Acklam recalls his memories of the changing Showground
FORMER Scarborough RUFC player and president Howard Acklam has many fond memories of the Showground at Newby.
"My first memory of the Showground is back in the 1954/55 season shortly after I moved to Scarborough from the West Riding.
"As I remember, the club had a wonderful, almost new clubhouse which sat proudly at the back of the car park between the changing rooms and the field of play.
The changing rooms themselves, were an old hut just to the right of the present car park entrance.
Acklam added: "The entrance to the clubhouse was to the right hand side, about where the snooker room and beer cellar are now.
"It had a sturdy mahogany bar with vertical sliding shutters with bulls-eye glazed lights.
"There was also a tea room manned by members of the ladies committee who did a sterling job dishing out cups of tea and players' meals after the games.
"Some years later, around 1960, the inimitable Baron Atkinson-Jowett who was a founder member, player, committee man and president, had plans drawn up to build new changing rooms at the south end of the clubhouse."
Acklam added: "I remember going along to the regular work parties along with my father Eric and nailing planks of wood on the walls and the roof.
"The job was mostly a self-build in those days and club members chipped in as required.
"The club now had some of the best facilities both in Yorkshire and the North of England.
"Later came the squash courts initiated by founder member John Guthrie snr and funded by debentures taken out by friends and members of the club.
"And lastly came the snooker room, a scheme initiated by Steve Hamblett in order to make room for functions in the main clubroom, it was mainly funded by sponsors.
"Along with its stand along the western boundary, the Scarborough playing area was a joy to behold and in my playing experience the only one better in Yorkshire was the pitch at Leeds University."
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
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