Home   History   Contact Us   How To Find Us		History West Bridgford Royal British Legion Gertrude Road Site 1946 - 2006 It was 1935 when a few ex servicemen got together and inaugurated the Legion in West Bridgford. During those early days meetings were held in the Manor club on Albert Road. From these first stages the club progressed rapidly and moved into a new headquarters in Queens Buildings, Edward Road, where they stayed until moving to the present building in Gertrude Road in 1946. With the generous help of Mr Edward Somerfield, the Legion merged with the Lady Bay Social Club. Bowls and the Pierrepont Tennis Club who were already on the premises set about to make vast alterations. The work was performed by members and had to combat a post war scarcity of material. Even so the work was completed in record time. The official opening was conducted by Mr H Betts, the chairman of West Bridgford Council, on May 11th 1946. The year was remembered in another not so pleasant way with a shortage of beers, wines and spirits. Faced with the prospect of a dry season, everyone rallied round and the position was saved. Supplies were still short at this time after the war but the club prides itself on the fact that no members went without. Membership had grown, the war swelling the number of ex servicemen who wanted to continue the comradeship found in the forces. There was also more work to be done in the field of helping war widows, orphans and other needy cases. A volunteer force of members began turning the site into a club and providing as many amenities as possible. The building has been used as a dance hall and during the war contained a cleansing station and communal feeding centre. The part now known as the lounge had been used as a hospital during the first world war. So appropriately there was a certain amount of military connections in the new headquarters history. A touch of bad luck came the year after the move. In 1947 floods hit West Bridgford and there was water 4ft 6in deep at the Legion. But once again members rallied round and repaired the damage themselves. Membership reached record figures of over 1000. It was decided that an ambition nurtured by many of the older members should be fulfilled. And so plans were made to turn the club into what members now refer to as ‘the best British Legion in the country’. The club had over many years extended and altered its facilities to accommodate the diversity of its members interest. It has like many other institutions, had a chequered history on the site, and we are sure most people are aware of the stories, both good and bad. It is our sincere wish that we now put in place a new clubhouse that will guarantee the future of this establishment for the next 60 years. See news page for updates on the premises conversion and progress.		Latest News TEMP PHONE NUMBER & MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL 2010 Temporary Closure of the Premises