In addition to providing a hall for organisations to hire, or for private hire, the committee run several activities, such as a boy's club, Christmas social, dancing and film shows. It is the social centre of activities in the Heyshott village.
 
EXTRACT FROM MINUTES OF THE COBDEN CLUB
 
Heyshott Cobden Club and Coffee House
 
At meeting of the trustees held in Charing Cross Hotel on Wednesday, the 12th of November 1930.
In the chair Mr. T. Fisher Unwin.
 
Those present:
Mrs. T. Fisher Unwin - Mr. T. Fisher Unwin - Mrs. F. Hurst - Mrs. Sherwood Smith
Mr. G. S. Unwin - Miss. McFarlane - Mr. A. A. T. Fowler sec. and warden resident at the club.
 
A letter received from Miss Brood who was in Berlin regretting being unable to be present at the meeting.
 
Report presented to the committee.
 
As it is the first time I have had the opportunity to give you a report I should like to survey the past three years since I took over the club. We introduced the house system which is dividing the members into two groups with a captain for each. One night during the week was devoted to house games and points were given and kept on a chart and at the end of the season the house with the most number of points has the horour of holding the cup.
 
Boys are always needing a change and variety and so to meet these needs other games were introduced, such as billiards, table tennis and darts. Later on we built our own wireless set which keeps us interested in things which happen outside our village. Before we start games in the evenings we have an informal talk on the news of the day as contained in the newspaper.
 
In 1928 a Dramatic Society was formed called 'The Heyshott Players', which from time to time gives concerts in aid of club funds. They are busy now in preparation for a concert to be given during Christmas week. There are 13 members of the party and one or two of them are above the average usually found in this type of work.
 
Cricket has always been played in Heyshott, but not football, so in 1929 we started a football club. During that season we played 21 games; as we were only babies at the game, we only won about 5 of the games, but it did create a team spirit and we established a reputation for being good sportsmen. In the past the club closed at the end of the winter, but we found there was a need for something in the summer, so we begged land and made a tennis court, which is used most evenings from May to September. The club was still open and is used as a meeting place and also used when it was wet, which is not unknown in our English summer. Now we have had the past, we carry on to the present.

 

 
The football team is still going strong, this year it has increased its membership, it is now 19. It has much better records, new goal posts and nets, and new jerseys. We entered the Y.M.C.A. divisional competition, but did not survive the first round. However, we had an experience of playing a much better team.
 
We have a small band of tree violins and clarinet, piano and drums, to play at socials and concerts. The programme so far this winter is composed of socials, debates, concerts, dart and billiard tournaments . Now perhaps you would like to know our future.
[1] Lighting, which is one of the most important items, we are hoping to get new lamps, already we have made a start, a new gas lamp has been bought for the games room and as soon as funds permit we shall install another one for the games room.
[2] Oil cloth to cover the games floor.
[3] The need of a larger billiard table which will perhaps attract the older men. This in time will be a source of income.
[4] It is 50 years since the club started its work and we feel this in some way should be celebrated and one way it could be done is to launch an appeal for additioonal funds to organize a meeting for next year. Our membership today is 19 and 16 honorary members and the library has 29 readers on the books.
 
signed A.A.T. Fowler.
 
This is an extract from a minute book at 'The Cobden Club Hall'. We find out from that the club was formed in 1880.
In later minutes any interested person can find information of great value on work and village life in general.