Ninety-nine year's ago, a small group of enthusiasts met together in a house In Mayfield road, Sanderstead, to discuss their favourite hobby - the theatre. The result of that meeting in 1907 was the Sanderstead Dramatic Club. Apart from short breaks to accommodate a couple of world wars, the club has been running continuously ever Since.

In those days, Sanderstead consisted of 342 houses and 1660 residents. There were ei9ht farms in the parish, too. Gas arid electricity had (reached the area the year before. Sanderstead station, which opened in 1884, provided a service of 21 trains to London each day - and 21 back The first-class fare was 1/11d [10p] and the third class 11p.

That first meeting was held at the home of Mr J L Ver'ne. This is riot the same man as went round the world in 80 days, but nonetheless, he moved fairly quickly. As President of the club, he searched the area for a suitable hall to stage plays. The nearest was St Michael's in West Croydon (near the present bus station) and it was there that Sanderstead dramatic Club staged its first production - three one-act plays. The Croydon Advertiser of December 21, 1907 states .This club is very much alive and has come to stay..

However, it stayed closer to home for its next presentation, having found the newly-built church hall in St Augustine's Avenue more convenient in every way. The opening production was Facing The Music. There were seven in the cast. doors opened at 7.30 and the play began at 8pm. The programme advised "carriages at 10.30."' A critic described it as "excellent". A certain Miss Loveys, he Said, showed that she was not Just a pretty face. And the staging was admirable.

The Great War in 1914 saw the Sanderstead Dramatic Club closed down for the duration and its leading men go to war.

In 1919, the club re-formed and staged its first post-war play "The Headmaster.". By 1922, it had moved its productions to the new Memorial hall in Purley Oaks road and had also made plans to build it own scenery workshop at the rear. The first play at the new location was .'Summer is a-Coming 'In.' in April, 1922. It presented plays in that hall right through until 1956.

Among the actors who performed in the early 1920s was Laurier Lister, destined to become a leading London theatre manager and impresscirio. It is said that Basil dean of EN5A fame also walked the boards with SDC at that time.

The year 1932 is a significant one in the history of the club. That year. it presented its very first pantomime - Aladdin. Of course, pantomime has become very much part of the Club's history and has provided the continuity that has enabled it to remain in existence until the present day.

The Club's impact on the community between the wars can be judged by the following note in a programme of October, 1937, printed alongside a timetable of local trains. "The Southern Railway Company has kindly consented to adopt a suggestion made by the club that an extra train should be run from Sanderstead Station to Selsdon at 1O.54pm. This train is now running each weekday."

At the time of the Munich crisis in 1938, SDC was still at work. But a programme for October that year referred to "a time of great difficulty, with a day-to-day uncertainty as to whether our entire male cast would not be called up before the next rehearsal."

On November 5, 1939, the club was closed down with liabilities of £30. With the war into its third month, no date was set for the next meeting.

In fact, it was June, 1945. The club found the Memorial Hall used as a bomb damage repair depot and it was not until November, 1946, that it was able to present its first play. But SDC was in a healthy condition. It had no fewer than 400 members and was financially solvent.

Tragedy struck during the run of Night Must Fall in October, 1947. Two trains collided at South Croydon, killing 32 people. Among them was a Mr W H Skeen, who was appearing in the Sanderstead play. His part in the two remaining performances were read by the producer.

In 1950, SDC entered it first play festival and won first prize for its staging of a one act play "Like An Evening Gone". This was an original work by one of the club members, Mr Vernon Workman. Subsequently, and for many years, the Vernon Workman Cup was presented each year to the actor voted the best of the season.

Club activities during these crowded days included an annual dinner dance, club nights, festivals and three shows a year plus the ever-popular pantomime. And with a membership holding at around the 400 mark, there was never a shortage of talent for acting or the many back-stage jobs that underpin any production. One club bulletin in the early 1950s pondered the effect on audiences of the view phenomenon - television -but it was not taken seriously.

When All Saints Hall opened in 1956, it immediately became the club's home base, The first play presented there was Arns And The Man on Friday, October 26, 1956. The next will be in January, 2006. A fine and unbroken record of achievement.

Sanderstead Dramatic Club has weathered some storms since those heady days of 1956 but is still in business. 

End

Last Modified: March 07, 2006