The Old Boys
The Old Boys
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The Old Boys
01
The Mission
To provide a safe and inspiring environment, trusted by parents, in which boys and young men from the local community have equal opportunity to develop core skills for living, within a supportive and instructive framework, at minimal cost. This is achieved through the provision of;
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A highly professional, well funded and caring organisation, responsive to the ongoing needs of the local community, aided by a dedicated and voluntary management committee
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Experienced and well qualified youth workers, mentors and sports coaches
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Outstanding sporting, educational and team building facilities in which members can boost their social, physical, mental and educational well-being amongst like-minded friends and personalities, throughout their pre-teen and adolescent years.
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An environment which highlights to members the importance to their development of good health, education, employment and friendships for life.
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About the club
Passion | Respect | Trust
The Crown and Manor Club is a youth club for boys and young men. We are proud of a history that goes over 100 years providing a safe haven for boys and young men.
The Club is open to members between the ages of seven and twenty five.
Run by a full time manager and fifteen part-time fully trained staff, overseen by a voluntary executive Committee and a full Council, the Club aims to develop the knowledge of personal, social and health education and citizenship as part of our ethos and to develop appropriate attitudes in our members that make them aware of the impact of their decisions on others. We also help them to recognise different risks in different situations and how to behave in response to them.
We respect our members; the atmosphere within our Club is one that encourages all members to do their best.
We provide opportunities that enable our members to take and make decisions for themselves.
Our aim:
To champion the quality of life of all our members, enabling freedom of choice, encouraging independence and involving family and friends.
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Club
History
The Crown and Manor came into existence in 1939 when the Hoxton Manor joined forces with the Crown Club, our origins, however, began 36 years earlier.
In 1903, the New North Road Club for lads was founded by the rev Claude Eliot the vicar of Christchurch, Hoxton. The club was initially located in premises in nearby Poole Street which soon proved inadequate in size. The Club then moved to Bridport Place and were located on the corner of the clubs present premises in Wiltshire Row. In 1907 the club underwent a name change to the Claude Eliot Lads Club in memory of its founder who died prematurely. In 1921 a decision was made for another change to the Hoxton Manor. Three years later following a period of financial instability, the Manor Trust, the body that managed the Eton Manor Club came to the clubs aid and arranged for the building of new purpose built premises on Wiltshire Row.
A mile away, the Ely Place Boys club was founded in 1926 by Harold Llewellyn Smith and Philip Nash who were later joined by Harold’s brother Arthur. The size of the premises also proved inadequate and they later moved into the disused Crown public house in nearby Lynedoch Street and changed the name of the club to the Crown.
The premises of the Hoxton Manor club, initially closed on the outbreak of WW2, were offered to the Crown Club management who were seeking new premises. The offer was made on the understanding that Hoxton Manor members would be incorporated into the new club with support from the Winchester College Mission.
The new amalgamated Crown and Manor Club opened in 1939 with a membership of 150 boys.
After more than 80 years of use, repairs to the Wiltshire Row premises become a regular and costly problem so a decision was taken to sell the site and build a new club. In 2010 the club moved into temporary accommodation while the site was redeveloped. The new club building was completed and the club returned to Wiltshire Row in February 2013. The new state of the art custom built premises comprises of a full sized multi-purpose gymnasium, games room, two classrooms, ICT suite, weights room and a board room come history room.
After more than 80 years of use, repairs to the Wiltshire Row premises become a regular and costly problem so a decision was taken to sell the site and build a new club. In 2010 the club moved into temporary accommodation while the site was redeveloped. The new club building was completed and the club returned to Wiltshire Row in February 2013. The new state of the art custom built premises comprises of a full sized multi-purpose gymnasium, games room, two classrooms, ICT suite, weights room and a board room come history room.
The club continues to be supported by the Winchester College Society an association which began in the mid 1930's through the involvement of Harold and Arthur Llewellyn Smith.
The Club is now established as a limited company and registered charity: its board of directors- or Council-comprises club old boys, locals, and a number of old Wykehamists.
The London Metropolitan Archives holds many of the old club records but the club itself has a wide range of archival material at its premises.
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Team
Staff Roles
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Franklin Shillingford, Club leader
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Andrew Gray, Full time youth worker
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Bonny Young, Part time administrator
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Brenda Mason, Part time youth worker
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Peter Mason, Part time youth worker
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Daniel Coventry, Part time youth worker
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John Giles, Part time youth worker
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David Tapping, Part time youth worker
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Jason Mason, Part time youth worker
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Adam Woods, Part time youth worker
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Hannah Gray, Part time youth worker
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Flamur Kelmendi, Part time youth worker
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Yushai Brown, Part time youth worker
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Corey Gaines, Basketball coach
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Michele Uyinmwen, Basketball coach
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Jose Gonzales Fernandez, Spanish tutor
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Chudi Onwuazor, Boxing coach
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Mark Pollock, Guitar tutor/ drama coach
Volunteers
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Ming To, Volunteer table tennis coach
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Ellert Driessan, Volunteer table tennis coach
Plus numerous homework volunteers
05
What makes a C&M boy?
Is he a young lad, or young man, living in a very deprived area, often living in poor accommodation, with perhaps only one parent? Is this lad, or young man, at risk from entering a life of crime to get himself out of a world that is harsh and uncaring? Is he alienated from society, a society that imposes different rules to the one he has to live by? Sounds familiar?
Well, he could be any Crown and Manor member since the Club began!
It is very easy to forget that pre-war society was very judgmental of the people who lived in this area – everyone living here was seen to be of very low class, uneducated and criminal. It didn’t matter that many parents fought hard and long to maintain high standards for their children. Those who lived on the outside were very quick to judge from a position of ignorance.
And so it is today.
Those that formed the Crown Club, the Hoxton Manor and ultimately the Crown and Manor were visionary people and saw beyond the ignorance of the many. They saw the good in local youth and knew that unless they were educated to live and work in society, they would not stand a chance of living a happy and prosperous life. This is what the Crown and Manor is all about. How many of the old Crown and Manor members were completely fazed by some of the rules and standards that Ian Leslie, Pa Llewelyn-Smith and Martin Parr insisted that they should follow?
And so it is today. Trying to set high standards for young people is very hard work.
Those that run the Crown and Manor today are facing the same problems with young people that faced many of our old members. It still falls to the Crown and Manor to provide the social education for local youngsters to live and work in a society that condemns them just because of the area they live in.
As in the last one hundred years, there are great youngsters in the area. The fact that they come to the Crown and Manor is an indication that they want something more in their lives. Everything should be done to keep the Crown and Manor going. It can’t save every youngster in the area, but if past records are anything to go by, it has had wonderful success so far.
As one who spans many decades of the Crown and Manor, let me assure you. Crown and Manor boys have not changed in their needs and ambitions.
Words by Maureen Walker
