Leigh R.B.L. Table Tennis Club
1950-2000: 2008 Update
Written by John Knock, April 2008
During the last eight years the Club has enjoyed increased activity and success. We are now back up to six teams (seven next year) with a large contingent of skilful and sporting youngsters playing in the adult and junior Leagues. Our "A" team, run by John Lynch, has had a long run as Division One Champions, including 2007/08. with Andrew Houghton and Mick Cripps each having won the Baldry Cup for the best first division average. Paul White, Roger Pingram, and earlier Brian Merfield, have all provided stalwart support.
John Neal leads our "B" team and with Bob Everest's son John and Stuart Massey, have secured their place in Division One after the side gained promotion in 2005/06.
Our "C" side led by Malcolm Cole with Andrew Everett, Bob Everest and Ian Pearson after earlier success in 2004/05 have again won Division Two in 2007/08 to rejoin the First Division next season. With John Knock and Andrew McCarthy had also won Division Two in 1999/2000. In 2001/02 Clive Harding, John Batchelor, and Graham Eade won Division Two, with John winning 100%, however the mandatory imposition by the E.T.T.A of the "11-up" scoring system for all affiliated Leagues led to these three players, designated as Leigh "J" , -for "Jokers !" - after their escapades over many years - playing in the new "Handicap" League, introduced by the Tonbridge League as a subsidiary competition to provide the "ebb and flow" of "21-up".
For some years the Club continued to enter teams in the National Junior League playing at Tunbridge Wells, and also in our own League, where Jamie, now away at University improved to become a fine and exciting player. The Club also entered teams in the Tonbridge Junior League, and from these, and our regular Sunday morning coaching and practice organised enthusiastically by Andrew Everett, a group of young players has emerged to play in the adult League and Tournaments, enjoying plenty of success.
The first of this group was Dan Powley, introduced by Juliet Houghton from her teaching at Hilden Grange, followed by his friends Tom Earwaker and Chris Ireland who have finished a creditable fourth in their first full season in Division Two. Dan's brother Al, James Taylor, and Matt Nicholson have joined John Knock and Derek Fumeaux in our "E" team, and won the Handicap Shield against Teen & Twenty "B" (filmed by their captain Alan Gorman!) in a skilful and exciting final in April 2008. With two lads from Sevenoaks and two further reserves these lads also play in the Junior League, while eleven year olds Louis Thompsett and Ollie Bellward, nine year old Christopher Everett, and now eight year old Luke Stolton are our youngest members. Dan volunteered to become the "master" of the League's new informative and comprehensive Website.
Club members have continued to enjoy Annual Presentation Dinners, thanks to the organisation of Andy Everett, for the last few years these have been at the admirable location of the "Fleur de Lys" with excellent attendances and great spirit. Some of our members went on a playing visit to celebrate the Heusenstamm Club's 50th Anniversary in July 2005, including Andrew Everett and Stuart Massey on their first trip.
During the last four years we have been saddened to lose Alfie Houghton (at the age of 96) - Leigh's first ever "coach" in the late 1920's, Harry Lewis, who became Club Secretary and weekly practice organiser when the Club entered the League in 1950, Ian Bridgen, who played as a youngster in the 1950's, and Laurence Healy a long time player and umpire who progressed to officiate in an England international. Most recently we have sadly lost our and the League's President, Eric Batchelor, a leading player from 1950 to his retirement in 1983, and Dennis Stolton who played in his youth in the 1950's and ran the Club for three years.
On 25th April 2000 the Club staged a most enjoyable and entertaining Re-union Evening in the Large Village Hall to celebrate fifty years in the Tonbridge League, with junior and senior doubles, an appearance by "golden oldies" - including Eric Batchelor, Pete Gow, John Knock and the "legendary" Brian Milns, a spectacular exhibition by Juliet and Andrew Houghton, and Daisy Batchelor's fine refreshments. We had some exciting visits to the English Open Championships at Buckmore Park, Chatham, in 2001, and purchased two virtually new Donic "Compact" tables, and in 2003 with the help of a Parish Council Grant, acquired a "ball robot machine" which has proved very useful and popular as a coaching aid on Sunday mornings. Two more new Donic tables were bought at the start of the 2006/07 Season - the old "Jacques" have now gone.
In September 2004, led by Malcolm Cole, the Club staged a special Table Tennis afternoon - "Ping Pong Merrily in Leigh!". Andrew and Juliet Houghton and other leading players provided exhibition play, our Club youngsters were featured, and allcomers tried their luck against the robot ball machine. In December of that year Brian Milns and John Knock played an exciting re-run of their 1954 Junior Singles Final, and a Table Tennis twelve hour Marathon in October 2005 saw 250 sets played with Andrew Everett involved in 94 of them! Four of our juniors including young Chris Everett - with father Andrew - took part in a sponsored walk in 2007. These events have all raised funds towards the improvements to the Large Village Hall - first new toilets and extended storeroom, followed now by heating and lighting improvements and kitchen repairs and next work on the Hall flooring. Plans and funding have been successfully organised under the dedicated and enthusiastic guidance of Helen Everett and a hard working Committee.
John Neal leads our "B" team and with Bob Everest's son John and Stuart Massey, have secured their place in Division One after the side gained promotion in 2005/06.
Our "C" side led by Malcolm Cole with Andrew Everett, Bob Everest and Ian Pearson after earlier success in 2004/05 have again won Division Two in 2007/08 to rejoin the First Division next season. With John Knock and Andrew McCarthy had also won Division Two in 1999/2000. In 2001/02 Clive Harding, John Batchelor, and Graham Eade won Division Two, with John winning 100%, however the mandatory imposition by the E.T.T.A of the "11-up" scoring system for all affiliated Leagues led to these three players, designated as Leigh "J" , -for "Jokers !" - after their escapades over many years - playing in the new "Handicap" League, introduced by the Tonbridge League as a subsidiary competition to provide the "ebb and flow" of "21-up".
For some years the Club continued to enter teams in the National Junior League playing at Tunbridge Wells, and also in our own League, where Jamie, now away at University improved to become a fine and exciting player. The Club also entered teams in the Tonbridge Junior League, and from these, and our regular Sunday morning coaching and practice organised enthusiastically by Andrew Everett, a group of young players has emerged to play in the adult League and Tournaments, enjoying plenty of success.
The first of this group was Dan Powley, introduced by Juliet Houghton from her teaching at Hilden Grange, followed by his friends Tom Earwaker and Chris Ireland who have finished a creditable fourth in their first full season in Division Two. Dan's brother Al, James Taylor, and Matt Nicholson have joined John Knock and Derek Fumeaux in our "E" team, and won the Handicap Shield against Teen & Twenty "B" (filmed by their captain Alan Gorman!) in a skilful and exciting final in April 2008. With two lads from Sevenoaks and two further reserves these lads also play in the Junior League, while eleven year olds Louis Thompsett and Ollie Bellward, nine year old Christopher Everett, and now eight year old Luke Stolton are our youngest members. Dan volunteered to become the "master" of the League's new informative and comprehensive Website.
Club members have continued to enjoy Annual Presentation Dinners, thanks to the organisation of Andy Everett, for the last few years these have been at the admirable location of the "Fleur de Lys" with excellent attendances and great spirit. Some of our members went on a playing visit to celebrate the Heusenstamm Club's 50th Anniversary in July 2005, including Andrew Everett and Stuart Massey on their first trip.
During the last four years we have been saddened to lose Alfie Houghton (at the age of 96) - Leigh's first ever "coach" in the late 1920's, Harry Lewis, who became Club Secretary and weekly practice organiser when the Club entered the League in 1950, Ian Bridgen, who played as a youngster in the 1950's, and Laurence Healy a long time player and umpire who progressed to officiate in an England international. Most recently we have sadly lost our and the League's President, Eric Batchelor, a leading player from 1950 to his retirement in 1983, and Dennis Stolton who played in his youth in the 1950's and ran the Club for three years.
On 25th April 2000 the Club staged a most enjoyable and entertaining Re-union Evening in the Large Village Hall to celebrate fifty years in the Tonbridge League, with junior and senior doubles, an appearance by "golden oldies" - including Eric Batchelor, Pete Gow, John Knock and the "legendary" Brian Milns, a spectacular exhibition by Juliet and Andrew Houghton, and Daisy Batchelor's fine refreshments. We had some exciting visits to the English Open Championships at Buckmore Park, Chatham, in 2001, and purchased two virtually new Donic "Compact" tables, and in 2003 with the help of a Parish Council Grant, acquired a "ball robot machine" which has proved very useful and popular as a coaching aid on Sunday mornings. Two more new Donic tables were bought at the start of the 2006/07 Season - the old "Jacques" have now gone.
In September 2004, led by Malcolm Cole, the Club staged a special Table Tennis afternoon - "Ping Pong Merrily in Leigh!". Andrew and Juliet Houghton and other leading players provided exhibition play, our Club youngsters were featured, and allcomers tried their luck against the robot ball machine. In December of that year Brian Milns and John Knock played an exciting re-run of their 1954 Junior Singles Final, and a Table Tennis twelve hour Marathon in October 2005 saw 250 sets played with Andrew Everett involved in 94 of them! Four of our juniors including young Chris Everett - with father Andrew - took part in a sponsored walk in 2007. These events have all raised funds towards the improvements to the Large Village Hall - first new toilets and extended storeroom, followed now by heating and lighting improvements and kitchen repairs and next work on the Hall flooring. Plans and funding have been successfully organised under the dedicated and enthusiastic guidance of Helen Everett and a hard working Committee.