The Avon Vale Club. 1859-2004
In May of 1859 a number of local gentlemen met at the Kingsbridge Road Hotel at Wrangaton and decided that they would form an Archery Club. This was the beginning of the Avon Vale Club which has been at Avonwick for many years.
There were seventeen founder members, six of who were local parsons, and during the early life of the club the outstanding members were the Rector of Diptford, Rev. W. Cooper Johnson and the Vicar of South Brent, Rev W. Speare Cole. Between them they carried out nearly all the organisation. The first Archery ground was in a field at the back of the Hotel at Wrangaton, and the first Grand Day on the 18th of July 1859 took place there with Mrs Hare as Lady Paramount. For a few years the Club was successful, but before long fan into difficulties and by 1870 had a debt of £30, and it was resolved to discontinue it. However, the committee had second thoughts and circulated all members asking them if they would support the Club at Totnes, Avonwick, or Ivybridge. The voting showed 15 for Totnes, 23 for Avonwick and 26 for Ivybridge. This took place in April of 1870 and by June of that year, without any explanation in the minutes; the Club was in being at Avonwick.
In the following year members showed faith in the Club by deciding to build a Pavilion, and they accepted a tender for this work amounting to £109, quite a considerable sum in those days. They also showed faith in the continuance of their affairs by building this on land which they held on a yearly tenancy. The Pavilion was completed the same year, and a dance was held in it during September 1871. The Pavilion has proved to be of great value not only to the Club but also to the Village of Avonwick, as it served almost as a village hall until 1925 when a proper Hall was built. For two years, 1876/7, before St James church was built in Avonwick, the pavilion served as a Church and regular services were held in it.
In 1875 the Avon Vale Archery Club changed its name to the Avon Vale Club, and it was resolved to extend its purposes to include Badminton, Cricket Lawn Tennis Skating and other Amusements as well as that of Archery. The Club was now popular and prosperous, Archery was still the main amusement but by 1879 a Lawn Tennis Tournament was held on the annual Prize day. In 1880 the Rev. C. J. Perry Keene the rector of Dean Prior was elected a member of the club and he is undoubtedly the best known of the Clubs Archers. He was, for many years, the champion Archer of England and played an important part in the life of the Club, Serving on the Committee for many years, also holding office for a time as Chairman. He remained a member until the 1914/18 war.
Gradually Lawn Tennis became the chief activity at the Club though Croquet too proved popular. By 1897 there were only three entries for Archery on the prize Day and the following year there were none. From the opening of the Club until 1890 the Grand Prize Day was held with a Lady Paramount and a President to grace the proceedings. The festivities began with a luncheon at 2 p.m. In the afternoon and evening there was Archery and later Tennis. At 5.30 p.m. a Pick-nick dinner was served, and at 7.30 p.m. the annual dance in the pavilion. The Club continued to have a Grand Day each year up to 1914, but Archery became the least important op the activities and the offices of Lady Paramount and President were dropped. (There is a note in 1905 to the effect that Whisky should be served instead of a cup of sherry at luncheon).
In 1897 a new building was completed at the South end of the Pavilion for storing all the Club's gear and tools, and this enabled the Gentlemen's Changing -room to be cleared of all this material. The cost was £29.11.0d and the whole cost was met out of the income from the year. In the following year the Club had a flag designed and made by Messrs Tope of Plymouth. This year, 1898 was outstanding for Mr Perry Keene, for in May at Avonwick he shot a York Round, making a record score for England with 115 hits and scoring 607 points and 15 Gold's. He was Champion Archer of England and went on to win all the four main Tournaments at Leamington, Crystal Palace, Great Western and Great Northern.
These years at the turn of the century were perhaps the most successful in the Club's history, and this was due to quite a large extent to the main officers, Mr. F. J. Cornish Bowden the chairman, and Mr. F. J. Harpur the most excellent Honorary Secretary. Mr. Harpur, in his very full minutes and record notes said that in 1900 the aggregate of attendances at the Club for the season was well over a thousand.
The Club continued to thrive until 1914. New tennis courts and croquet lawns were laid down and archery continued though on a small scale. In 1913 it was decided to spend up to £65 on altering the Pavilion so as to provide better kitchen accommodation, and to build a new Gentlemen's Changing room, and the work was put in hand. The following year was a very difficult one in that the Club banked with the Navel Bank at Totnes which failed. This forced the Club to close in August as there were no funds to pay the grounds man. The Club re-opened in 1915 with an overdraft of £70 at Lloyds Bank and had a successful season and was able to reduce the debt by half. The Club did not re-open again 1919 and during the War years the grounds were let for sheep grazing. Some twenty family members and four single kept the Club alive by paying a reduced subscription, and by this means and by letting fees for the Pavilion all debts were paid off.
In 1919 the Club re-opened for tennis with two courts fit for play. By 1923 the Club was flourishing and had a balance in hand of £105. The Rev. A. T. Allin was chairman and Mr. B. F. T. Hare the Hon. Secretary, and until the end of the 1920's the Club was most successful in every way. Large open tournaments were no longer held, but very successful American Tournaments were played and drew entries from many other Clubs in South Devon. The annual dance was held again , many of these in Totnes.
On the 18th September 1939 the Club closed for play owing to the war , the grounds were let for sheep grazing and the Pavilion became the H.Q. and Drill Hall for the local Home Guard. All through the war the Club was kept alive and a number of members paid a token subscription of 5/-d per annum. Immediately after the war a meeting was held and by employing a full-time grounds man it was possible to re-open for play on the 6th May 1946 with four courts. After re-starting, the Club still had a balance in hand of over £100 and considering the many difficulties, had a reasonably good year. Owing to a rather smaller membership than in the past it was found that four courts were sufficient and the remaining two courts were let to the Avonwick Bowling Club.