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Thank you to all who contributed to this narrative, particularly William Horatio Spinks, without whom I could not have attempted to write any form of record. He supplied a three page synopsis of the advent of Newcastle Bridge Club.
Bill’s
record is repeated as he wrote it, warts and all. The only thing I refuse to
write is “the late”. I assume they were never LATE. Bill was never late, always early.
Bridge
was always popular in Newcastle. Probably from the 1930’s there were Bridge
luncheons, afternoon-teas, & suppers held frequently for social reasons but
often for charities.
But
it took Denise Soos to form Newcastle Bridge Club.
Denise
arrived in Australia & Williamtown RAAF base & contacted Helen Keating,
whose sister she had met at RAAF Butterfield in Malaya. Denise was the wife of
a RAAF padre & had established a Bridge Club at that base. Helen, being bored
with small children, agreed to learning Bridge & organised some similarly
bored mothers to join her, from there the lessons progressed to more groups in
their respective households. Some of these were Gloria Campbell, Margaret Dyson, Patsy Morris, Elizabeth
Henderson, Margaret Williams, Margaret Leishman, Margaret Robinson & Lola
Rose.
Most
of these learners joined the BHP Bridge Club & eventually became members of the original Newcastle Bridge
Club.
Husbands
seem to have joined in, probably on the theory of “if you can’t lick ‘em join ‘em”.
Denise eventually moved on as RAAF personnel
do but others continued to teach, Norah McDermott, Connie Mitchell, Bill
Spinks, Jack Doczy, Wally Wallis & many others & we are proud that to-day we continue this tradition
with Chris Dibley & others still teaching. Names are too many to recall.
This
brief history now refers to memories obtained from early members.
FROM
WILLIAM HORATIO SPINKS
(For
this record I thank Bill & the Faculty of Pharmacy for the skills required
in reading difficult handwriting)
In
August 1968, I,(Bill Spinks) was a member of the POSTAL INSTITUTE BRIDGE CLUB
I was approached by Denise Soos with intent to
forming a CONTRACT BRIDGE CLUB.
The Postal Bridge Club originally played “AUCTION BRIDGE” (explained later) each Tuesday evening but some years later graduated to “BOARD” Bridge.
Denise Soos, Fiona Chambers (a laboratory technician at BHP) Jack Docsy, ( University lecturer) & me, Bill ,were invited to meet at Denise’s house in Hamilton 29.09.68 where Fiona proposed an amalgamation of The Postal Institute group with a group of Bridge players she had organised at BHP Central Research Laboratory. Fiona and Denise had found suitable premises at the YMCA in Mayfield and it was decided the first attempt would be on 26th September 1968.
There were 34 players the first night, mostly from the BHP group with some from the Postal Institute. From this number there are still some who are still alive and continue membership; Gloria Campbell, Judy McLaughlin, Bill Spinks. Enid White, John White, Margaret Williams & Rosemary Willis (Life Member but not playing).
A first the format was Rubber Bridge at .30c per 100 points, unless one was not willing to gamble, but at the end of play there was a demonstration of DUPLICATE BRIDGE and it was proposed to alternate the games. The “BOARDS” belonged to the BHP group and were about 18inches (46 cm) square, made of Masonite ( an early version of chip board) ,they occupied most of the table space. However attendance on “RUBBER” night dropped and a show of hands indicated that only duplicate would be played, this decision was resented by some and two members of the Committee stated they would never play again – fortunately they changed their minds and continued.
In February 1969 Dr F Bellingham, Secretary of the NSW Bridge Association, visited the Club and provided a copy of the Constitution of The Peninsular Bridge Club’s constitution for consideration. On 13th February 1969 at the first Annual General Meeting this constitution was adopted and THE NEWCASTLE BRIDGE CLUB affiliated with The NSW Bridge Association.
The first official Committee was:-PRESIDENT :- Bill Spinks, VICE-PRESIDENT:-Fiona Chambers , Hon SECRETARY:- Denise Soos, Hon TREASURER:- Andrew Allister, TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR :- Jack Docsy, COMMITTEE MEMBERS:- Mick Horner, Jim Alliston, Jeramy Platt and Quentin Van Abbe.
To encourage more participants, beginners lessons were conducted by Denise Soos, Fiona Chambers & Jack Docsy apparently successfully.
However problems emerged with the premises. The manager’s wife insisted the kitchen lights went off after supper so that those seated close to that area played in near complete darkness, I, Bill, suggested that the lights used little electricity and the club would make recompense. But to no avail, another problem was that players had to pack up chairs and tables and be gone silently by 11pm so that the dormitory residents of the YMCA were not disturbed.
Therefore at the suggestion of Russell Balandin that we would be better accommodated at Adamstown RSL, we moved, for a short while. When I inspected the area where would play I was shown the Dining Room but on the first night we attended we were relegated to an section divided by hinged doors which became uncomfortably hot, also at 9pm all lights went off for the Memorial Last Post. Lastly the was much noise through the dividers; I remember my partner holding a card up to play when there was a resounding “HIP-HIP HOORAY” the card went higher with each cheer. Finally Adrian McDermott offered the use of Newcastle Bowling Club on Monday nights which was gladly accepted, at times it was very cold with the draught sweeping up along the lower level to our usual playing area in the lounge, never-the-less we were happy with this for many years and extended play to Thursday nights as well.
Eventually as the finances of the Bowling Club deteriorated so did the premises so that on very wet nights one had to traverse the wind-swept walk to the club to find one’s self squelching across the sodden carpet of the lounge, the ‘last straw” was when the club was “blacked out” by the new co-owners Belmont RSL.
A decision was then made to adjoin to the Masonic Club in Bolton Street, this club, too, was in financial trouble the result being that the building leaked, therefore the table covers were often damp, the air-conditioning was either freezing or not working. I remember my partner of the day, Margaret Williams, who had arrived to cope with the conditions gave up her warm coat to her mother, Edith Furner, not so well acquainted with the venue, Marg then attired herself with damp table covers looking most miserable! After complaints we were relocated to an upper floor and given notice to vacate.
I then arranged temporary accommodation in the Town Hall Supper Room before a move to the International Spots Club in Turton Road and (now home of the Knights) a most suitable venue, an area of our own, plenty of parking, and an after Bridge bar for drinks. This all came to an end when the club intended to carry out extensions which involved our area. We then moved to District Park Tennis Club, courtesy of Col Newey, here we were able to be isolated from the bar area but still had to estimate our table numbers on green point events an after event “sub-club” emerged who went to Leonardo di Pizza after Bridge. After termination of our tenure at the tennis club we moved to our current location where we have stayed and own.
Initially these premises required some painting and alteration( the ladies toilet was entered from the kitchen)but Brian McLaughlin and Bruce Dyson boarded up that entrance and relocated it to the currant location George Putsey tiled the Gentleman’s toilets. Roy Hardey ( The currant President) was carried over the threshold by Gloria Campbell
This exercise brought about the best of co-operation in membership and has since been of benefit many others.