It was 105 years ago when the doors opened and the first boys walked into what was called Norwich Lads Club.
Not only did this club almost wipe out juvenile crime in the city, the news of its success spread far and wide and resulted in many other youth groups being established.
In America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and South Africa….youth clubs were being formed following in the footsteps of the Norwich lads.
It really did change lives.
In the 1930s Mr Mackay, New South Wales Commissioner of Police, went on a world tour to look at ways of combating juvenile crime in Australia.
The model which impressed him most and was later used as the Australian model, was that of the Norwich Lads Club (Norwich, England). The first club opened in 1937 in Western Australia, many more followed across the vast country.
Before that the news of the club had spread to America where Police Commissioner Mulrooney, of New York City, said offenders were getting younger adding: “if these boys had been given a normal outlet for play, they would have turned out all right.”
While Chief Probation Officer Edwin Cooley wrote to the man who set up the Lads Club, Chief Constable John Henry Dain, saying that the Welfare Police of New York City had benefited greatly from what had happened in Norwich.
And Dr E G Stillman, editor of the Hospital Social Service Magazine of New York City said: “Your unique work for boys in Norwich will be a revelation to our American readers.
“The average American lad grows up with a dread of the police, If only officers could all be social workers, crime prevention could be established.”
The club opened in St George’s Street in 1918 with a bunch of about 30 Norwich boys turning up.
Aged between 14 and 18, they had been growing up in a rough and tough city during the dark days of the First World War. Many lived in the squalid courts and yards. They had time on their hands and their relationship with the police had been troublesome.
It was a case of “them and us” some of them had been birched or sent to “tough industrial” schools.
Then Dain, a big, tough and practical policeman with extraordinary vision came along, and thanks to him these lads were given a purpose in life. A future.
Back in 1918 leaflets signed by Lord Mayor Richard Jewson were circulating in the city tempting the lads to take a look for themselves at this new club in St George’s Street.
They stepped into warm and comfortable rooms with games including billiard and bagatelle tables, along with a boxing ring, gym and a stage…all made possible by gifts and cash from Norwich firms and individuals.
Coming up. How the club developed and grew over the years and moved to big HQ in King Street which was opened in 1925 by the Duke of Gloucester. And, much later, the lads were joined by lasses.