whose letter was published the following week this was not the first ‘men’s club’, ‘we had a men’s club as far back as 1900…it as started and run by Mr Spencer Boby, son of Robert Boby of Columbyne Hall. It was held in the Iron Room…we had all kinds of card games, dominoes and a bagatelle table…in the winter we paid a few pence for coke, using a tortoise stove for warmth.’ He added in a p s. ‘we called him Nic Boby’.