This text is taken from the programme of the South Island Championships, 24-26 July 1970, in Blenheim to give an overview of the association history before the tournament.

1929 - TARRANT CUP

The Association was given a considerable boost in 1929 when Mr Arthur Tarrant of Wellington presented a 13-inch solid silver cup for the A grade competition. After holding the cup for the first year, the Arawa team (G. Perry, J.R. Nesbit, D. McFedries and J. Batty) lost the coveted trophy to the Opawa team (Alf Oben, J. Laird, G. Oben and J. McBeth). The other teams involved were St. Mary's (B. Reid, G. Gee, N. Neville, J. Kilmartin) and Fire Brigade (G. Chapman, R.V. (Tim) Bythell, C. Bythell and J. Bythell).

At this time the competition games were one set up to 31 with advantage and each player played from a handicap which was altered from time to time by the Association. Other players of note at this time were R. Coker, H. Mills, Chas. Whiteford, Cope Dix, and Misses C. Oben, C. Agar and Mrs G. Perry.

However, in 1931, the Association was forced to go into recess through insufficient funds and lack of enthusiasm although friendly games continued to be played in the Arawa and Fire Brigade rooms.

In 1933 a table tennis event of national importance took place in Wellington when F.J. Perry, one-time world champion, and F.H. Wilde, another English international, defeated a Wellington team of H.D. Kennedy, C.F. William, E. Cheal and H. Pyle by five matches to nil. Cheal and Pyle were narrowly beaten in the one doubles match. This contest, it appears, saw the first use in New Zealand of rubber-faced bats and the Wellington players were up against it from the start.

In a newspaper report of Monday October 30, 1933, repeated mention is made of the heavy spin imparted on the balls by the English players. Also mentioned was the severe spin service of Wilde which won him many points. This type of service (with finger spin) is now outlawed. 

1946 - MANY NEW CLUBS

In 1946, the Association, under the Secretary-ship of Mr R.T. (Dick) Scott recommenced activities on a big scale with many new clubs being formed. Arthur (Mick) Jellyman won the Marlborough singles for the fourth consecutive time when he beat T. Perry in straight sets. His previous wins were in 1939, 1940 and 1941. The women's singles went to Miss Y. Thompson.

In 1947 the Association had one of its biggest representative seasons when it met in Blenheim three of the strongest Associations in New Zealand. Marlborough were beaten 18 matches to 10 by Hutt Valley, 20 matches to 8 by Wellington and 28 matches to 16 by Wairarapa. All these games were played in the Town Hall, the Association's new headquarters. Mr I. Bing, the secretary that year, was the prime mover in obtaining this hall for play on five nights of the week. 

In 1949, the Perry Shield, a trophy for play between Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast, was donated by Mr G.E.O. Perry of Nelson, and the Nelson association easily resisted the first challenge from Marlborough, the score being 62 matches to 34. In this year, also, Viktor Barna was again seen in the Town Hall. He proved to be as delightful as ever. His partner this time was Richard Bergman, a world singles titleholder, and they left no doubt as to where they both stood in the world of table tennis.

In 1951 another visitor from overseas was the then world singles champion, Johnny Leach, who played exhibition games with Michel Haguanauer, again in the Town Hall. Leach is remembered for playing one match with a bat no more than 2-inches square.

It was now obvious that Marlborough players were improving their standard of play. This was proved when B. Neal won the Nelson open singles title from T. Walsh and he and Miss C. McNabb annexed the mixed doubles. Then a Marlborough representative side easily defeated a fairly strong Canterbury team led by Pat Spillane, 28 matches to 16 in Blenheim.

In 1952 Mr Ken Stanley, a professional English coach, ran classes in the Town Hall and many players availed themselves of his free services. It is worth recalling that Mr Stanley stated that sponge bats were the coming thing though he, personally, would not like to see them become universal. It was more than just sponge bats that were giving the Japanese players such success, he said. 

1966 - LIFE MEMBERS

This office is a jealously preserved one in Marlborough table tennis, for over the years, the Association has seen fit to elect only two life members for their services to the game in Marlborough. One, Mr R.V. Bythell who was president for many years as well as being a fine player, died only recently. The other is Mrs Glad Perry, the wife of the virtual founder of the game here, who has done a tremendous amount of background work for the game over the years and has won many Open titles, including three singles. Mrs Perry still continues serving the game and although no longer an active player, can still hit a mean ball.

As mentioned earlier, all Association activities have generally been centered around the Town Hall, but when the Centennial Hall was built in 1966, the Association tried a season of inter-club there. The lighting, however, was found to be far from good and all activities went back once again to the Town Hall. However, the Town Hall was sold late in 1968 and demolished in August 1969. The last big fixture held there was the 1969 Marlborough Open. It was fitting that the singles events were won by two strong supporters of Marlborough Table Tennis, Neville Brightwell of Canterbury and Gillian Kemp of Hutt Valley formerly from Nelson.

The Hall had served table tennis well for over 32 years. It had seen the best players in the World, and somehow it had a "table tennis smell" about it that seemed to bring out the best in some players - particularly some regular visitors - while it also hosted the South Island Tournament games when they were last in Blenheim in 1959. It was a sad day when the walls came tumbling down.

This briefly, is a history of the Association running the 1970 South Island tournament as a fully detailed history would cover three or four times this space. As one of the oldest in N.Z., it has seen many changes in the trends of the game, but it has always tried to maintain a high standard of equipment and lighting etc., for its players. The fact that this eventually paid off by helping the players to have the good conditions in which they now play and practice was shown in 1966 when Jack Taylor became the first-ever Marlborough player to be selected for the South Island. Since then, Marlborough has had Christine Borck and Lynley Barker in the South Island side and these players have carried Marlborough's colours into the very highest realms of N.Z. Table Tennis. 

The Marlborough Association is proud to once again host the [1970] South Island Championships and we in Blenheim welcome and look forward to meeting you all.

Marlborough Table Tennis Association is associated with Table Tennis New Zealand Incorporated and organised tournaments are governed by the ITTF Handbook found here and on the ITTF website.