| Description | This informal club was run by members of the Midland Adult School Union and provided the city's workers with a space in which they could bring along their sandwiches, have a cup of tea and listen to talks on a wide variety of subjects, delivered by a range of speakers.
The idea for the Sandwich Club came from Charles Bristow, who as Secretary of the Midland Adult School Union had always hoped to be able to hold such a club in the middle of the day. When the Union moved its offices to Priory Rooms, Bull Street in 1938, the opportunity arose for it to come into fruition. Together with Robert Woodhead, Bristow arranged the first meeting of 6 men and women on 22nd October 1940. The subject was a debate on 'the living theatre v. the cinema', with Woodhead and Bristow taking opposing sides. A further two meetings took place in November and December that year, with regular meetings starting from January 1941 and continuing until 1968.
Meetings were held on Tuesdays from 1-2.15 at the Priory Rooms and were open to anyone who was 'interested in discussing the problems of the day'. There was no subscription or formal membership. Attendance varied from 20 - 40 people, who came from all walks of life but many worked in business. The Club was non-sectarian and non-political. Speakers included members of the Church, Members of Parliament, City Councillors, and those involved in education and social work.
The subjects of the talks were diverse, relating to both national and international current affairs and issues which were of concern at the time. Some of the themes discussed included conscription, the work of the Friends Ambulance Unit, ‘Why I am Not a Pacifist’, the Famine Relief Committee, the reconstruction of the League of Nations, ‘My experiences as a refugee from Germany’, German prisoners of war, prisoner of war life, the political situation in India and the Common Market.
Social issues were also debated, with talks on the Probation Service, War on Want, Oxford Famine relief, the children's courts, prison work, assistance for the aged, entrance to grammar schools, sex equality, vegetarianism, the law and legal aid, training the child, the future of education, marriage guidance, women in industry, teddy boys, youth clubs, and so on.
Some talks were on local themes such as Birmingham's housing problems, the Bournville Village Trust, Birmingham Hostel for Stranded Women and Girls, experiences in the City Council and thoughts on Local Government, Birmingham Transport Service, Birmingham Health Department and Birmingham Elan Waterworks. Other talks were on subjects relating to art, music, literature, travel, religion or philosophy.
On 24th October 1961, the Sandwich Club celebrated its 21st anniversary and to mark the occasion, that day's meeting in which speakers discussed 'Adult School Values and the Religious Ideal' was recorded by the BBC and broadcast the following day. |