A PEEP INTO THE MINUTE BOOKS

In the quieter, less frantic, less ambitious days of fifty years ago, there were just two committee meetings in the year, in September and October of 1950. After the second meeting, the Annual General Meeting took place.

Gentler days they may have been, but there were still serious matters to discuss. Above all else was the rebuilding of the Fives court(s) at the Queens Club, to restore the central playing base for the EFA. The Queens Club were demanding that the EFA should meet the cost of rebuilding. In addition, there would be the rent to be paid: the demand of £100 per annum was deemed excessive, especially for only one court. Discussions with Lord Aberdare revealed that there were difficulties in obtaining a license to rebuild; that £75 might be acceptable to the Queens Club as a rent, but there would probably be a court charge of about 6/- (30p) per hour and 2/- for electricity. The committee agreed that it was reasonable to expect to pay a court charge. The rebuilding of the court(s) remained unresolved.

The second major matter was the laws of the game. The subcommittee had reported. In the two committee meetings, amendments were agreed and at the AGM the laws as proposed by the committee were unanimously adopted, and it was agreed that they should be printed and circulated forthwith. At the AGM it was also agreed to set up a subcommittee to study the rules of the association; procedures for the election of officers in particular needed reconsideration.

The finances of the Association were deemed healthy, with a total reserve of £152.10s.

Newly elected members of the EFA were Cranleigh School and the Old Cranleighians.

In the intervening twenty-five years since 1950, the number of committee meetings had only increased from two to three. The range of matters considered by the committee, though, had grown significantly and demonstrated the increasing complexity of the administration of the game. There was now an Annual Report, individual membership and more competitions, such as the Alan Barber Cup, under 16, under 14 and preparatory school competitions and a plate competition in the Kinnaird weekend: there was a programme of EFA fixtures and a league. The committee in March 1976 accepted the Secretary's identification of twelve 'aspects' that needed supervision and allocated committee members to be responsible for these. For example, two committee members were responsible for ensuring the supply and quality of the balls, another was responsible for 'publications and records' and another 'aspect', for which the appointment was held over, was 'publicity and promotion' - not a matter which the 1950 committee would have considered.

Apart from the devolution of the increased responsibilities among the members of the committee, there were few major issues. Gordon Stringer retired as Secretary at the AGM where his sterling efforts in promoting the interests of the game over seventeen years were wholeheartedly recognised. It was he who had advocated the individual membership whose subscriptions were ensuring that the finances of the EFA were in reasonable order: indeed, the committee recognised that it was vital to continue attracting individual membership to provide the cash flow for regular stocking of the Fives balls and such refinements as printing the Kinnaird draw sheet. A new agenda item was the Secretary's report so that the committee were kept informed of developments and their consent sought where necessary.

The Oxford courts had been completed at a lesser cost than expected and there was no immediate need for an EFA contribution. The committee examined a new Fives glove which was considered excellent if the manufacturers could make it in different sizes and finger length. There was strong approval of the high quality Annual Report, though concern at its late distribution. Twenty members attended the AGM where the business was briskly completed within sixteen minutes.

The forty years since 1950 had seen a transformation of the bureaucracy to run the game. The number of committee meetings had doubled since 1975, with meetings by 1990 taking place every two months. In addition, there were four sub-committees: finance, schools, competitions and coaching manual. The number of competitions continued to proliferate, with an EFA trophy, a county championship, a London Tournament, a veterans competition, and under 23 tournament and a new father and son competition for which Lord Aberconway had generously made provision for a cup. A northern league had been set up. Many more competitions but more players?

The attracting of new adult players as well as youngsters to Eton Fives was of particular concern to the committee. The range of competitions for school players had increased, but there was anxiety about those schools where the game had declined or was struggling to survive. There was an encouraging scheme of coaching, but in the end much depended on whether a school had an enthusiastic member of staff or not. The minutes contain a comprehensive assessment of the fortunes of the game at schools throughout the country. For example, coaching had stopped at Cranleigh: the game was in decline at Uppingham. Rydal had four unused courts: the game had disintegrated at King Edwards, Five Ways, to such an extent that there were fears that the courts might be pulled down. On the other hand, there had been very good support for the Schools Championships at Highgate, ' a great success', with an entry of one hundred and fifty-one pairs. Harrow would be the next venue, when an under 12 tournament would be added. There were proposals for a student membership to encourage school leavers to continuing playing Fives and supporting the game. There had been no progress to forming a Junior Committee.

There were mixed reports on courts. Harrow School had refurbished their courts, to the cost of which the EFA made a voluntary contribution. There was mention of a third court being built at Ipswich School, the cost of which would be about £ 28,000. But there was no progress with the Cambridge University courts. Cambridge City Council had refused planning permission for the new proposed sports complex, and the appeal against that decision had been unsuccessful. The Rugby Fives Association was proposing to build courts at Fenners.

The new coaching manual was gradually taking shape, with the text complete and photographs being assembled. The committee had acquired sponsorship for the manual: there was discussion on the marketing of it, with perhaps a launching party for the press. Another important topic was whether the association should seek to be registered as a charitable organisation. More significantly, substantial time in several meetings was devoted to considering wide-ranging and innovative ideas for the future development of the game without any specific strategy emerging.

There were progress reports on the game in other parts of the world. The committee agreed to hold an international competition in Switzerland. Tony Hughes reported that Fives was still being played at Rheinberg but the courts at Dusseldorf had been knocked down. Fives was being played with enthusiasm in Australia and progress in India and Nigeria was being monitored.

Finally, Martin Shortland Jones was unanimously supported as the next President to replace Philip Curtis who had held office for six years.

Roger Beament

Constructed by Mike Fenn
28th October 2000
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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