IT was a priceless piece of history of a Hampshire working men's club which was nearly lost forever.

Historian Stan Roberts stepped in and saved from the bulldozer archives which painted a fascinating picture of the life and times of Eastleigh's Unity Club.

There were photographs of happy, carefree club outings, children's parties and minutes of meetings.

Stan, who belongs to the Eastleigh Local History Society, asked if he could go into the building before it was reduced to rubble.

He discovered a treasure trove of memories which he hopes will trigger more stories about a landmark which was part of the town's social scene for more than a century.

Stan has organised a get-together at Eastleigh Wells Place Centre tomorrow night at 7.30pm and he hopes people will come along and share their memories of the Unity which, in recent years, changed its name to Breezers.

It has now been replaced by a smart block of flats.

Over the years the club had staged cabarets with big names from the world of showbiz.

It was also the setting for the retirement gig of Eastleigh's sixties pop icon, the late Heinz Burt who rocketed to fame with The Tornados, who hit number one with the legendary record Telstar.

Sharing the stage that night was Screaming Lord Sutch.

In the old club building Stan also found trophies, shields and cups which had all been gathering dust. He has passed these to Hampshire County Museum in Winchester.

There were photographs of when the club moved across the road in the early eighties to make way for a massive town centre redevelopment scheme.

Fascinating Delving through the minutes of meetings uncovered some fascinating snippets about club life.

There were details of a Christmas party for 470 children with a list of toys including everything from pencil sets to trains.

Information about the club's marrow seed competition was also recorded. In 1923 the committee discussed whitewashing the club walls and it was decided that the job would be given to a club member who was out of work at the time.

Tomorrow Stan says he will be putting the old club pictures around the wall of the Wells Place Centre and the minutes will also be on show.

He said: "People are welcome to come along and have a look and they may also have some other history about the club.

"We would like to know how and when the club was founded."