After the Great War (1914-1918), the survivors who were fortunate enough to return home found they had returned with little or nothing for them to do - no jobs, nowhere to go - the country was quite literally not ready for them. With the few shillings the government gave, some purchased wood and built sheds and huts where they could meet up, talk, play cards and just pass the time of day. In fact some of these huts became some of the finest ex-service mans clubs in the country. In Watford, however, the returning hero’s rented a room somewhere in the Rickmansworth road area. Eventually, after more people joined, they moved to bigger rooms in Queens Road. The club’s site was handed over in 1918 by the Earl of Clarendon who wrote into the deeds that a premises must always exist for the club. In 1919, the first meeting of the club was called to order to form a committee and give the fledgling club a name and layout the rules. The name that was decided on was "Comrades of the Great War Club". In those first days there wasn't a President and committee, there were instead three trustees who were The Right Honorable The Earl of Clarendon, Dennis Herbert Esquire and C. Instead of a President the club had a Commandant, Major Monroe and instead of a Vice President it had a Vice Commandant, J Crabtree. During those early days it was decided that two badges were to be used. One designed for committee men and the other design for ordinary members. Both badges had the Union Flag on the front, the committee badge differing only slightly, denoting the wearer as an “Official”. The club was initially only open to Ex-Service men. No ladies were allowed to join or even be let into the club. The rooms upstairs in the house were used at various times by the Royal Artillery Association, The Beds & Herts, The British Legion and The Royal Air Force Association. Members of these associations were encouraged to join the club. In the 1930's the club became attached to the British Legion and was called the "British Legion United Ex Servicemans" (BLUES) Club and had various teams called "The BLUES" teams. The British Legion left the club premises in the early seventies and the club was renamed The Watford Ex-Servicemans Club. During this period, due to the decline in the number of personnel leaving the services (due in part to the abolition of conscription service), the club opened its doors to non Ex-Service Men and Women. Shortly after this the club became a limited company attached to the Financial Services Authority and the Industrial and Provident Society. In 2000, the committee members contacted the current Earl of Clarendon and explained the situation with the dilapidation of the house and the need to put out to tender to get the current property renewed and he said that he said that he supported their bid for a new premises. The £1.7million renovation was completed recently after the committee offered the premises to tender, on the agreement whoever built on the site also built them a new headquarters. The committee subsequently put the contract to build new flats on the site out to tender, on the agreement whoever built on the site, also built the new club. The Club at 12-14 St Albans Road is the result of this tender. The Watford Ex-Service and Social Club Limited opened its doors on Saturday 20 November 2010 for the first time since it was shut down in 2000 to make way for a new development. The social club welcomed back nearly 200 members at the newly built premises on St Albans Road with a disco and entertainment. Club president for ten years Alf Jobson said: “It is a great relief to be back after so many years. Our expectations were high but the new bar and function room has met them. We are lucky to have been given this opportunity in the present financial climate and we hope to attract even more members.”
“Although this is an ex-servicemen's club we are also a social club and welcome any new members at any time to make it a thriving social club again.”
