When I’m scanning some of the old papers, I often come across mention of various local organisations from years gone by.

Some of of these have surprised me.

How about the Workington Park Putting Green Committee, which seemingly flourished in 1927 and thereabouts.

I don’t know why I should be so surprised.

Local tennis and bowling have always had their own committees, but I’ve never thought of putting in the same way.

I used to put in a round or two when I was much younger. Didn’t we all?

But I never thought of it as a sport.

To be honest, I much preferred tackling a crazy golf course – much more fun!

But it seems that the members of this organisation didn’t confine their activities to the putting green.

According to a 1927 press cutting, they seemed to have been a sociable bunch.

They ran their own whist drives

and organised their own dances – which were well attended.

Their second Monday night dance attracted 190 dancers.

These were, according to the news report, all “happy young people”.

I don’t know how young they were, as the reporter claimed that they were happy tripping the light fantastic with barn dances, the Velleta, the Dip Waltz and the Canadian Three Step. All of these were very old time.

They can’t have been really “with it” because when the band played the Charleston – twice – only three couples took to the floor.

Music was provided by Gale’s Jazz Loonies.

I have always been interested in local bands and music groups back in the pre-war years, so does anyone know anything about Gale’s Jazz Loonies – and who played with the band?

Forward to 1931 when Seaton Carnival Welfare Committee had organised a carnival dance and supper in the Princess Ballroom.

Music was provided by an outfit I’ve never heard of before – “the Bang Boys’ Band”.

Same question – do you know anything about them?

They reportedly provided “a tip-top programme of music”.

I don’t dance, so has anyone any idea what a novelty waltz is?

In 1931, Miss Margaret Sandelands did – she and her partner, John Wright, won the night’s novelty waltzing competition.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the world seemed to have gone dance crazy.

The pages of the local papers were full of ads for dances of all sorts.

This, something I suspect we often forget, was an age with no TV.

If anyone wanted entertainment they had to get out of the house and look for it – in pubs, clubs, dances or wherever they could find it.

It was an opportunity for many to escape the four walls of their houses.

At that time, many of these left a lot to be desired and some of them were downright squalid.

An evening out was, for some, an evening of fun, enjoyment and an escape from cruel reality.

I am not going to deal here with the hardships many people had to put up with in those days.

I know that there is no way I can begin to understand what people had to go through.

But I can remember, when I came to this part of the world in the late 1960s, noticing that there were a number of men of advanced years out walking, in small groups, in the near countryside – just outside the towns and villages.

Every so often you would find them sat on benches, gazing at the scenery and chattering away.

I mentioned this to an acquaintance, who was himself of advanced years.

He told me that these were probably groups of men who were doing what they had done during the years of the Depression, when they were out of work, had little money – and most definitely none to spare on their own entertainment or any luxuries.

Life was a struggle.

No work, no money and a lot of time to put in every day.

So they went out walking – in groups – to put the time in.

It was a sociable activity and it cost nothing.

So when they retired, they started group walking again.

That’s what he told me – and I’ve no reason to believe otherwise.

So was he right in his thinking?

This was some 30-plus years ago – and it occurs to me that I haven’t noticed any such groups of elderly men out walking these past few years.

This activity seems to have stopped.

Unless, of course, you know any different!