Club History

 

1965

Tom Everatt with some bridge friends had the idea of forming a Contract Bridge Club in Howick. The first consideration was to find a venue. At the time there were only one or two church halls, or bowling clubs available, all unsuitable for our purposes. The RSA had recently built their new rooms (then known as the Fencible Lounge) and had rooms available down below (now the old library). With the benefit of a friend on the RSA committee, arrangements were made for us to use this downstairs bar and lounge. After advertising in local papers and word of mouth, the Club was born! To use the RSA small round tables, a double layer of Pinex softboards were joined together, with a hollow underneath, and fitted over the round tables—these made quite good bridge tables, until donations of proper tables and later the purchase of tables.

May 1965

Howick’s first officers were Tom Everatt, President, Phil Van de Paverd, Secretary, and Ray Drake, Treasurer. Table Money was 2/6 (25c) Subs 1 pound, 1 shilling ($2-10).

July 1967

Decimal Currency arrived, and in the same month our first Tournament was held in the Pakuranga College - 42 Tables!

September 1967

Tom Everatt died, and Frank Pratt was elected President in December. Frank was a great advocate of "Teams of Four", and many games were played, not only in the club, but against other clubs, many early members were brought up on "Teams of Four"!

October 1967

"6 O’clock closing" ended, which meant that we could no longer use the downstairs rooms of the RSA. Here again, with the co-operation of the RSA, we were offered the upstairs rooms, gratefully we accepted. We owe such a lot to the RSA for those early years

June 1968

Friday sessions started. Daisy Miller directed. Anyone who played then would know that come a "feed in" board, there would usually be a slam! Daisy was a great one to "fiddle" the hands!

September 1968

The Club held the Main Centre Pairs and because of the numbers it was held at the Intercontinental Hotel (now the Hyatt Regency) in Auckland. There were 63 Tables! - 3 Sections of 21 Tables, 3 Sessions - Sat afternoon, Sat Night and Sun Morning, plus Afternoon Tea, Supper, Morning Tea and Lunch!

1969/1970

President Daisy Miller, the search for our own Club Rooms commenced in earnest. August 1970 we held our second largest tournaments on one day in the Fencible Lounge, held on a Sunday, Open 21 Tables, and Intermediate 46 Tables.

1973

Approach made to Howick Council, for financial assistance to build Club rooms. This led to the famous term used by one of the councillors, "Bridge players are middle class bingo players" and "council should not lend money for a bingo hall"! As well as writing to the local paper President Athol Agnew and Bob Robinson, spoke at a later Council meeting explaining Bridge and a site was granted on the Recreation Complex at a "pepper corn" rental - and this is where we are today! Fund raising over the years, in the form of newspaper collections, trading tables, raffles and street stalls, raised over $22000.

1974/1975

First plans of the building were drawn up by member John Built - knocked back by the Council—they wanted them to blend into the Operatic Club. We had to employ an Architect, who drew up more elaborate and acceptable plans. Tenders were called—3 received—all way above what we could look at - $20000 to $30000 too much! Member, John Gillgren, offered to build the Rooms at a figure, which with the chattel requirements would cost about $89000 - within our reach!

April 1976

Building started. Many members’ efforts went into working bees, donated items, debentures and loan guarantors to keep the cost down and get the Club rooms ready for opening

March 1977

Club rooms opened by Morrin Cooper, Mayor of Howick.

1979

Computer scoring - Time consuming manual scoring consigned to history!

1979

The beginning of the "No Smoking Saga".
There was much division in the Club, a compromise was reached:
Fist half of session smoking then second half of session non smoking!

1980

Wednesday night attendances - 38 tables!

1981

Grading introduced to spread attendances.

1982

"Silent" bidding pads introduced. This meant the end of the opening "1C" or "A Club" ambiguity! As well as the way in which 4 Clubs was spoken!

April 1983

A Non Smoking night on Fridays was introduced.

1983

Smoking was now permitted after supper!

1987

Our first computer was bought.

1989

Clubrooms now became totally Smoke Free - What a breath of fresh air!

2000

Club gets on the Internet with a website and email address.

2001

Club starts a Yahoo! e-group for communicating club news
with members and past members by email.

2012

Total annual sessions attendance - 2892 tables.
Club gets a card dealing machine for computer dealt boards.

2013

Total annual sessions attendance - 2956 tables.

2014

Total annual sessions attendance - 2849 tables.
Major renovations of the entrance lobby and office.

2015

Total annual sessions attendance - 2839 tables.
Bridgemate electronic scoring units with Compass scoring system introduced.

2016

Total annual sessions attendance - 2951 tables.

2017

Total annual sessions attendance - 2506 tables.

2018

Total annual sessions attendance - 2267 tables.

2019

Total annual sessions attendance - 2406 tables.

2020

Total annual sessions attendance - 1462 tables.
[Clubrooms closed 18th March to 15th June and 12th August to 11th September due to Covid-19] 

2021

Total annual sessions attendance - TBA
[Clubrooms closed for 8 days due to Covid-19]
5 Year Strategic Plan initiated to endeavour to increase club membership.