ATHERTON'S old seamen stripped recently for a memorabilia display at their HQ.

They pulled the tallies from their caps to adorn the walls of the High Street Sailors and Soldiers' Club.

The collect it idea originated following a visit to another branch of the Royal Naval Association last year, when members were impressed by the display.

They decided to try a similar exhibition at their own association, and tallies started to flood in.

A request to ships of the fleet was phenomenal, and as well as tallies a large number of photographs and ships' crests were obtained.

The collection grew and grew and is now contained in three glass display units at the club.

A further two are under construction and these will easily be filled in the future.

The quarterly conference of the No 10 area of the Royal Naval Association will take place at Atherton on April 24 and will be preceded by the annual Standard Bearers' Competition.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.