Perhaps a little late but a Happy New Year to all.
Spring is here, crocuses are flowering
and daffodils are poking their heads above the grass, what a great time of year!
Attendance at our bridge sessions is going well. On Thursdays 10 tables is normal and Friday afternoon at Clifton is proving very popular, with 7½ tables on one occasion.
Four beginners have joined us in February on Saturday morning and seem to be enjoying their introductory sessions. Welcome to Jenny, Linda, Ken and Howard.
The players who started in September are making good progress and some now have the confidence to join in the Improvers Class and also play on Wednesday.
If you know of anyone who like to learn our wonderful game - family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, etc. - please urge them to contact Sue or Wendy who will arrange lessons to suit them.
THURSDAY BRIDGE
Twenty-one years ago in February Chris Rowles, with his amazing charm and winsome ways, arranged for bridge sessions to be played at St Andrews Rugby Club on Thursday evenings at no cost!! At the time there had been considerable discussion about raising money to buy premises and in February 1991 a small group, Bill Carr, Marjorie Davies and Brian Hagan arranged to meet at St Andrew’s to discuss the details with John Tomalin. Marjorie unfortunately did not feel like negotiating 2ft of snow so did not attend.
The Thursday Club was independent of RBC at the time and its aim was to raise money for the Development Fund.
It encouraged rubber bridge players from the Percival Guildhouse amongst others to play duplicate as these pioneers felt that the Tuesday Club night was intimidating for beginners.
It was not perhaps an ideal place to play bridge, particularly on Darts’ Nights when the noise, smoke and language were a little hard to ignore. However there were many advantages and it became very popular.
Over the years attendance fluctuated and in January 2005 the session had become virtually moribund with no organisation or director. However John Lord recommenced the sessions on 7th April 2005 at St. Andrews Rugby Club. Now Thursday evening is firmly established as a great place to play bridge and takes place at the Hillmorton
Ex-Servicemen’s Club.
Thank you Marjorie, Bill, Brian, John, and of course Chris Rowles.
WILL WE EVER LEARN?
I am sorry to have to return to this subject but it appears that some members have not been reading their Newsletters. In the distant past Bridge Clubs were well known for the unpleasant behaviour of some members, RBC amongst them, although happily things at RBCL have gradually improved. We have sadly lost members, particularly inexperienced or prospective players, due to the behaviour of some individuals. Not surprisingly they have moved to another club taking with them the message that we are not a friendly club.
We would hope that members of our club who play at other clubs make it clear that we welcome players of all standards and we are NOT an unfriendly club.
There is no reason why there should not be a flow of players between clubs and we hope that our members who play at other clubs encourage their players to attend some of our sessions.
Remember:-
DO NOT criticise your opponents or partner. This makes people around feel very uncomfortable.
DO NOT offer advice or opinions to others unless asked to.
DO NOT be officious. If you have to point out a rule please do it in a pleasant manner.
Please
DO welcome players to your table.
DO thank opponents as you part company.
DO behave in a friendly and pleasant manner.
We must not tolerate bad behaviour in any form, bridge should be played in a relaxed friendly atmosphere, with players treating partner and opponents with courtesy and respect.
All players are urged to report any instance of bad behaviour, however minor it may seem, to a Director.
Enjoy your bridge and ensure that everyone else does.
EVENTS, PAST AND FUTURE
ANNUAL DINNER
Our Annual Dinner this year was held at The Dunchurch Park Hotel. A very enjoyable evening was had by all. This included a superb, delicious 3 course dinner with coffee and chocolates, followed by a speech from our Chairman, Chris Malthouse, and some unexpected, amusing jokes from Freddie Foster. Sixty people attended. This was a mixture of members, some with partners.
MEMBERS’ MEETING
The Members’ Meeting will be held on 17th April at 7.00 pm at the Sacred Heart. This is a very important meeting for all members. A discussion will be held to determine the future organisation of the Club. It has been proposed that the running of the Club, which at present is in the hands of the Directors, be managed by an elected Management Committee. More information will be circulated nearer the date.
.
RUBBER BRIDGE TOURNAMENT 2012
A Rubber Bridge Tournament will be held aimed at all bridge players from Rugby and surrounding areas. The competition will take place in the period May to September 2012 and is open to all bridge players whether or not they are members of a club. A trophy will be awarded to the eventual winners. "Well done" Patti Jarvis and Judith Kleiner, the 2011 winners. The trophy will be presented to the victors in 2012 at the Rugby Bridge Club AGM in 2013.
The tournament rules are modelled on the FA Cup - ie a draw will be made to determine which pairs play each other and the winners proceed to the next round. The team drawn at "home" is responsible for providing venue and mid-session tea/coffee and biscuits. Each match will take place over three rubbers. There will be an entry fee of £5 per pair which will be given in its entirety to Myton Hospice.
If you would like to participate then please inform Terry Bradbury - telephone
01788 890556 or email at: winesof.quality@virgin.net.
I look forward to you joining me in another very enjoyable tournament.
JULIA MILLS ANNUAL EVENT
The Julia Mills One Day annual event will take place at 2.00 pm on Sunday, 29th April at the London Midland Railway Club Association, Hillmorton Road. The proceeds will go to the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. Entry will be £12.50 per person. Further information will be available at all our sessions and on our website.
This has always been a popular day’s bridge, not least because of the tasty supper enhanced by the excellent Railway Club’s chips. To make the day a success we are looking for volunteers to make quiches, flans, sausage rolls, deserts etc and also to serve the food and clear up. If you would like to help please contact Janet Chapell, Sue Osborne or Wendy Pattinson. You will be recompensed for any costs incurred.
MEMBERS’ CORNER
It was great to see David Edwards back at the bridge table after a long spell in hospital. Welcome back David.
Our membership continues to grow and this time we welcome Geoff Lea, Mary Poxon, David Hicks, Wendy Crees, John McDermot and Ron Finch to the club. Enjoy your bridge!
TONY PICKERING
Those who play on Thursday at the Hillmorton Ex-Servicemen’s Club will have met Tony and may be aware of his amazing past. He is a quiet, unassuming and delightful gentleman and I am sure it is a surprise to those who do not know, to learn that he is ‘One of the Few’. Yes, he was a Battle of Britain pilot, one of a handful still with us.
Tony was 19 when he was strapped into the cockpit of a Hurricane and sent off to fight German Messerschmitts in the Battle of Britain.
Tony, now 91, was born in Foxton, Northamptonshire and went to Market Harborough Grammar School. He came to Rugby as an apprentice engineer and was taught to fly as a reservist in the late 1930s. He was called up at the start of the war and after training in Tiger Moths bi-planes, Miles Magister and Master training planes he was posted to Biggin Hill aerodrome Kent in July 1940.
Tony recalls that the CO called him in and said ‘Pickering, how many hours have you done on a Hurricane?’ ‘ I’ve never even seen one’ said Tony. ‘Well’, said the CO ‘There’s one on the tarmac. This afternoon you will do three circuits and bumps (landings), and tomorrow morning you will join your squadron at a base at Hawkinge near Dover’.
Next day, Tony, now a Sgt Pilot, found himself in a Hurricane flying in close formation 10ft behind his flight lieutenant, with his gun button turned off. ‘I later understood why - he didn’t want me firing my guns, he feared I would fire at the wrong time and hit him’. Tony was next posted to 501 Squadron at Gravesend before moving to Kenley Aerodrome. He was now on the front line in the Battle of Britain attacking German bombers as they conducted bombing raids on London. He recalls the sight of the sky full of planes, 150 to 200 at a time.
The Battle of Britain from July 1st to October 31st 1940 was the first defeat of Hitler’s Germany and ended his hopes of invading Britain.
Tony went on to fly Spitfires serving in Egypt and escorting bombers over Occupied Europe during 75 missions. After leaving the RAF Tony finished his engineering apprenticeship and eventually travelled the world, this time selling power stations.
The pilots, known as ‘The Few’, were recognised by Winston Churchill in his famous speech, ‘Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few’.
Thank you, Tony.
WENDY JACKSON
A tribute to my dear friend Wendy Denise Jackson
by Jane Susan Carrington
Wendy Jackson died of a heart attack in her sleep on January 13th 2012, aged 52.
I first met Wendy at a Saturday morning’s bridge session at Clifton about seven years ago and we became friends and bridge partners. Wendy had been a member of the bridge club some years before, with her partner Yasmin, who married and moved to Huntingdon.
Wendy had a bright, cheerful personality and will be remembered for her enjoyment of playing bridge, laughing and socialising with many of the members of the club. The last time we played together at Bilton we came second, having had a great evening and spent the next morning sending a flurry of e-mails between Wendy, Liz Edwards and myself saying ‘well done’, in preparation for a league match we were due to play.
Wendy leaves behind her parents, Mr and Mrs Moore, who are Arable farmers in Harbury, two younger sisters and a niece and nephew. Wendy went to an all girls school before going on to study secretarial/business studies at college and Warwick University. Settling in a long term job at the Association of Painters and Decorators, which was then based at Nuneaton, she travelled countrywide to organise national events including Award Ceremonies and PR Events in many top venues. After a change in the Association’s structure, Wendy went to work in a similar capacity for Dairyco (formerly the Milk Marketing Board) at Stoneleigh Showground near Leamington. Wendy also had a second job at the bar in the Spa Centre at Leamington, which she really enjoyed and had many friends there and one of her sisters worked there too.
There were many great loves in Wendy’s life, one was her cat ‘Dolly’, a shy black and white cat who would not go out of her bungalow. In fact, when Wendy had visitors Dolly would hide in the wardrobe! Wendy got her from the Cats Protection League some years ago. People would joke about Dolly’s existence because few people saw her.
Her second love was travel, having been to Canada and recently planning two big holidays to America with her friend Phillipa. Making friends on her travels and keeping in touch was important to Wendy. The first trip to America included a visit to Graceland as Wendy was passionate about Elvis Presley and his music.
Wendy was very creative and enjoyed knitting, recently setting up a website for her designs.
I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the collection for Wendy’s tree. Her friends at the Spa Centre intended to plant a tree in the Jephson Gardens in her memory as she spent so much time at the centre which overlooks the gardens. Many other friends and colleagues asked to contribute. They have collected £420, including £81.15 from the Bridge Club. Unfortunately, the council do not have a policy in place for planting memorial trees in the Gardens, so the plan is to approach the relevant authorities to see if one can be placed where Wendy is buried, along with a bench and a stone.
On a personal note, Wendy was a great friend and we spent time socialising and supporting each other in difficult times. On one occasion we knitted some gloves between us for Patti’s daughter.
Wendy made friends wherever she went. I shall remember her for her laughter, positive outlook on life, her spirit and her strength.
The tree that has been chosen by which to remember Wendy is the ‘Tulip Tree’ in yellow, which represents the sunshine she brought to so many peoples’ lives.
God Bless Her.
Jane.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
The sending of cards and flowers and making collections for special events are now the responsibility of Wendy Pattinson. If you know of any member who, for instance, is ill, has achieved a notable milestone such as a 90th birthday, diamond wedding anniversary etc., please let Wendy know so that the appropriate action can be taken. We would hate to miss anyone.
EDITOR
I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter and my thanks go to all those who have contributed. Please keep your thoughts, news and articles coming in. In the last Newsletter I asked if there was anyone who fancied taking over responsibility for the Newsletter. The response was overwhelming. Not a squeak. However if anyone would like to SHARE this not too onerous a task, I would be pleased to hear from them. I am happy to carry on but I have several commitments over the next few months (mainly holidays) and may have problems with time.
Wendy Pattinson
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