Whist results

Thursday, January 15: top score - Gladys Irvine (177); 1st lady - Pauline Barnikel (175); 2nd lady - Mabel Whitaker (170); 1st gent - Jill Groom (160); 2nd gent - Bill Whitaker (159); first half winner - Muriel Griffiths (87); second half - Joyce Waters (77); longest sitter - Jean Salisbury (seven times); raffles - Joyce Waters and Muriel Griffiths.

Saturday, January 17: top score - Mabel Whitaker (172); 1st lady - Jean Salisbury (170); 2nd lady - Olive Frost (169); 1st gent - Ginnie Beeken (170); 2nd gent - Gladys Irvine (167); first half winner - Joyce Waters (94); second half - Pauline Barnikel (85); longest sitter - Jill Groom (six times); lowest score - Bert Barnikel; raffles - Bill Whitaker and Ginnie Beeken. 

Bowling Club whist is played twice weekly, Thursday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm. New members and visitors are always welcome.  

Lady Bowlers!

There is a meeting called for all the Tenby lady bowlers on Monday, February 9, at 5 pm - please make every effort to attend.

Charity Quizzes

Two more quizzes are in the pipeline to be held in the club's bar/lounge - Thursday, February 12, and Thursday, February 26, both 7.30 for an 8 pm start. Everyone is welcome to form teams of four and join in the mind-blowing exercise. It keeps you young!

COFFEE MORNING

Tomorrow (Saturday), chairman John Baggott is holding a fund-raising coffee morning.  Ideal venue for that mid-winter chat, get the latest news and check on progress on the maintenance front and pay your subscriptions for the new season, bowling and social, which are now due.

Lockers

Will all members who still have clothing etc. in the ground floor changing rooms, please remove asap.

Thumbnail sketches

Mike Crockford was the initiator of these fascinating peeps into the private history of selected members, helping to make Bowlers Corner a little more interesting during the long winter months. Bert is resurrecting the same theme in honour of Mike, who produced many newsy facets of our bowling world for many seasons.

Roy Powling 

Roy Powling joined the Tenby club in 1973 - its golden jubilee year.

Roy's father, Bert, was originally from Suffolk, a regular soldier with the Essex Regiment. He was stationed at Llanion Barracks in Pembroke Dock prior to WW2. Like many of the Essex boys, they married local girls. His wife Eileen and the family moved from Pembroke Dock to Tenby after Roy was born in 1933.

Roy's parents certainly passed on high quality sporting genes to their children, which they all put to good use here in Tenby.

Roy was educated at the Tenby Council School and then at Greenhill Grammar School. He played soccer for the school, only to see that sport ousted by the education authority as they changed to rugby soon after the war, encouraged by the RFU Wales. Roy and his brothers relished the new sport and were to play an important part in its development here in Tenby.

Roy played continuously for Tenby United from 1951 until 1964, except for his two years of National Service in the RAF, based at Henlow. There he played rugby for Bedford County. 

Asked which has been the happiest period of his life so far? He said that although he enjoyed his military service, returning to Tenby to continue playing the wonderful game of rugby made him very happy.

At 16-and-a-half, Roy joined the South Wales Electricity Board as an electrical apprentice. He continued in his trade  after demobilisation until 1964.

Like 99 per cent of the UK youngsters after the war, boy met girl at the local 'hop' and, like many Tenby couples, Roy met his future wife, Nina Lewis, in the De Valence Pavilion. They married in April 1958. I don't say that Roy was rugby mad, but they spent quite a bit of their honeymoon supporting the schools' seven-a-side rugby tournament at Roehampton, which to their delight Llanelly won. 

The marriage was blessed with a 'pigeon pair', Gary and Jill, and they now boast of three delightful grandchildren (all girls).

Roy was an outstanding rugby player, who was first to score 100 points in a season for Tenby United and one of the few to score 1,000 points in total, a magnificent achievement,  rarely surpassed. Roy captained Tenby United and turned out over 400 times. He also represented Pembroke County on the rugby field on many occasions.       

Off the field of play, Roy was secretary of Tenby United RFC for 25 years and was justly rewarded with a life membership. His proudest achievement was being promoted to trustee of his beloved club.

Encouraged by his main supporter and mentor, Trevor Lloyd Jones, Roy  joined  the Prudential Insurance Co. and spent 30 happy years serving the population of Tenby and district until retirement in 1991.

His high quality skills as a sportsman were soon to surface once again shortly after he joined the Tenby Bowling Club, where members were celebrating the club's golden anniversary in 1973. Roy joined in the special jubilee singles tournament and was more than pleased to reach the final.

Playing the very skilful, but dour Crofton Johns was a severe test, which he passed with flying colours, much to Crofton's chagrin; the air was blue by all accounts.  

Roy went on to greater glory, playing regularly for the Tenby team, latterly as skip. He also played for the Pembroke County Bowling Association for 10 years and was captain for many years. He was a very shrewd and talented skip at county level.

Roy skipped a Tenby rink which scooped the Pembroke Rinks Trophy twice, 1987 and 1994, progressing each time to the Welsh finals at Ebbw Vale. On both occasions, they lost in the semi-finals, just losing by one shot each time.

Roy really enjoys his bowling, especially in the Tenby club. He  has won the club championship trophy, the T. P. Hughes Cup, several times, along with a host of other trophies and was captain of the Five Arches team. 

Much to Roy's annoyance, arthritis has been a bane for some time now. The last straw has been a dicky hip, but fortune favours the brave and Roy has had a replacement fitted successfully and looks all set for more enjoyment on the bowling green in 2009.

Poor losers are an anathema in Roy's eyes; good sportsmanship comes top of his list.   

Roy's advice to the next generations is 'work hard and be tolerant.'

Darts report

Last week's practice certainly paid off, with a fine win away to the Castle B team. Phil started the ball rolling with a superb 17-dart leg, including a 180. Wins by JR and Ashley left the match delicately poised after the singles. Ashley and JR teamed up to win the first doubles and a fine performance by Mike and Phil, including a 106 finish by Phil, clinched the match for the bowling club. No match tonight (Friday), so time for some more practice.