My name is Edith Hastings of Wheatley Hill born 1921 in First Street. Father was a miner as where most men in those days. My mother died at 35 years of age. I attended Thornley School, Headmaster Fred Peart (father of Fred Peart M.P.) Schooldays very strict but we were taught right from wrong. Which was to give us a good standing in future life.
I left school at 14 years of age and went off to London. That was to be a great adventure as I thought seeing the world. But still we had not been brought up to expect much more. Hard work which was to give us good training for later when we expected to get married.

I did marry a miner and was very happy we had 2 children a boy and a girl.
In 1949 when our children were young we had a lovely health visitor called Nurse Boyes. She was interested in the welfare of the mothers and felt the need to start something in the way of relaxation 2hours away from the family once a week and so with the help of some of the mothers a club was formed.
The need was so popular that 52 years on it is still going strong. First starting in the local Scouts Hut it was very basic but very friendly and all the mothers did there little bit to keep it going. We played simple games and talks, and lots of friendships were formed and are still going strong today. Now we have progressed in to the Workman's Club with 100 members. It is still the same friendly club but the ideas are much more modern in keeping with the times and with Dorothy as leader taking over from her mother Eva Powel. It goes from strength to strength may it continue to do so.