A wonderful array of photographs this week taken during the China Tour of Britain in 1972. These photos are from Derek Tremayne’s collection.
Click here to scroll to last week’s pictures
Derek is now a Vice-President of the Association and was the ETTA General Secretary from 1966-1974. He was the first full time General Secretary – with a staff of two. Derek was the organiser of this prestigious Chinese Tour which followed the visit by the England team to China the previous year.
A master of obtaining sponsorship; Norwich Union Insurance, Coca Cola and Mothercare amongst his successes. However, perhaps the most ambitious was to persuade Hawker Siddeley to provide an aircraft to fly the Chinese team from Sweden to England and then take all the players and officials around the country to various venues – London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin.
The Chinese requested two things, to meet royalty and to meet the then Prime Minister, Edward Heath. Derek arranged both of these, with Princess Anne the royal personage, plus a visit to 10 Downing Street.
An amazing tenure in the post of General Secretary, before the time of a Chief Executive, and it was a real pleasure to meet Derek at last year’s AGM and afterwards at the 100 Club Dinner.
Photo 1
At 10 Downing Street. English contingent. Back row: Tony Clayton, Bryan Merrett (Captain), Karenza Mathews, Edward Heath (PM), Jill Shirley (Parker).
Front row: Nicky Jarvis, Denis Neale, Chester Barnes.
Photo 2
The Chinese team meet Princess Anne (far left) at the Sportswriters Dinner. Charles Wyles is next to her, with Derek second right.
Photo 3
Outside 10 Downing Street. Charles Wyles is far left and George Yates, fifth from the left. Derek is far right with his back to the camera.
Photo 4
Chinese team being met at Hatfield by Dr Roger Bannister, Chairman of the Sports Council. Derek is standing just behind him.
Photo 5
Chinese Tour Press Conference announcing Mothercare sponsorship. Derek Tremayne, far left, Charles Wyles, centre and Bill Vint, far right.
Photo 6
Chinese Tour at London Zoo. Overlooking the panda enclosure is George Yates, far left, Charles Wyles next to him. Ivor Montagu is in front of the tree and Bryan Merrett just to his left, Derek is further along, fourth right we have Karenza Mathews and second right Nicky Jarvis.
Photo 7
Chinese Women’s Team with Derek
Photo 8
The teams at the Gestetner offices, another sponsor. Charles Wyles is in the centre with Bill Vint to his right and Tom Blunn behind. Further along is Karenza Mathews, Derek Tremayne and Jill Shirley (Parker).
At the time of the tour Bill Vint was President, Charles Wyles was Chairman, George Yates the Deputy Chairman and Tom Blunn the Treasurer.
If anyone can identify any of the Chinese team or have any anecdotes from this tour please contact me on [email protected]
Responses to January 15
The first two from the Beneficial Trust Junior English Open in May 1985 at Portsmouth and the third image from the Beneficial Trust Junior GP in Hinckley in the same year.
Photo 1
Players facing, is that Andrew Syed, playing alongside Carl Prean? Johnny Leach, President, in the audience. Courtside is Colin Clemett, ETTA Honorary Life Member, on the far left, John McDonnell, ETTA Vice-President, is fourth from the left, far right is Edna Blunn and third from the right is Olive Drapkin (Aubrey’s wife). Mike Watts, ETTA Vice-President, is on the far right by the wall.
Photo 2
The Team Parade at the same event. Tom Blunn, ETTA Honorary Life Member, is in front of the table, Mike Watts with the microphone on the bottom right. Len Pilditch, ETTA Vice-President, is next to John Jermyn, ETTA Honorary Life Member, clapping, on the far right halfway down the hall. At the rear of the venue inside the back court on the right is Harvey Webb, ETTA Honorary Life Member, talking to Mike Holt, ETTA Honorary Life Member. At the rear of the team are Paul Day, Don Parker and also Andrea Holt. Kerry Hall can just be seen behind the ‘V’ of Czechoslovakia.
Sitting on the far left are Aubrey Drapkin, ETTA Honorary Life Member next to his wife Olive.
Photo 3
This was taken at a Beneficial Trust GP in Hinckley in 1985. Mike Watts is on the microphone, Brian Watkins is in the dark jacket and glasses to the right of Mike and Karen Tonge, ETTA Honorary Life Member, facing, to the right of him. George Tyler, ETTA Vice-President, is just behind Mike.
What a wonderful collection of many who have served the Association so well for many years and who have been justly rewarded.
A reminder that photographs from all other weeks are on the website under ‘About’, ‘From the Archives’ and then ‘Friday’s Photos’.