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The Lancaster Club (formaly,Failsworth Lodge, built 1770)

Before the 1950's the clubhouse was known as Failsworth Lodge and consisted of twenty-one acres which included the Mansion House with gardens, a Dower house, greenhouse, mill and cottages.

Failsworth Lodge, was one of the first Georgian design brick buildings in the area, it was built by a Captain John Birch in 1770. It was then further occupied in 1824 by Messrs Bury who ran a girls academy from the lodge, In 1872 the lodge was occupied by Joseph Grimshaw Hatter of Failsworth, Five years later saw the birth of Alliot Verdon Roe on 26th April 1877 he later went on to build aircraft under the name of A V Roe.

A V Roe built his own plane, the first british designed and built aircraft in 1909 this was to fly some 900 ft, In 1910 A V Roe started to produce aircraft from a small factory in Great Ancoats Manchester, In 1914 he moved to larger premises on Briscoe Lane Newton Heath where he produced the Avro 540, During the First World War the production of this aircraft was supported by local business and factory's these included Mathers & Platts , Evans Bellhouse, a smaller factory was purchased within Failsworth by A V Roe this was to become Empire Works and was located opposite the Failsworth Pole.

In 1936 the lodge was purchased by Sir Roy Dobson, Works Manager at AV Roe's, In March 1939 the Chadderton factory was opened on Greengate, Middleton and production began in earnest on aircraft that would support the Second World War effort and ensuring A V Roe's place in history. Aircraft bulit at Chadderton during this time included the Avro Anson,Blenheim and of course the famous Avro Lancaster and after the war one of the first British V Bombers of the 1950's namely the Avro Vulcan bomber.

In 1950 the Failsworth Lodge was opened as a clubhouse for the use of all personnel employed at Avro's (now BAe Systems) and became known as the Lancaster club.

The club has always encouraged and supported social and sport events in the local community and our Facilities and Clubhouse are now avialable for hire