And now, 17 years after the club's closure, Jim has come up with another means of bringing pleasure to all its past members - he's written a book about them.

It took him two years, but it's been well worth the effort.

Entitled "Memories of the Baker Perkins Sports and Social Club", the book is a fascinating read.

It tells the story, in words and many, many pictures, of the club's entire history from its modest beginnings in 1910 to its closure in 1991.

It gives details of the club's development over those 80 years in terms of new and improved sports facilities and its achievements in enhancing its leisure and social provisions for the company's employees, their families and their guests.

The club provided for just about every sport, and Jim (below) has written about all of these and included many photographs of the different sections and teams, their activities and achievements.

He said: "At the height of the club's activities there were some 27 sections, ranging from quoits to angling and from cricket to tenpin bowling.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time as general manager at Alma Road and doing all the research into the club's history was a real eye-opener. I loved every minute of it and just hope that people connected with the club, or people who had relatives belonging to the club, get the same pleasure from reading the book as I got from putting it together."

In compiling the book, one of the tasks Jim set himself was to name as many people as he could in the scores of photographs.

With the help of retired colleagues and current employees at Baker Perkins, he has had a high degree of success, but some names are still missing. If anyone knows any of these, Jim invites them to get in touch with him.

The book, published by the Baker Perkins Historical Society, comprises 280 pages and is on sale at £10.

Further information can be obtained from Dick Preston (chairman of the Baker Perkins Historical Society) on 01733 262942, or from Jim Farrow on 01733 563683.

Apart from managing the sports club for 11 years, Jim played in goal for the club's football team and was secretary of the football club for over 21 years.

So needless to say there is a plentiful supply of old football team pictures in the book, including one from 1910.

Cricket - including one of the ladies team in 1929 - is also well illustrated along with rugby and there are nine pages of pictures devoted to the very popular pistol and rifle shooting section.

Other sports featured in the pictorial section are angling, athletics, badminton, bowls, darts, gliding, golf, hockey, netball, pool, quoits, snooker, swimming, table tennis, tennis, tenpin and volleyball.

If you're from a sporting background, and like me go back a bit, you'll be engrossed by the pictures. Searching through them looking for people you know or knew is well worth the tenner alone.