IT started out with only 11 members in a small building.

But after moving to new premises and recruiting hundreds of members, Poppleton Road Working Men’s Club has gone from strength to strength.

Now the club is preparing to party in style as it clocks up its centenary.

From November 20 to 22, the club will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a weekend of events.

Sharon Sutton, of Poppleton Road WMC, said: “It’s excellent that we are still running, especially as other clubs are starting to shut down. We are doing really well and holding our own. The club is still busy with events such as the Thursday Ladies Night and music artists on weekends.”

The celebration on the Friday will be a members and family only event with entertainment including bingo and a raffle where each member receives a free ticket as well as an alcohol discount. Celebrations over the rest of the weekend will be open to the public. The club has received a congratulatory letter from Buckingham Palace which is now on display inside the building, after the club wrote to The Queen.

Palace official David Ryan wrote: “Her Majesty appreciates your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and, in return, sends her warm, good wishes to all concerned for a most memorable and enjoyable event.”

The club was founded on November 18, 1909 by H Hodgson among others. The first meeting was held at 1 Ash Street with 11 members, which has risen to approximately 450 over the last century. After the first meeting, gatherings took place in a variety of venues including members’ houses, Howhill Road and the Jubilee Hotel, in Leeman Road.

The transition from Ash Street to Poppleton Road has been recorded in the club’s history books. The club originally applied for a base at Chatsworth Terrace, but the owners of the house at the time disagreed with the prospect. Club officials then applied closer to their current location on the right side of Poppleton Road but they were only offered a corrugated building. The club was eventually able to rent the current building for two years and there are no details on how it came into permanent ownership.