The Rise and Fall of Mercury

By September 1966 the club was still going from strength to strength with weekly attendance increasing since school exams had finished. As an experiment the club had stayed open in August due to demand. The sad news was that the leader, Jim Rumins, was leaving to relocate down south. The archery and judo sessions were in big demand and it was hoped that swimming would restart. Mr A B Metcalfe would take over as leader.   .

Membership applications were slowing down by December 1966, but there was no concern as there was a far greater number of regular attendees. There had been a dance where “Kiki’s Condors” played. Football, judo, archery and table tennis continued to do well. The committee was still looking for more activities to add to the schedule   .

In October, 30 youth leaders met to discuss the Handforth Youth Centre and why it was of no use to the youth of Heald Green as it would be filled with the youth of Handforth. Councillor Crook advised that a recommendation had gone to Cheshire Education Committee to build a youth centre on Etchells Road   .

Youth clubs was a topic raised at the Ratepayers 39th Annual General Meeting held in February 1967. The Handforth Youth Centre was scheduled for 1968 and there was still optimism for a building in Heald Green. The main concern was a lack of helpers   .

By March 1967 the club was still expanding its sports programme. There were male and female table tennis teams playing in the League. Archery had been suspended, due to the weather, but it was hoped to resume shortly along with swimming and hiking. The committee was still looking for a judo instructor to replace an injured one. Mr DJ Tivey, a County Youth Organiser, had visited the club and leaders had aired their views to him about the need for better youth facilities within the village   .

The club continued to grow stronger. There had been successful dances with “Graham Robinson set” and the “In Set” playing to large crowds. The archery lessons now had a coach, Colin Pomphret. There had been a sponsored walk for Christian Aid from Tarvin to Outwood Road. The boy’s table tennis A team had won the League and brought home a trophy   .

In September 1967 the club reopened after the summer break. Everyone between the ages of 13 and 21 were invited. Swimmers and non swimmers were invited to attend as lessons were to recommence and transport was provided. Male helpers were still being asked for    . This is the first article where I sensed the feeling that all was not going to plan, that the club was beginning to wane.

By December 1967 the leader, Alan Metcalfe, was about to leave the area. The only male helper now was Tom Chick. Deputy leader and secretary, Mary Gannon, tried to drum up business by announcing a competition, free to all teenagers “Choose your ideal youth club”. Swimming was now at Levenshulme Baths on a Thursday and  open to all, not just Mercury Club members. The club was still on a Wednesday from 7.30pm to 10pm and open to all youth in the district   .

1968 started on an optimistic note as Mary announced a substantial increase in both members and helpers. A meeting had been held with members to discuss the way forward. The boys requested a 5-a-side football team. The swimming had stopped due to poor response and the booking of the swimming baths could only go ahead if the club amalgamated with another club. Once the weather got better it was hoped that archery would resume. Miss Mercury 1968 took place with music by “The Time Sellers” who were about to branch out into cabaret. She finished the article by once again setting out the member’s ages, dates and times of the club. Annual subscriptions remained at 2/6d with weekly subscriptions of 1s for members and 1s6d for visitors   .

By June 1968 there was a very brief article stating “the last three months have been almost uneventful”. Swimming had still not restarted and there was little interest in the archery. The table tennis teams had had some success in the League and there had been another Christian Aid Walk   .

In October 1968 Mary announced that after Whitsun the club had closed. A full schedule of events from September’s reopening  were highlighted and details again given in full for new members   .

In December 1968 a statement announced the closure of the club as the opening night in September had been so poorly attended. The committee had not been satisfied that the club in the near future “had any hope of success”   .

In the Contact magazine of Spring 1969 the Editor made the following points. There were 1000 people aged between 13 and 20 in the village of which about 350 were members of organisations like Boys Brigade and Girl Guides. What did they want? At present the vast majority were free to “roam the streets and cause nuisance”. What could parents do to help? The Mercury Club had closed through lack of support   .

I will end this article with a letter sent to the Editor of the Contact magazine in Winter 1969 from a Mr I K Lawther. His points are thought provoking. There were other youth clubs in Cheadle Hulme and Handforth but why none no longer in Heald Green? Mercury had closed due to lack of support. A disco at the Public Hall was either too pricey to listen to records or the wrong night. Brown Lane’s youth club on a Friday had closed due to vandalism. The need was there. Many Heald Green youths were attending The Parish Youth Centre in Cheadle Hulme but had to leave early to catch a bus home. Parents and helpers would be needed to get a new venture off the ground. He appealed to them and was willing to give advice as an experienced youth leader. He ended very poignantly with “the youth of today are the citizens of tomorrow”   .

Such a sad and rather quick end to what was a huge youth club in the village. At its height the church hall must have been bursting at the seams, attracting both local bands and more well known acts of the time. The Big Three group had been signed up by Brian Epstein and there they were playing in our church hall! I doubt that the age group of  13-21 would work with the youth of today but obviously did back then. The lack of helpers would have contributed to the decline. However the loss of well liked respected group leaders, to pastures new, may have been the final straw and the fate of the Mercury Club was sealed.