Youth club enjoyed Swiss holiday

So these boys’ club members could count themselves lucky to be enjoying themselves in Switzerland.

They were members of the Oxford and Worcester Club based in St Clement’s and were pictured on a visit to Engelberg in 1954.

The trip was organised by the club leader, Les Laishley, known as ‘Mr L’. He is on the far left in the back row.

His son, Tony, who lives in retirement near Adelaide, Australia, with his wife Jean (nee Cornish), has sent in the picture in the hope that boys his late father supervised will reveal what they have achieved in their lives.

He would also like to be reminded of some of his fellow club members.

Among those he recalls are John Woodley, Tony Chadwick, the Hanlon brothers, Charlie Journeaux, Bob Gale, Anne Butler, Phil Collins and sister, and two named Ros and Gordon.

The club, originally called the Oxford Boys’ Club, was one of a number which catered for young people in the city.

It apparently began in the early 1930s in the front room of Mrs Mansell’s house in Caroline Street, St Clement’s.

Early leaders included Basil Jackson and a man called Turley.

One former member once recalled: “There were varied activities at the club.

“We were allowed to use the University gymnasium in Alfred Street, and rowing boats at Folly Bridge once or twice a week.

“A few of us also fancied running, and this culminated in some of us being entered in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon junior cross country race at Henley.”

The club also ran a successful harmonica band – the Harmonica Aces – for several years.

Summer camps were popular, particularly at the coal miners’ welfare holiday site at St Athan in Wales.

The club had several homes.

The first move was a room over Jimmy Dance’s shop in Cowley Road, near The Plain.

It had a short stay at Milham Ford School, which, at that time, was also near The Plain, and eventually opened its own premises in St Clement’s.

Do you recognise yourself or anyone else in the picture?

And any memories of the trip to Switzerland?