Editorial - For 7 years the affairs of the County Association have been conducted democratically and conscientiously by its Management Committee. That Committee consists of elected officers - Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Captain, Treasurer and Secretary - and of delegates representing the County's affiliated clubs. It has always been disappointing that Staffordshire Contract Bridge players have shown only limited enthusiasm for County events and that members from the North and South have tended to maintain different approaches to the development of bridge in the County. Nevertheless, solid progress has been made and at present Staffordshire is a county which is respected not only for the standard achieved by its players but also for its contribution to Bridge at Regional and National levels.

In the past, Staffordshire has leaned rather heavily on a few keen individuals who have willingly done the hard work - the name of Eric Robinson will spring to mind as an example of one who carried on almost single-handed for a considerable period. The present situation is not dissimilar. Your Editor, who produces the Bulletin, is also County Captain and a club delegate to the Management Committee. My wife, Jean, undertakes the manifold duties of Secretary unaided. Freddie Dumbleton has for several years looked after the county's finances and steadily improved them to their present healthy state with no outside help and no attack on the pockets of the members.

The object of these paragraphs is not to indulge in back patting, but to expose the serious situation now facing the County Association. Freddie Dumbleton asked to be allowed to resign as Treasurer 3 years ago, he has been persuaded to continue up to now, but he will definitely not offer himself for re-election at the AGM. I finished my work in the Midlands at the end of 1973 and bought the bookshop in Aldeburgh, Suffolk and Jean and I are now living 200 miles away and cannot possibly carry on with Staffordshire bridge from there. The Management Committee have considered the situation and a number of county members have been sounded out in order to present candidates to the AGM for election to the vacant offices. No-one keen to become Secretary, Treasurer or Bulletin Editor has at this stage been found. These are jobs vital to the continued existence of the County Association and unless you, the members, do something about filling the vacancies at the AGM, it will simply fold up.

The post of Secretary is most vital! It is well known that the Secretary has to do a lot of work - some of it very interesting and some routine and in the past, in addition to spending much time and effort the Secretary has tended to be out of pocket through not bothering the Treasurer with the re-imbursement of petty expenses. In an effort to rectify this, the Management Committee has decided to offer a small honorarium to the next Secretary - up to £100 p.a. if the Secretary also organises the production of the Bulletin. Will anyone willing to have his or her name put forward at the AGM as Secretary, Treasurer or Bulletin Editor please contact immediately the Chairman (Richard Trounce), the Vice-Chairman (Howard Riley) or their own club representative. Enthusiasm is the main qualification, every help will be given by the existing officers to their successors on what the job consists of and how it is done.

It would be a great pity if the County Association were to end just because you are too shy or diffident to offer your help. So please come forward if you genuinely have the County's interests at heart - you will not regret it.

Inter-County Events
Neither First nor Second team did well in the Dawes Trophy during 1973, both finishing well down the list. We have, however, started brilliantly with a record win in our first match against Worcestershire. Our teams were:
First: Davies and Downs, Twine and Edwards, Hayward and Seymour, Mallet and Trounce.
Second: Mr & Mrs Charlish, Dumbleton and Stubbs, Feltbower and Perry, Beech and Moss.
Our next Dawes matches are against Derbyshire on May 5th and Northampton on May 12th - both at home.

In the Tollemache, just before Christmas, our team gave a good account of itself coming second. We had only one loss - against one of the weaker counties - as did Warwickshire (losing to us) but Warwickshire's total Victory Point score was well ahead of ours. Staffs were represented by: Ballham and Beech, Bieganski and Monckton, Bloxham and Edwards, Topley and Tottenham.

County Events

The Staffordshire Cup (Knock-out Championship Teams of Four) Eleven teams entered and after some exciting matches in both halves of the draw the finalists were Sartain's team (Topley, Bieganski, Monckton, Slyde, Steel) and Edward's team (Mrs Edwards, Mr & Mrs Charlish). After 40 boards in the final, Edward's team were leading by 18 match points, but the last 8 boards were all swingy and after the mists had cleared Sartain had won by 9. On two consecutive boards Bieganski and Monckton bid 7D - the first was "in anger" and there was no defence against the well bid Grand Slam; the second contract was a sacrifice against a vulnerable 6S showing a profit of 130 points for 7 down (1300). The winners now represent the county in the Pachabo and we wish them the best of luck.

Pairs Events

The first pairs event of the season was the Flitch on November 25th won by Mr & Mrs Hudson of Alsager with Mr & Mrs Charlish as the runners-up. Then there were two heats of the Mixed Pairs, the Newcastle heat being won by Mrs Rowley & A. Stubbs, the Wolverhampton heat being won by Mr & Mrs Braddock. In the final Mrs Riley and Foster took first place with Mr & Mrs Kennedy as runners-up.

Both the Bruce Mugs and the Hallett-Bailey were competed for on march 10th. Dooley and McDonald won the Men's event with Davies and Downs second. The Ladies event went to Mrs J. Edwards and Mrs Johnson with Mrs Jennings and Mrs Poxon second.

The Bearn Trophy qualifying competition has been held throughout the season at the affiliated - 41 pairs entering in all. It had been decided that a semi-final of 28 pairs would be played on March 31st if more than 40 pairs entered, the 14 table final to take place on April 28th. The semi-final qualifiers were in the following proportions - Alsager 5, Basford 5, Newcastle 4, Stafford 7, and Wolverhampton 7. The result was not available to the Editor at the time of compiling this Bulletin.

Individual - The Littleford Trophy usually attracts a large number of entrants, but this year we had only two heats: at Wolverhampton where jan Jacobi, playing his studious game with signal success, prevailed; and at Newcastle where Goodwin carried the day, In the final Bloxham won with Goodwin runner-up. Welcome to Arthur Bloxham, who has moved over to Staffordshire from Leicestershire and in his first year with us not only won our Individual Trophy but also put up a fine performance representing the county in the Tollemache at Stratford-on-Avon.

Droitwich Congress - As usual at Droitwich several Staffs players put up a fine performance this year. In the first session your Editor and Hon. Secretary won the Flitch (tying with Mr & Mrs D. J. Williams) and Margaret Dash and Arthur Ballham came second in the Mixed Pairs. Later the Ed and Sec partnered by George and Jean Charlish Qualified for the teams of four (Littlewood-Healey) Final and came out as runners-up for the Trophy.

Winners of open pairs were: Mr & Mrs Hommers, Mrs Lovell & Mrs Hommers, Mr & Mrs Lewis, Gough and Caplan and Mrs Jean Wellsbury with Emery, also Sheard and D. Davies.

Congratulations to Cynthia Jones and Graham Link on their recent marriage. It is not every couple who can really enjoy their honeymoon discussing bridge hands!!!!!!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The notice of the AGM is being sent out with this Bulletin. As mentioned in the Editorial there are momentous decisions to be taken. Please try your very hardest to be at the Stychfield Hall, Stafford on May 10th at 7.30pm to help in putting the County Association on a solid basis for the future. The Stychfield Hall is made available to us by courtesy of G.E.C. Ltd. Entering Stafford from the South it lies in a road on the right immediately after crossing the main line railway bridge just before you get into town.

Bulletin April 1974 Editor - F. W. Edwards