Description

Admin History:

The Hull CHA Rambling Club was founded in 1911 as an affiliate local branch of the Co-operative Holidays Association (CHA), founded in 1891 by Rev. T.A. Leonard and with a head office in Manchester established 1908. The objectives of the CHA and its affiliate clubs were to further the interests of the CHA by undertaking the organisation of rambles, dances, social and dramatic evenings at the local level [note that rules of the Club are printed in many of the programmes C DSRC/4/1/1-79]. On a national level, annual Reunion events accompanied a Conference of the CHA, and in 1921 and 1958 these events were held in Hull [see C DSRC/1/1/1, C DSRC/2/1/1, C DSRC/2/2, C DSRC/8/2/23, C DSRC/8/2/24, C DSRC/9/9].

In the early years Hull was host to a number of separate CHA Clubs including the Rambling Club, the Social Club (founded 1921), and the Drama Club. These separate clubs were formally amalgamated in 1932, becoming 'Sections' of the General Committee of the Hull CHA Rambling Club. The General Committee was led by a president who was assisted by a vice-president, treasurer, registrar in charge of membership, general secretary, and committee members. Upon amalgamation, the Social Section was sub-divided into social, dance, and drama sections each with a secretary [see C DSRC/4/1/2, C DSRC/4/1/3]. At this time permission was granted by the Hull Corporation to allow the incorporation of the City's Coat of Arms into the Club's official emblem.

In 1964 the CHA changed its name to the Countrywide Holiday Association, retaining the same initials thus allowing the many CHA affiliated walking clubs across the country, including the Hull Club, to retain their names. Other Hull CHA Rambling Club affiliations have included the Youth Hostel Association (first affiliated 1934), and the Ramblers Association (first affiliated 1938). The Club has also been a member of the Commons and Footpaths Society and the British Drama League.

In Hull, local rambles were organised and lead by members of the club to places various local places such as Withernsea, Hornsea, Beverley, Cottingham, Flamborough, Little Weighton, etc., with public transport used to reach starting locations when necessary. Coach rambles were added to the annual programme of events for the first time in 1950 to allow Club members to more easily explore the more hard to reach areas of the countryside. After WWII cycle rides and 'Beach Days' were added to the programme, and coastal places such as Holmpton, Filey, and Bridlington became distinations. During the 1960s and 1970s regular 'Children's Walks' were arranged, the first being held in 1968 and the last being held in 1980. In 1991 an 'Amblers Group' was established to cater for the more elderly members of the Club no longer able to participate in the main rambles. , and the first 'Ambles Weekend' conceived of by Kenneth Smith was held at Whitby in 1996 [see C DSRC/5/4, C DSRC/8/2/32].

Weekend holidays were undertaken to places with CHA properties such as Wyton Hall, Peel on the Isle of Man, Hebdon, Gilling Park, Staindale, Whitby, the Lake District, Cober Hill, and North Wales. In the early years some members of the Hull Club participated in overseas walking holidays to various places including Champex in Switzerland Aug 1936 [see C DSRC/8/1/2], Holland and Switzerland Aug 1938 [see C DSRC/8/1/3], and Zermatt in Switzerland Aug 1946 [see C DSRC/8/2/9]. Notable walking expeditions closer to home included the Lyke Wake Walk in the Lake District, which was first completed by the Hull CHA in 1956 [see C DSRC/5/2, C DSRC/8/2/15].

Regular social activities were arranged by the Social Section and details of these events were printed in the annual programmes of the Hull CHA Rambling Club [see C DSRC/4/1/1-79]. Social activities included dances, concerts, whist drives, fancy dress competitions, dinners, lectures, lantern slide and film shows, and play readings arranged by the Drama Section [see C DSRC/6]. Such activities were also arranged as part of the numerous jubilees celebrated by the Club over the years, including the Silver Jubilee in 1936 and most recently the Centenary in 2011 [see C DSRC/8/2/26, C DSRC/8/2/29, C DSRC/8/2/30, C DSRC/9/8, C DSRC/9/9].

Since 1911 there have been 24 presidents of the Hull Club, including the first president Mr Thomas Rufford-Upton, grandson of John Toyn Upton the founder of the first C-operative store in Hull, two female presidents Mrs Mollie Amery and Mrs Evelyn Paling, and the current president Mr Alan Paulls [see C DSRC/3/10, C DSRC/9/9]. In recent decades dinners have been held in honour of these past presidents, and surviving past presidents have been invited to hear a speech given by the current president. Other notable members of the club serving in various offices have included Mr A.W.A. Collier, Mr Cliffe Amery, and Mr Kenneth Smart.

Description:

Papers relating to the activities of the Hull CHA Rambling Club, founded 1911. Note that the papers pertain mainly to the period following the amalgamation of a number of Hull CHA Clubs under the General Committee of the Hull CHA Rambling Club. Contains committee and sub-committee minutes and papers [C DSRC/1-2], membership registers and records [C DSRC/3], files, documents, newsletters, and annual events programmes produced by the General Secretary [C DSRC/4], reports, instructions and files relating to rambles produced by Rambles secretaries and ramble leaders [C DSRC/5], record books and scripts relating to the work of the Drama Section [C DSRC/6], files produced by the Social secretaries and tickets relating to social events [C DSRC/7], photograph albums and loose photographs of club members, rambles, and social events [C DSRC/8], and ephemeral material [C DSRC/9].