Recently, a bunch of old and some not-so-old codgers got together in the Olympic Pavilion to record the club song for posterity. (Here is the Club Song.) To mark the occasion, one of those members present at the first appearance of the song, Mike Williams, relates the birth of a tradition.

“By memory, this became the Club song about 1960 when a group of us standing in the bar at the new clubhouse at Horsenden Hill - I believe on a Sunday lunchtime - started to sing and individuals were asked to sing a song in turn.”

“Definitely there were Gerry Finch, Grant Brendon, Doug Barge, Jumbo Harrall, Mike Williams, John Tye and George Hopkins. I also think Ray Cusden, David Inwood and George Prichenfried were there.” “When it came to George Hopkins’s turn, he said he didn’t know any songs. (He was a scout master and a quite useful big prop but was one of the quieter members of the 1st XV.) However, in the end he was persuaded to sing and came out with the now classic ‘In the Evening'"