1978

1978

1978 saw lots of trips out including three trips to France one being for Ladies only, on this particular trip there was a very overloaded boat on the way back so the ladies were sitting on the floor in the aisles, they thought they had lost 4 of their group but it turned out they had gone home on an earlier boat and not told anyone, still on that particular trip no shoes got lost!

There was a trip to the Rhonda Valley by the footballers, a coach trip to Woburn Safari Park for the children, a summer show at Margate, a successful car rally and a Beer Race.

The beer race was held on 19 July and started and ended at the APCM when a pint had to be drunk, at the other EIGHT pubs en route only half a pint was necessary, the race took the men, of course, to the Prince of Wales, The Wheatsheaf, The Ship, The George, The Golden Eagle, The Globe and Engine and to The New Inn, all finishers were considered winners!

On the sports side Cricket had an enjoyable season, Dave Mosse was Cricketer of the Year. Football seemed to suffer problems with it's members and there were some disputes which eventually led to the dropping of one of the teams from the Rochester and District League which left the Club with a squad of about 18 players who were all given the opportunity to play. Youth continued to flourish with the Under 14 team managed by Dave Matthews bringing home the silverware again and not losing a league match. Eve Smith and Pat Bartlett started running a girl's netball team which was a new venture.

At the Annual General Meeting on the 9 May at Murston Welfare Hall there were a lot of Rule Changes, and the elections plus the elections within the sections resulted in the following committee: Chairman Eddie Pilgrim, General Secretary Keith Baldock, Treasurer Peter Scales , Vice Chairman Brain Roalf, plus Ray Oddy, Tony Rees, Roy Jackson, Ernie Pope, Mike Beney, Eve Smith and Malcolm Phillips who in December was replaced by Sandra Tapp.

There were several discos but the one on 7 October at Lansdown School was a bit different when the Club decided to run it's own bar. Colin Gunn loaned the Club 50 pint sized glasses and 6 optics, Keith Baldock loaned 50 pint size glasses and after discussion and investigations on the hiring of other glasses it was decided that the club buy another 120. Ray Oddy did query why the Club had purchased so much alcohol but the Treasurer Peter Scales was unconcerned. The disco was a great success and Mr Dyble the Headmaster was very happy, so a further similar disco was held on 30 December but this one was an “all inclusive” at a cost of £2.50!!

The Annual Dinner and Dance took place in May with a decline in the number attending the dinner but the dance was still well supported. The Club Personality of the Year was John Rees and the Burgin Cup was presented by the Chairman Eddie Pilgrim to Keith Baldock .

A Supper Dance was held on 24 November with the Hi Fi Band and the Christmas celebrations continued with the Childrens' Christmas party, Mrs W Stevens again providing wonderful cakes, and on Christmas morning two Santas set forth with the gifts for the children.

The planned Interclub Tournament had to be cancelled as no facility could be found to hold it, highlighting the lack of the Club's own Clubhouse, although the hunt for land had continued all year with members exploring all avenues.

At the end of December 1978 the Club had £1,114.21 in the bank, 135 members and 4 honorary and the 1000 Club stood at 150 shares.