Hiam Sports and Social Club, Prickwillow Facebook
A friendly club with a licensed bar, delightful hall, excellent dance floor, ample parking and free wifi.

The Story of Hiam

Map of Hiam

Situated in the village of Prickwillow some 4 miles from the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, Hiam Sports and Social Club began as a social club for employees of Frederick Hiam Ltd. It was built on a playing field for which the lease had been signed by Frederick Hiam in 1957, to provide a meeting place for employees and their families, and proposed plans for the building were submitted and approved in February 1962.

The driving force behind the new club was John Wilson who was described as being "in charge of HIAM". One day when the men were having "Docky" in a shed John asked, "why don't you form a Committee and run it as a Social Club?"

The agricultural rep. Jack Tokelove took up the challenge. "I'll be your first member," he said. Jack was as good as his word and was a regular until he died. The men who formed that first Committee were: Albert Fletcher, Derick Dew, David Clark, Nobby Ockley, Bill Carter, Sid Cullum and Derick Piece.

During the late 60s the club hosted some of the country's top bands. This was the club's heyday with people flocking from all over the eastern counties to this tiny village in order see their favourite chart topping performers. The large dance floor would be packed and on stage would be bands such as Freddie and The Dreamers, Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, Marmalade, The Searchers and The Hollies to name but a few. The club went through a quieter period in the 80s and 90s, becoming a centre for ballroom and sequence dancers who were able to enjoy one of the best dance floors in East Anglia.

Now, half a century after it started, Hiam Sports and Social Club is run independently of its founders and membership is open to all.

Hiam is a friendly and welcoming club and its major activities still mostly involve dancing. Its tradition of featuring live music makes it as much a magnet for music lovers today as it was for those young people 50 years ago. The club holds regular Tea Dances, Rock'n'Roll Nights, Country Music Nights and Ballroom and Sequence Dances, with occasional Sixties Nights and Big Band Ballroom Nights as well.

Hiam also has a thriving Bingo section that meets every Thursday, as well as Outdoor Bowls in the summer and, in the winter - inside in the warm - there is Dominos. Both Bowls and Dominos are seeking new team members. In the case of Bowls, female members would be especially welcome to enable them to participate in the afternoon league.

These links may be of interest: Prickwillow    Prickwillow Sign    Babylon Arts    areyoudancing.com    wherecanwego.com
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