History

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