The photos are a week later this month due to my visit to Dusseldorf for the World Championships.

Congratulations must go to David McBeath and Sam Walker who formed a most impressive partnership in the Men’s Doubles to reach the last 16.

The last time that an English pair reached this stage was in 1989 when Alan Cooke and Carl Prean reached the quarter-finals, so indeed it is a rare achievement by the two young Englishmen.

Whilst at the Worlds I was given and loaned some very old photos so I thought I would share these with you this month. The first three photos are from Don Davies of Liverpool and the pictures are from the 1939 World Championships in Cairo, the first time the World Championships were held outside Europe.

The England’s Men’s Team was Ernie Bubley, Ken Hyde, Hymie Lurie and Ken Stanley and they won a bronze medal. Ken Hyde and Hymie Lurie also won a bronze medal in the Men’s Doubles. There were no ladies entered partly I am sure due to the journey which took the men three days.

Richard Bergmann won the Men’s Singles title and Richard with Victor Barna were Men’s Doubles Champions. However, as they had not yet been naturalised they were not allowed to play in the England team although they could play under England’s colours in the individual events.

1939. On way to World Champs in Cairo. At Genoa. Ken Stanley, Ken Hyde, Ernie Bubley (although the photo is marked as Eric Bubley).

 

1939. Genoa, on the way to the World Championships in Cairo. English players are Hymie Lurie, Victor Barna, Ken Stanley and Ken Hyde. The English players travelled part of the way with some of the French team so they may be some of the other faces in the picture.

 

1939. World Championships, Cairo. Victor Barna, J Morris Rose, Ken Hyde, unknown lady, Ken Stanley. This is the only known original picture of J Morris Rose who the JM Rose Bowl is named after.

 

The remaining photographs are from my friend in Germany, Gunther Angenendt, popularly known as the ‘Badge Man’ with a collection of over 4,500 pins as well as a huge range of other table tennis memorabilia. Below are some fascinating images which it is a privilege to have.

If you want to see more of Gunther’s collection then it is well worth visiting his website. Although the emphasis is on Germany there are still many items of interest to any historian or researcher.

1933. World Championships in Baden, Austria. The England Men’s Team of Alec Brook, R David Jones, Adrian Haydon, Edward Rimer and Andrew Millar who won a bronze medal in the team event. Adrian Haydon was also a semi-finalist in the Men’s Singles.

 

1933. World Championships in Baden. R David Jones, England International with Astrid Krebsbach of Germany.

 

1937. English Open, Paddington Baths, London. Marie Kettnerova of Czechoslovakia and Astrid Krebsbach of Germany.

 

1951. World Championships, Vienna. Johnny Leach followed by Diane Rowe, Rosalind Rowe, Peggy Franks, Joyce Roberts, Aubrey Simons, Michael Thornhill, Brian Kennedy and Ron Crayden. It was at these Championships that Johnny Leach won the Men’s Singles title for the second time. Diane and Rosalind Rowe won the first of their Women’s Doubles titles. In the Men’s Doubles Johnny Leach and Jack Carrington were Semi-finalists as were Johnny Leach and Diane Rowe in the Mixed Doubles.

 

1951. England team on tour in Germany. Ivor Montagu, Joyce Roberts, Kathy Best, Ken Craigie, Aubrey Simons, Michael Thornhill.

 

Although Germany was split after the war and both East and West had their own Associations there was also an All-Germany Association and this tour of four matches in the East Zone and four in West Zone with one versus All-Germany was arranged by them.

1966. 27th February. German Open held in Lubeck. Women’s Singles final between Mary Wright and winner Maria Alexandru of Romania (above and below). Alexandru had beaten Diane Rowe in the Semi-final match.

If anyone has any old photos or any other memorabilia that they would like added to the Archives collection I would be pleased to hear from you and can be contacted on [email protected]

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