For many social and working men's clubs, bingo wasn't simply something that happened at the club, it was one of the main events of the week. By the 1970s, bingo had become deeply woven into club culture. Working men's clubs were important venues for bingo alongside live music, comedy and other evening entertainment. And for some members, it was the reason they came through the doors. For others, it was the bit of the evening they could have happily done without.
"Eyes down!"
Bingo in the Saturday-Night Break
There were dedicated bingo nights that would attract people through the door but Bingo also had its own place in the traditional Saturday night at the social club. It wasn't necessarily the main event of the evening, but for a while it could take over the whole concert room.
The live act would finish the first part of the evening, and there would be a break before they came back on. This was often when the bingo books came out.
For the big bingo players, this was serious business.
They would queue to buy tickets, some just a couple of tickets and for the serious players a full book. With their books ready, their lucky pens they would be listening carefully as the caller started calling the numbers. Some played simply for a line, crossing off the numbers as they came out. Others wanted the bigger prize, the full house.
The atmosphere could become surprisingly intense.
Numbers were called out, one after another, and players marked their books as quickly as they could.
Then someone would suddenly realise they had completed a line and shout.
The line was gone then came the big prize.
"HOUSE!"The caller would stop, the claim would be checked, the numbers read out and verified and the winner would collect the prize.
For the regular bingo players, it was part of the Saturday-night ritual. They knew the calls, they knew the routine and they knew exactly what they were playing for.
But not everybody was a bingo fan.
For some people, the moment the entertainment stopped and the bingo started was the perfect time to escape to the lounge.
They had come to the club to hear the singer, watch the act, have a drink and perhaps dance with their friends. Bingo wasn't their thing at all.
No talking was aloud when the bingo was on, and there would be the hiss of 'shhh' if someone dared to whisper when the bingo was on.
So as the concert room settled down and the caller picked up the microphone, the non players would retreat to the lounge or bar.
There, away from the concentration of the bingo players, they could sit with a pint, have a chat and wait for the break to finish.
The lounge could therefore become a little refuge during the bingo... more about the lounge next time!.
Can you remember all the phrases; Kellys eye number one, one little duck number 2, two fat ladies 88.