1961
1961 1961-62 saw The Florrie continue to run the more traditional activities alongside new interests such as go-karting, canoe building, budgie breeding (the Pioneer section only) and continental camping trips. Despite the innovate programme, these were challenging times for the Youth Service: ‘Officially, children between the ages of 11-14 years are outside the scope of […]
1960
1960 This year’s report detailed the ‘modernization’ of the surrounding area and changing national landscape: ‘Since last year new flats across the road from the Florrie have been completed and everywhere the story is the same. Old, decaying, terraced houses being pulled down and in their place are rising new blocks of modern flats. Antiquated […]
1959
1959 The publication of the Albemarle Report on the Youth Service ignited public interest in the work of clubs such as the Florence Institute. Yet it was warned the Report could lead to the mistaken impression that funding for youth work would come from central government in its entirety; it was a surety that in […]
1958
1958 This year’s report recorded the sad death of President Mr. T. Leslie Hamner. His replacement, Mr. Trevor Holden, was called a ‘living tradition in The Florrie’ having served as voluntary helper, Committee member, and was twice Chairman of the Institute. The Committee reflected on the difficulty of retaining the interest of older boys, and […]
1957
1957 The report welcomed Mr. T. Leslie Hamner as President of the Club as successor to Major P.R. England, and mused that the past year had seen a widening of interests and programme at The Florrie. The Florencian newsletter was reintroduced ‘by a small, hardworking group of senior boys’, and won second place in the […]
1956
1956 ‘According to the Oxford Dictionary a true translation of the word ‘Institute’ used in our connection Florence Institute is ‘an organised body for the promotion of a public object,’ and according to our trust deed the Public Object in our case is to promote the welfare of working boys, more especially during the critical […]
1955
1955 This year’s report began on a sombre note, ‘The past year has been one of some disappointment, as we anticipate it has been for most clubs. Response has been poor, attendances bad and counter attractions innumerable.’ However, there was good news on the sporting front, trophies won this year included the Reynolds Cup, Walker […]
1954
1954 This year’s report began with a question: ‘Are you happy? If we put this question to our members at a general club assembly, we feel sure that the majority would answer YES. One of the reasons for this is that being a member of the ‘FLORRIE’ they have found a corner of life were […]
1952
1952 The resignation of Mr Ivor Snaith, Warden, prompted the Committee to reflect rather begrudgingly that ‘Wardens of recent times come and go too often. The reasons for this are various and this is no place to go into them but we should say that all our Wardens and some of our sub-Wardens have used […]
1950
1951 Anxieties loomed in this year’s report over the ‘loss’ of impressionable youngsters ‘Membership has remained at the same level as previous years but one seems more conscious than ever of the numbers of boys who are not connected with any Club or Organisation. The loss of boys, previously quite good members between the ages […]