Moulsecoomb - Bevendean History Project
Moulsecoomb Social Club
The
Moulsecoomb Social Club has been running for over 80 years in
Moulsecoomb Place, part of which is a 14th Century listed building at
the bottom of the Avenue.
The club started on 7th September 1930 as a place for the Rate Payers Association to meet. It grew from renting just one room to renting much of the building, and has been for many years run as a members only social club which has an annual membership fee.
The club is open every evening for members and their guests and is also bookable for events.
Currently there are female and male darts teams, two full sized snooker tables and a separate pool room.
In 1933 plans were drawn up to add a billiards room for the use of the social club at Moulsecoomb Place, shown below.
Ref: DB/D/62/101
A supper was held in the Billiard Room on Friday, 21st July, 1933, at 8 p.m.
Cost 1/- per Member to celebrate the opening of the extension to the Social Clubs premises.
The notice advertising the event was signed by F. S. KILNER, Honorary Secretary.
On the 11th September 1933 a letter was sent from the superintendent of the Parks and Gardens Department, which had their offices at Moulsecoomb Place to the Town Clerk, Jas. H. Rothwell Esq.
The letter contained the following information.
The extension of the Moulsecoomb Social Clubs premises at Moulsecoomb Place has been completed.
The cost of the work is £386. 5. 4. including the sum of £10 for plans, tools, and overhead charges etc.
The completed premises were handed over to the Club on Saturday, 22nd July 1933.
Ref: DB/D/84/3/5591
A plan dated 21 Dec 1938, above, shows a room coloured red which the club wished to use as an additional storage for beer.
By 1944 the club had a membership of about 300, with 150 often present at any one time. The need for additional toilets was raised and a plan, below, dated 30 November 1944 shows the site where these were to be located.
Ref: DB/D/84/9/7785
A new lease on Rooms and Outbuildings at Moulsecoomb Place, Lewes Road, Brighton for Moulsecoomb Social Club was agreed and commenced on 23th March 1958 for a term of years 7 at a rent of £150 per annum.
Ref: DB/D/62/105
The plan above, shows the rooms occupied by Moulsecoomb Social Club Rooms in 1951.
Plans were drawn up in 1955 to install central heating in club premises as they had been very cold during the winter of 1954/55.
By 1972 membership had grown to just under 600 and a new lease was granted for 21 years.
The Club put forward a proposal to carry out an enlargement of and extensive improvements to the existing facilities at a cost of between £15,000 and £20,000. To provide additional accommodation, they wished to include the area marked "Cottage" on the plan in the new lease, which is not used nor required for Parks Department purposes.
Following negotiations, it was agreed that the Moulsecoomb Social Club should be granted a new 21 year lease of the existing premises plus the Cottage at a rental of £500 per annum (subject to review in the 7th and 14th years), lessees paying rates and being responsible for inside repairs, subject to a covenant to carry out a scheme for enlargement and improvement on the lines already indicated.
The scheme was considered by the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Borough Planning Officer and found to be satisfactory.
Two gentlemen playing cards in the original cottage on 2 October 2022. The cottage became part of the rooms the Social Club could use in 1972.
Another view of the interior of the original cottage.
There is a Memorial Board listing members of the Moulsecoomb Social Club who served their country during World War 2.
The Moulsecoomb Social Club is still running in September 2022 and currently has about 450 members.
If you have any memories of the Social Club, please send them to the Bevendean History Group using the contact page.
The club started on 7th September 1930 as a place for the Rate Payers Association to meet. It grew from renting just one room to renting much of the building, and has been for many years run as a members only social club which has an annual membership fee.
The club is open every evening for members and their guests and is also bookable for events.
Currently there are female and male darts teams, two full sized snooker tables and a separate pool room.
In 1933 plans were drawn up to add a billiards room for the use of the social club at Moulsecoomb Place, shown below.
Ref: DB/D/62/101
A supper was held in the Billiard Room on Friday, 21st July, 1933, at 8 p.m.
Cost 1/- per Member to celebrate the opening of the extension to the Social Clubs premises.
The notice advertising the event was signed by F. S. KILNER, Honorary Secretary.
On the 11th September 1933 a letter was sent from the superintendent of the Parks and Gardens Department, which had their offices at Moulsecoomb Place to the Town Clerk, Jas. H. Rothwell Esq.
The letter contained the following information.
The extension of the Moulsecoomb Social Clubs premises at Moulsecoomb Place has been completed.
The cost of the work is £386. 5. 4. including the sum of £10 for plans, tools, and overhead charges etc.
The completed premises were handed over to the Club on Saturday, 22nd July 1933.
Ref: DB/D/84/3/5591
A plan dated 21 Dec 1938, above, shows a room coloured red which the club wished to use as an additional storage for beer.
By 1944 the club had a membership of about 300, with 150 often present at any one time. The need for additional toilets was raised and a plan, below, dated 30 November 1944 shows the site where these were to be located.
Ref: DB/D/84/9/7785
A new lease on Rooms and Outbuildings at Moulsecoomb Place, Lewes Road, Brighton for Moulsecoomb Social Club was agreed and commenced on 23th March 1958 for a term of years 7 at a rent of £150 per annum.
Ref: DB/D/62/105
The plan above, shows the rooms occupied by Moulsecoomb Social Club Rooms in 1951.
Plans were drawn up in 1955 to install central heating in club premises as they had been very cold during the winter of 1954/55.
By 1972 membership had grown to just under 600 and a new lease was granted for 21 years.
The Club put forward a proposal to carry out an enlargement of and extensive improvements to the existing facilities at a cost of between £15,000 and £20,000. To provide additional accommodation, they wished to include the area marked "Cottage" on the plan in the new lease, which is not used nor required for Parks Department purposes.
Following negotiations, it was agreed that the Moulsecoomb Social Club should be granted a new 21 year lease of the existing premises plus the Cottage at a rental of £500 per annum (subject to review in the 7th and 14th years), lessees paying rates and being responsible for inside repairs, subject to a covenant to carry out a scheme for enlargement and improvement on the lines already indicated.
The scheme was considered by the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Borough Planning Officer and found to be satisfactory.
Two gentlemen playing cards in the original cottage on 2 October 2022. The cottage became part of the rooms the Social Club could use in 1972.
Another view of the interior of the original cottage.
The Moulsecoomb Social Club is still running in September 2022 and currently has about 450 members.
If you have any memories of the Social Club, please send them to the Bevendean History Group using the contact page.
