Share Variety Club memories at event

Batley Variety Club undated.

Owner James Corrigan at the club.

The club later became the Frontier Club. — Batley Variety Club undated. Owner James Corrigan at the club. The club later became the Frontier Club.

Batley History Group intend to have people who were employed in crucial positions by the club’s innovative owner James Corrigan share their memories.

The event is due to take place at Batley Town Hall on Monday, July 27 from 7pm-10pm.

Mr Corrigan was the man who decided that a vacant stretch of land alongside Bradford Road could become a home for the stars.

And it was a dream which, to many people’s amazement, he made a reality by building the club in a 16-week spell.

He made it a showbusiness magnet by booking a string of the country’s top acts during its 11-year history.

Batley History Group specialist Wendy Storey has arranged for a film about the club to be shown and for artists to play some of the numbers which made the club such a success.

“Hopefully people will bring memorabilia and photographs early so that we can display them on tables and boards in front of the stage where the lighting is much better,” Wendy said.

As with a similar event last year, people will be invited to voice their recollections of some of the club’s highlights.

During its heyday, artists on the bill included Roy Orbison, the Bee Gees, Tina Turner, Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones, Morecambe and Wise, Olivia Newton-John and Dusty Springfield.

The History Group has decided not to impose a charge for the event or limit access to members. But they hope that voluntary contributions will more than cover the cost of the event.