On 13 April 1947, a Mr. Banks and a Mr. Godfrey met at 117 Queensway, Petts Wood to form the Queensway Bridge Club. It played rubber bridge and team events and met on Tuesday and Saturday evenings and Wednesday afternoons. Subs were 10/6d (53p) a year and table money was 1/- (5p).
In 1954, due to increased rates at Queensway, the Club met for a while at the Home-made Cake Shop, then in 1955 moved to the Sherlies Hotel, followed in 1956 by a move to St Dunstan's ( a private school in St Johns Road) where, on Saturday evenings a lady was paid 5/- (25p) to serve tea and biscuits for 6d (3p).
In 1957, Knoll Country Club in Knoll Rise was approached and an agreement reached that the Bridge Club could meet there, provided that they joined the Knoll CC at £2.20 per annum, £3.30 for married couples, and continued to pay the Bridge Club fee and table money. In an effort to attract more members, sessions of duplicate bridge were introduced which proved very popular.
In 1963, the Bridge Club became affiliated to the EBU and in 1966 its name was changed to Orpington Bridge Club.
When Knoll CC came under new management in 1979, the Bridge Club moved to the Liberal Club in Station Road, Orpington, where it has been ever since.
The brief historical detail per the table below, was interred in the Liberal Club's Time Capsule in the grounds of the Liberal Club, Station Road Orpington, BR6 0RZ on Saturday 18 July 2026 along with Orpington Bridge Club's former trophy, The President's Cup. The cup & its base were engraved with the names of the winning ladies pair from 1952 until 2019.
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Date
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Notes
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13/04/1947
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Inaugural meeting Queensway Bridge Club setting up club & its rules. A club “to provide recreation & a friendly rivalry among members and with other clubs”. At 117 Queensway Tuesday & Saturday evenings and later Wednesday afternoons
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1954 AGM
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Referred to cup competitions held in PW Memorial Hall
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March 1954
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Landlord demanding higher rents for use of 117 Queensway – alternatives start to be investigated. Including Knoll House (a country club that was positioned where Pepys Rise was later built) & Orpington Village Hall. Wednesday afternoon sessions suspended.
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August 1954
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Agreed to move from Queensway to Sherlies hotel in Orpington (still Tuesday and Saturday evenings).
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Dec 1955
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Agreed to move from Sherlies to St Dunstan's School (St Johns Road on Orpington/Petts Wood border).
Petts Wood Memorial Cup still played at the Memorial Hall
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1956
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Concern that membership was falling. Got reduced rents from St Dunstan's.
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Nov 1956
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Committee considering suspending the club cause of lack of interest.
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Jan 1957
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Committee agreed to take up a Tuesday only slot at the Golden Arrow Club - Tubbenden Lane and suspend Saturday sessions due to reduced membership. But before this could be put at the AGM the club withdrew their offer. So decided to approach the Knoll Country Club instead.
Feb 1957 - meeting agreed to a 3 month trail agreed at AGM on April 1957
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4/1/1966
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AGM agreed to change name of club to Orpington Bridge Club
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Feb 1978
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Club started to make enquiries for suitable venues should “changes taking place at Knoll CC render it impossible for the bridge club to continue meeting there”
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Mar 1978
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Received a list of alternate venues but matter not considered urgent.
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Oct 1978
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Committee discussed proposed new arrangement for club produced by the KCCs new owner
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9 Jan 1979
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Committee reviewed proposals to move to Liberal Club & decided:
practical details of keys storage opening etc to be discussed with club
These changes were approved at that AGM
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13/8/1979
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Purchase of cedar shed approved for storage of club stuff. Shed erected by September 1979
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From mid 2020s
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Orpington Bridge Club runs a website on www.BridgeWebs.com
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July 2026
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Original shed dismantled for move to shared metal shed and this table interred with the President's cup in the Time Capsule before completion of the shed works
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