Following the founding of Round Table Number 1 (Norwich) by Louis Marchesi, many tables sprang up around the country in the following years, with the 8th Round Table being Liverpool 8, a member of Area 8. Indeed, within just 15 months of the founding of Norwich 1, 18 Round Tables had been founded across England and Wales and membership had reached 850.
In 1933, the national Rules Committee established 11 ‘areas’ of administration and Area 8 came into being, incorporating Liverpool, Birkenhead, St Helens, Southport, Blackpool and Manchester Round Tables. Area committees were established through individual tables electing Area Councillors and served to bring the local tables together and foster cooperation.
From the beginning, Area 8 was a huge success – recognised in the minutes of the 1934 national AGM, where it was suggested that Area8 be looked to for advice and guidance on developing the movement.
In 1949, with Round Tables continuing to be established, the Area boundaries were redrawn and, from 1950, Area 8 consisted of “Lancashire, the Isle of Man and part of Wesmoreland south of area 21, plus that part of Cheshire lying north of a line from Cheadle to Hazel Grove, with Glossop”. However, this new territory was short-lived and, in 1954, area 8 was divided into Areas 8 & 34.
Area 8 has had a series of Chairmen from its inception in 1933 and, in 2001, introduced the position of Area President. Past Chairmen and Presidents are listed below.
|
Year |
Area Chairman |
Area President |
|
2014/15 2013/14 |
Andrew Dooley Richard Gormely |
Steven Rimmer Mark Howard |
|
2012/13 |
Paul Welsby |
John McElhinney |
|
2011/12 |
Malcolm Mair |
Ian Crane |
|
2010/11 |
Mark Howard |
Peter Rees |
|
2009/10 |
Lee Collier |
Bruce Porteous |
|
2008/09 |
Keith Wieland |
Bernie Knowles |
|
2007/08 |
Mark Hodges |
Brian Smith |
|
2006/07 |
Peter Holden |
Peter Rees |
|
2005/06 |
John Kilshaw |
|
|
2004/05 |
Nic Corke |
|
|
2003/04 |
Peter Gibbons |
|
|
2002/03 |
Phil Hassall |
|
|
2001/02 |
Mike Orme |
|
|
2000/01 |
John Sockett |
|
|
1999/00 |
Brian King |
|
|
1998/99 |
Mike Chase |
|
|
1997/98 |
Mike Heaps |
|
|
1996/97 |
David Whitehead |
|
|
1995/96 |
Kevin Allars |
|
|
1994/95 |
Bill Edwards |
|
|
1993/94 |
Richard Waterfield |
|
|
1992/93 |
David Owen |
|
|
1991/92 |
Malcolm Irving |
|
|
1990/91 |
Steve Gorski |
|
|
1989/90 |
Ivan Bratty |
|
|
1988/89 |
Norman Graham |
|
|
1987/88 |
Alan Fowler |
|
|
1986/87 |
David Kavanagh |
|
|
1985/86 |
John Dutchman-Smith |
|
|
1984/85 |
Geoff Ainsworth |
|
|
1983/84 |
John Pearson |
|
|
1982/83 |
Chris Hassell |
|
|
1981/82 |
Keith Mitchell |
|
|
1980/81 |
Bill Wadeson |
|
|
1979/80 |
Jeff Price |
|
|
1978/79 |
Jim Potter |
|
|
1977/78 |
Lionall Gornall |
|
|
1976/77 |
Glyn Andrews |
|
|
1975/76 |
Eric Ward |
|
|
1974/75 |
Keith Lamb |
|
|
1973/74 |
Brian Hawkins |
|
|
1972/73 |
John Holt |
|
|
1971/72 |
Nigel Taylor |
|
|
1970/71 |
Richard Bangor-Jones |
|
|
1969/70 |
Edward Greenhalgh |
|
|
1968/69 |
H Crofts |
|
|
1967/68 |
Peter McKeown |
|
|
1966/67 |
John Ball |
|
|
1965/66 |
Mike Spaven |
|
|
1964/65 |
Doug Farrington |
|
|
1963/64 |
Bill Firth |
|
|
1962/63 |
Geoffrey Hirst |
|
|
1961/62 |
G B Ward |
|
|
1960/61 |
Douglas Robinson |
|
|
1959/60 |
W R Smith |
|
|
1958/59 |
Duncan Lawton |
|
|
1957/58 |
J H Cheetham |
|
|
1956/57 |
W H Sheppard |
|
|
1955/56 |
N H Schofield |
|
|
1954/55 |
H Penn |
|
|
1953/54 |
J Butterworth |
|
|
1952/53 |
F D Robinson |
|
|
1951/52 |
F C Raworth |
|
|
1950/51 |
F G Jennings |
|
|
1949/50 |
R Adamson |
|
|
1948/49 |
C K Sanders |
|
|
1947/48 |
N Vincent |
|
|
1946/47 |
P Slater |
|
|
1945/46 |
P A Shaw |
|
|
1944/45 |
F Brierley |
|
|
1943/44 |
E C Teasdale |
|
|
1942/43 |
L M Stuart |
|
|
1941/42 |
L M Stuart |
|
|
1940/41 |
J Eastwood |
|
|
1939/40 |
F T Hindle |
|
|
1938/39 |
A V Cunliffe |
|
|
1937/38 |
N Headon |
|
|
1936/37 |
S Greewood |
|
|
1935/36 |
C G Wilson |
|
|
1934/35 |
C G Wilson |
|
|
1933/34 |
R E Smith |
|
