REST IN PEACE GINA HUNT

Gina from New Hampshire, England died on Saturday 8th January 2022.  Gina and her husband David, married for 63 years, have been ‘wintering’ in Barbados since 1972, and are members of our bridge family playing the morning and Saturday afternoon games.  Our condolences to David. You are in our thoughts and prayers. The above photograph was taken on their last visit in 2020.

We are sadden to announce the passing of Michael Gill on Wednesday, 19^th February in Miami, USA.  Michael was among the first members of the League at formation in 1966 and served as Secretary (1986-1988) and as Chief Tournament Director (1994-2017).  He represented Barbados as a member of the Open Team, the Senior Team and served as Captain of the Ladies Team.

Hya, founding member, team captain, president, patron and friend, died at her residence on March 19.  She was 96 years old and retired from the game only four years ago due to failing eyesight.

Hya, as she was affectionately known, merited the title “Lady” long before her husband Carlisle was knighted.  She was loved for her hospitality, dry wit, gift of conversation and stories. 

The Burton name and the Burton residence in Pine Gardens figure prominently in the early history of bridge in Barbados. It was at Hya’s residence in the mid-1940s that the Mayfair Ladies Club of Barbados met, and visions of regional competitions took root. The annual tournament with the Mayfair Ladies Club of Trinidad ran from 1953 until 2009 almost without interruption, and can be seen as the forerunner of the wider regional efforts we support and enjoy today.

Hya was nominated Vice President of Barbados Bridge League at its first meeting on January 14, 1966 and elected President in 1968.  She returned as President in 1990 to oversee the silver jubilee celebrations marked by the first Sun Sea and Slams Bridge Festival, and served unto 2003.  She was made Patron in 2012 after her husband, Sir Carlisle.

She was a fixture on the Ladies Team for many years partnering Nan Collins, and played mixed pairs with Jeffery Newton.

Names:-   Pauline and Robin Stewart

Names: Rodney and Margaret England

Length of time playing together:

Since 2006

Where they learnt the game:

Margaret - 1995 at a 12 week afternoon class in Marlow, UK

Rodney  - 2006 at an introductory weekend course in the UK then at BBL

Best moment in bridge/Worst moment/Funniest

Best: Winning a bottle of Rum in the BBL Christmas Hamper competition 2008 (Rodney)

Best is yet to come (Margaret)

Worst: Getting mauled and a 26% in a game in a UK club recently

Funniest: Eleanor telephoning Rodney after his introductory Bridge weekend and inviting him play as her partner at BBL as “she couldn’t get a partner”. This turned out to be part of a successful plot to get Rodney to play with Margaret.

Biggest improvement in the game they have seen

Computerised system to allow games to be reviewed on line

Past partners and current partners:

Rodney - I was a Bridge virgin when I joined the partnership and haven’t had any other on-going bridge partnerships.

Margaret - A good friend, Bernice, in the UK and Marcelle Smith and Maureen Connolly at BBL before Rodney started playing

Preferred System(s) played:

American Standard according to the teachings of Roglyn Hinds and Jackie Thompson

Favourite bridge player or partnerships in the world:

Any we can beat.

Strangest places that you  have played bridge:

Lying in bed playing on the computer

Favourite Husband/Wife Quotes:- "Rodney suffers from Bridge Rage"

In answer to: "what does your partner mean by that bid?" ... "He hasn't a clue"

Name  - Leslie Atherley, Immediate Past President of the Barbados League from 2003 – 2010.

Length of time playing: Began playing in 1962

Where person learnt the game:-  At the University of the West Indies in Jamaica

Best moment in bridge/Worse moment/Funniest

Best :  Winning the United Nations Inter-Agency Games  in 1998 for the fourth time during my 18-year stint as captain of the UNESCO Team.  That was my last year as captain of the Team before returning to Barbados. 

Worse : Playing in 3 NT in the recent World championships with 33 pts. All other pairs were in 6 or 7 NT.

Funniest:  We were on the overnight Paris-Rome train going to play in the Inter-Agency Games when the train stopped in one of the many stations. While playing bridge in the last carriage on the train, a member of the Football Team ran to us stating that this last carriage was being disconnected from the rest of the train which was ready to leave for Rome.  We would have been left playing bridge in the station while the front section of the Train would have gone on to Rome with the other Teams.

Biggest improvement in the game:- The use of machines to speed up the distribution of the cards and the scoring

Past partners and current partners:- Timothy Howell in the mid 60’s with whom I won the National Pairs Championship.  Michael Gill before leaving for UNESCO Paris in 1980 and after my return in 1999.  At   UNESCO:  Ken Venning in the early 80’s and Mary Cauchard, until my return to Barbados 

Preferred System(s) played:-  Precision and the French System, La Majeure Cinquième

Favourite bridge player or partnerships in the world:- Mary Cauchard

Strangest places that you  have played bridge:- On a Jumbo Jet travelling across the Atlantic

Name

George Bailey aka   “Georgie”

Length of time playing

At least 50 years