Nelson Bridge Club History (1954-2023)
1954 Club formed 2 November; Table Money 1/-; Annual Subs one guinea; Weekly in Hard
of Hearing Rooms, Trafalgar Square; Limit of 40 Members.
1955 Affiliated to NZCBA; Howorth Cup first played against Victoria League, Blenheim;
Membership limit raised to 50; Proposal to limit lady members to 30 was lost; Waiting
list introduced for new members.
1956 The inaugural Howorth Cup was won by Nelson
1960 First Tournament held, 21 tables; 25/- Entry Fee.
1963 2 nd Playing night started; Membership 137.
1964 Graded nights started; Table money 2/-; Mabin House, 98 Nile Street purchased.
1965 Tuesday and Thursday play.
1968 Table money 30 cents; Men permitted to remove coats and ties in hot weather.
1969 Playing room extended.
1970 First Ladies Tournament – men catered.
1972 3 playing nights and Friday social afternoon.
1974 200 members; The first Intermediate Tournament was held
1977 Mortgage paid off.
1979 Table money 70 cents; Computer scoring; Paid Director.
1984 Mabin House debt free.
1988 Table money $1.50.
1989 Table money $2.00; Written bidding introduced; No smoking until after play finished.
1990 Individual Competition introduced; Senior membership closed; Electronic wall timer.
1992 Members 360; Members vote to build new Club Rooms at 21 Haven Road.
1993 September, move to new smoke-free building.
1994 Table money $4.00, Monday, Tuesday; Annual sub $50.00.
1995 Howorth Cup won by Nelson for first time in 17 years.
1996 East wall built between Bridge Club and the Gang Headquarters (now the site of the Education Department building).
1997 Current membership 300+.
1999 Automatic Card Dealer purchased.
2001 Nelson won the Marlborough Teams Event.
2002 Sheila Beggs President of The Canterbury Centre.
2004 Club celebrates Golden Jubilee.
2005 Won NZ Intermediate Teams.
2009 Mortgage paid off. Quilters Guild begin hiring back room once a week.
2010 New 7 th region, Top of the South, created: Golden Bay, Kaikoura, Marlborough, Motueka, Nelson, Picton, Richmond and Westport. Quilters 2010 Challenge, 12 quilts with a Bridge theme donated to the Club.
2011 Laptop and Electronic Bridge Pads purchased; The Michael Green Trophy won by Nelson first time in five years; Increase in table money Monday/Tuesday $5.00,Thursday $4.00; Howorth Cup won after twelve years.
2012 National Swiss Pairs 15A Tournament, a two day event held for the first time in the South Island, hosted by Nelson;
2013 The 20 th Anniversary of the new Club Rooms in Haven Road;
2014 The 60 th Anniversary of Nelson Contract Bridge Club 2 November, 1954-2014, Celebrated on 9 November with the opening of the Anniversary Garden; Friday table money $4.
2015 The first 20A point tournament hosted by Nelson: South Island Open Pairs; New dealing machine purchased.
2016 Tony Hinkley elected Life Member.
2017 20A Teams Tournament held in Nelson for first time. New chairs purchased.
2018 An AED was donated. Non playing directors for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. The Michael Green Trophy were won by Nelson.
2019 The Clubhouse was painted, partially paid for by a grant from the Rata Foundation. National Teams 15A Tournament was hosted.
2020 Covid-19 Pandemic announced in March. All New Zealand Bridge Clubs requested to abide by national guidelines for Alert levels 1-4. Many tournaments and events cancelled. An unprecedented 33 new members joined the club after lessons in September.
2021 Electronic tablets for scoring and a cashless table money system were introduced.The Covid19 Pandemic continued to affect play. The air conditioning system was replaced.
2022 Covid 19 continued to affect sessions and numbers. Table money was increased to $6. Washing machine leak caused a major flood in the clubrooms. Play continued using the Richmond clubrooms. Steve Gray elected Life Member. Nelson retained the Howorth Cup
2023 Debenture scheme raised $85,000 to pay for building repairs and upgrade of “Caretaker’s Flat”; Caretaker finished in August and flat to be let on a residential basis. Table money raised to $8 and subscriptions raised to $100.
The Nelson combined Junior/Intermediate Teams won the TOPs Interclub competition.
The Micheal Green Trophy was won by Nelson.
Nelson retained the Howorth Cup
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