The name ‘working men’s club’ conjures up images of a male domain where few woman would wish to tread.

But women have long been a large part of the Badshot Lea Working Men’s Club.

In fact, the current manager is Rachel Evans, who runs not only the bar but the entertainment, events, bookings, stock and all the complexities of a successful social club.

Today’s club in St George’s Road, Badshot Lea, is both far removed from and directly connected to the one which opened there before World War I.

There is some uncertainty as to exact dates and what preceded it – a Conservative Club or a bowls hut – but it has been a village institution for more than a century, a focal point for first the men, then later the women and children of Badshot Lea.

There are many still familiar names in early records. The club has old indentures (deeds); the earliest, from 1895, concerns the sale of land by John Henry Knight to Frederick George Hill, and shows land owned by a Mr Pullinger, probably William Pullinger who is mentioned as deceased in deeds in 1902. Also named in 1902 are his son, also William, daughter Catherine Pullinger, and Walter Tice. Familiar names indeed.

“You’ll find old Badshot Lea names on all these indentures,” said Les Carver, a villager who has been club secretary for 31 years.

“Barry O’Keefe, Rob Wilkinson. Rob’s father was Arthur and he was involved in bowls all his life.

“They put the bowling green down first and then built a hut.”

Les Carver’s father and grandfather belonged to the club and he remembers sitting at a table with a shandy when he was a boy of 10 or 11. He joined the club at 18 in 1971 and has been a member ever since.

“It was built for the community and has always been a hub for the village,” he said.

“I think most of the village are members. We’ve got lots of new houses here and people from them have joined too. It’s a safe, family place where you haven’t got to worry about anything.

“One of the changes from when I was young is that we are getting younger people here. Mind you, everyone probably seemed old to me in those days!”

There have been other changes too, including the building itself. In 1911 Catherine Pullinger sold the premises, then a one-storey corrugated iron building, to the trustees of ‘Badshot Lea, Weybourne & Runfold Conservative Working Men’s Club’ and in 1922 the club became affiliated to the Chartered Institute Union.

The old CIU sign still hangs above the door and the original certificate of membership is displayed in the bar. The club was probably first licensed to sell alcohol in 1922.

“It’s been added onto over the years,” said Les who remembers when the upstairs was built in 1982. He also remembers playing darts with water running down the walls.

For much of Les’s life the club employed not a manager but a steward who lived in next door in Coolhurst Cottage which the club bought in 1939.

“Alex Martin was steward for a long time, like a caretaker,” he remembers.

“Part of the steward’s wage was to live in the cottage but the club sold it about 15 years ago.”

The ethos of being a friendly, safe place to meet has remained and under Rachel and the committee, it has flourished.

Membership is £15 a year for under 65s, £5 for older members, and the drinks are well discounted.

“There’s live music on Saturdays, darts, poker, raffles, bingo,” said Rachel.

“You can hire it for receptions, parties, wakes. There’s snooker and a lovely garden. We pride ourselves in being all-inclusive though there are no children allowed in after 9pm.

“The club is somewhere in the community for people to have a social evening out without having to break the bank. We’ve even had romances blossom!”