Chelmsford Rugby Club waved goodbye to its old clubhouse last week, after nearly 50 years at its headquarters at Coronation Park, Springfield.
The clubhouse was built in 1961 and has stood the club proud for all these years, however, when the new clubhouse was officially opened in September 2006 by the then Chairman of the International Rugby Board, Dr Syd Millar, it was part of the club's plan that the old clubhouse had to be demolished, with the land returned to its former condition.
To celebrate the opening of the old clubhouse, Chelmsford played a fixture on January 15 1961 against an Eastern Counties XV.
Included in the team that day was Bob Gammie, who designed the clubhouse, and is still an active member of the club.
At that time the design of the clubhouse was thought to be state of the art.

Times of course change and clubs grow and Chelmsford Rugby Club emerged into a new environment, in keeping with the 21st century.
Even now with the influx of new players, especially in the minis and youth, the new clubhouse itself needs extending.
The club now fields five teams, including a Development XV and a Vets XV, plus a Ladies side, not to mention numerous mini and youth teams who play on a Sunday. Consequently the club has now received full planning permission to build a two storey extension to the side of the new clubhouse, thus giving it two new changing rooms and extra space on the first floor to extend its activity area.
In addition to Bob Gammie, included in the photograph of the Chelmsford team that day are such luminaries as Jim Smith, a secretary of the club for many years, president E W "Hanbury" Allen, Peter Rippon, Hon Secretary of Eastern Counties and Doug Bellamy, an ex Mayor of Chelmsford.
The club extends its thanks to Barconn Ltd and Danbury Plant Hire in the demolishing of the clubhouse.
With the old clubhouse being removed, the debris cleared and top soil being provided to bring the area back to parkland status, the club are also grateful to Chelmsford Borough Council who have kindly agreed to reseed the area in question.
Old club members have undoubtedly had many enjoyable moments in the clubhouse, if only walls could talk.
Perhaps it is better that they can't!