In conversation with John Bergin, Denis and Amy Stanyard  reminisce about the glory days of The Tickhill Drama Society which had its principal venue at what is now and was then the Tickhill library but was also very much a community centre in the 50s and 60s.The drama group was founded in 1952;  the driving force was a lady, Molly Glover who was from Bawtry.  She had theatrical experience and she was the producer for many of its very successful productions.  Denis and Amy are long-standing Tickhill residents.

The drama group started in the early 50s and Denis and Amy later became active members.

The Company put on two productions a year, March and December and they ran for three nights each involving local people and one of the many names of note in the early days one example was Eddie Clarkson, Jeremy Clarkson’s father.   The Group performed successfully to full houses throughout the late 50s and the 60s until 1967/68. 

When the West Riding local authority determined that the facility should be made available as a youth club, the drama group were cast into the outer darkness.  It was a great loss to the community and to us all, but in its heyday Tickhill Drama Society reigned supreme and certainly rivalled and exceeded other companies in the area.

To read the full transcript of the conversation with John Bergin, please click here

For lots more photographs of the group productions and copies of programmes, please go to the website's Gallery and look under Society Activities - Leisure - Drama Group