I spent a really great night out on Saturday at St. Alban’s RC Club.

It was a very special occasion in order to celebrate the 80th birthday of Mrs Mary Mc Carron needless to say all of her family were there en masse so we had plenty of good company and the icing on the cake so to speak was the plate of excellent potato pie with peas, which proved the best possible accompaniment to my gin and tonic.

Being in that club took me back many many years to the time when in order to make an extra bob or two I used to go out to working men’s clubs singing, and if I remember correctly the reward for three spots in the evening, of two songs each spot was 30 shillings which, at that time was almost equivalent to a week’s wage.

I’ll bet they get a bit more than that now.

But I have to admit that I really enjoyed it, was a case of working, earning, socialising and pleasure all rolled into one, can you think of a better way to spend an evening?

I got into singing in the clubs because for a time my dad was concert secretary of Mill Hill Working Men’s Club in Blackburn, a job which he took very seriously indeed.

Especially as it meant he had to go out to lots of local clubs looking for acts, I mean fancy having to go out several nights a week, having a drink whilst looking for talent; Oh, yes, as he said it was such hard work.

So Saturday night was the first time that I’ve been in a club since those singing days, and I’d forgotten just what warm and friendly places they are, and I think I might be tempted to pay them a few more visits.

Can you believe it’s so close to Christmas? I can’t.

I’m really trying to get in the mood but somehow it’s evading me, so I will just have to try harder, perhaps what I need a is party.