At the Annual General Meeting of the club on Tuesday 29 September, our Chairman Bill Tracey reported on the year’s successes : fielding 5 teams across 4 Divisions, increasing membership ( now 38), stable finances, recognition for the best premises in the League, being the only club in the League to run 2 sessions/week etc etc …( for full details, members will shortly receive the Minutes of the meeting).
Bill went on to award some remaining trophies ( Bill Luxton having already been presented with a Sussex League award for the best score in Division 4, and James Lumsden also having received his Grand Prix Series award). At the AGM Mike Chapman collected the superb-looking Club Championship Trophy ( pictured below) on behalf of Luke Chapman, this season’s winner after tough battles against the talented runner-up Andrew Fleming.
After an amazing season, Luke , at the age of 15, can also celebrate his joint title in the Hastings Club Championship this year, battling through a long tournament there. His other club successes included individual Grand Prix tournament wins plus his 11 wins, 3 draw and only 1 loss in the recent Simultaneous Display ( his first).
While the AGM was in session, the final match in the Gordon Cup was taking place in the adjacent quiet room, between David Pratt and David Slidell.
David Pratt emerged afterwards as the winner. Here he is pictured , after a ‘slugfest’, ‘ding-dong’ scrap, i.e. a memorable, good-humoured and challenging contest, accepting congratulations from Bill ( the Gordon Cup trophy will follow on another occasion). The two Davids have known each other since schooldays at Grove School, so this is epic lifelong rivalry!
Your club Secretary, Lawry Rhodes ( below) was pleased to receive a new award for the season’s top score for the club ( 9/12 games)
The meeting confirmed that the current committee members ( apart from one) are remaining in place, and welcomed Steve Blewitt onto the committee, in his absence ( apologies for missing the meeting having been received from him).
Our chairman took time to outline the achievements of the one departing committee member, Joe Sharp, who will be leaving to live with family in Perth, Australia. Being a lifelong player and the longest standing member for over 20 years, Captain, Chairman, Secretary, Tournament Controller. For his services he has been awarded the position of Life President. There followed a deluge of recollections and endorsements from members, explaining that, although this year the club is 130 years old, it is highly unlikely it would be existing today without Joe’s single-handed determination in reviving it in the 1970s from days when Joe played at Hastings ( alongside Alan Ticehurst who recalled this). Then the above -mentioned David Pratt explained that Joe’s various roles ( outlined above) were performed by him simultaneously, not sequentially!
For the new season, there was anticipation for success again this year in the Annual Open Rapid Tournament on November 28th, with an appeal by Bill for early entries please! Reflection on an intensive year just past with 5 teams, was the background to the committee’s decision to field 4 teams in the upcoming season. Michael Hayward‘s tireless efforts in team co-ordination were recognised and thanked.
It was overlooked by Bill, who concluded the meeting by thanking others ( full details in the Minutes), that, as Chairman and Treasurer, he was unanimously recognised by the committee at its last meeting as this year’s outstanding club member.
Paul Lendon proposed a vote of thanks to him, which the meeting unanimously expressed.
