The Cobden Club.
[now La Fontaine]
 
Richard Cobden, noted as the working man's friend, probably gave Jane (his daughter) the idea to have a memorial in the village to him; she had to raise funds and so she staged a play in London after which she agreed to buy the farm house from Mrs. Pope; this took place in 1881. It was ' the working Men's Club and Coffee House'. The building was then adapted for use as a club, the idea being to provide a social centre for folk to chat and play games and to enjoy a cup of coffee. The upstairs rooms were used as 'Residential Chambers' by any persons whosoever needed to use them for the purposes of change of air.
 
At the beginning of the club's history, considerable stress was laid on educational activities. A Miss Martin, who was the school mistress, ran the club and a fine library of some 1800 books were given through Jane and her husband, Mr. T. Fisher Unwin. The library books had been well used by 1925 and were in a bad state and most of them were destroyed, but quite a number survived until the house was sold. The County Library used to supply a box of books, and change them at regular intervals.
 
The two main rooms of the library were also used as a general meeting place; a doctor from Midhurst held his surgery there once a week and I remember it was the first place where I saw a television -when a cup final match was being played. This room had walls covered in bookshelves and one or two book cabinets; in the room were also 2 or 3 writing tables and numerous easy chairs with a carpet on the floor and on occasions a lovely fire in the hearth.
 
In 1927 following a request to the Y.M.C.A. Mr. Fowler was appointed as club organiser. About this time, the 1920's, a fine piece of carving on one of the beams in the club-room was executed by a pupil of Eric Gill.
 
It is believed that the small extention on the northern corner of the Cobden Club house was a woodshed and was made into the first boy's club room in the 1930's. A nearby stable and cartshed was bought in 1913 and was converted into a village room. It was used as a non-conformist chapel; at the west end was a painted canvas of a ploughman with his horse and plough, hung on the wall, the size approximately 8' x 3', and later this room became the Cobden club boy's room. It was heated by a cast iron stove and lit by a Tilly lamp which hung from one of the wooden beams, under which the boy's played table tennis, billiards, chess, draughts, cards and made models, etc. The club was open all through the year from 6.30p.m. to 9p.m. but during the summer we played lawn tennis and putting, weather permitting, and if the weather was bad we would go into the club room and play games.
 
Heyshott had a very good football club in the years between the wars and they played in the field behind the Cobden club - the Cobden club was used as the changing rooms for the teams, Mr. Fowler looked after the pitch and marked it out and also took part in the refereeing and being linesman; also administering first aid.
 
Mr. Fowler gave a lot of time to the boy's cricket club which was good fun, and kept going through and after the war [1939-45].

 
The Cobden Club was used during the war years as a H.Q. for the local Home Guard, the Fire Service, Air Raid Precaution H.Q. Welfare Foods Centre, a centre for Evacuees and a doctor's surgery.
 
Many fetes and sports days were held to support items in connection with the club and large village fetes were held on the green until 1914. Sports day was held on August Bank Holiday Monday to this day, also the big bonfore night with a torchlight procession and all its regalia, and people from afar come to Heyshott to take part in it.
 
When the school closed down in 1951 it took some time to organise a change. This brought about transactions and in 1954 the school premises were made over by Lord Cowdray to the trustees of the Cobden Club, and so, for the first time, Heyshott had a 'Village Hall'. In so small a community it would not be possible to maintain both the old farmhouse and the school, so the trustees decided in june 1956 to sell the old Cobden Club farm house. With some of the proceeds from the sale, together with a Government grant and the profits from 3 village fetes the old school was restored, redecorated and furnished as a village hall. it is now called 'The Cobden Club Hall'. The old village room - was sold with the house, and it is now a garage.
 
The club is controlled by a Board of Trustees, most of whom live locally. In order to maintain the valued connection with Richard Cobden, one of his decendants was on the board. Since May of 1965 the activities of the club are run by a management committee which is composed of representatives from the church and Parish Council and of representatives from other organisations in the village.
 
The following list of members of the committee of Management of the Heyshott Cobden Club :- In 1975.
 
Chairman - Mr. L. H Newsom-Davis.
 
Treasurer - Mr. C.R. Dickinson.
 
Secretary - Mrs. J. Meyler Symmons.
 
Chairman House Committee - Mr. W. Dudley.
 
Mrs. Z. Douglas.
 
Mr. A. Flux.
 
Captain H. Howard.
 
Mr. P. Lovejoy.
 
Mr. F.Luff.
 
Mr. D. Mason.
 
Mr. E. Parry.
 
Mr. J. S. West.
 
The Rector.