Club History

The History of Bath Sword Club

The Club

The Club was founded in May 1948 by Commander A G Oliver and its first venue was St Luke’s Parish Hall, Bath. Commander Oliver had 20 years of fencing experience and was the Navy’s 1947 fencing champion. He was assisted by W J Irving who was also an accomplished fencer and the Royal Navy and Royal Marines foil champion in 1928, 1929 and 1930.

After several changes of venue the Club settled at Bath Central Youth Club. There in 1965 the Club acquired its first electric box.
The Club later moved to New King Street for 10 years and in 1975 moved to the Bath Sports Centre. After a spell of 14 years in the middle of Bath the Club moved to Kingswood School, Lansdown. The availability of space, an early start to the evening and the coaching effort provided by an active committee lead to an explosion in membership numbers. Bath Sword became the largest Club in the SW region. In 2003 the Club moved again to the University which doubled the amount of space it could use.

Newspaper clips from the clubs’ past can be found at on this online-library very kindly hosted by the Veterans Fencing Association – http://www.veterans-fencing-co.uk/cgi-bin/bsc_cuttings.pl?FORM=FOLDERS. Unfortunately this has not been maintained for a while but we look forward to beginning to add more years to the database soon! If you have any stories or salacious gossip about Bath Sword Club or past members please contact us and let us know!

Coaches Past and Present

The Club recognises the efforts of its dedicated coaches over the years: Commander Oliver, Professor Joe Fields, Ken Pearson, Larry Grosfils, Tom Norcross, Mike Webster, Steve Roose, Professors Norman Golding and Sue Benney, Dennis Hunt, Dick Richards, Ralph Burgess, Lynne and Andy Bornemisza,Tim Miles, Glen Golding, Michael Cleary, Robert Bruniges, Nathanial Lewis, Chris Hay and Sandra Eggington.

Notable Club Members

The club has had many successful fencers of all weapons and ages and generally is distinguished at home an abroad in the junior and veterans categories. Two fencers at senior level who have fenced with us who deserve a special mention are Philip Marsh and Piers Gilliver.

Philip Marsh: a Bath Sword Club fencer who made spectacular progress at his chosen weapon of epee.

He joined a ‘Learn Fencing’ class at the age of 11 and then joined the club, taking foil initially. He switched to epee at 13 and started taking lessons from Professor Sue Benney.

In April 2011 he won the World Junior Championships (held in Jordan) at the age of 16 and in the following year, February 2012, won the Vigor Challenge Junior World Cup in Gothenburg.

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Overlays

Piers Gilliver is an honorary Bath Sword Club member who trained will Bath Sword club in the years before 2016 Rio Olympics. Piers is a world class wheelchair epeeist, often ranked number 1 in the word. He achieved a silver medal at epee in Rio. He also fenced foil as his 2nd weapon at the games but has switched sabre as a second weapon now. He has moved on to other training facilities but remains an honorary life member and we expect more good news in 2020! These are some of our members basking in his reflected glory

Excalibur

The Excalibur fencing tournament is an inter-county event, the biggest in the country. Each county fields teams at foil, epee and sabre.

The tournament was started by Bob Southcombe in 1953. Bob invited 6 teams who fenced each other over 3 days. It must have been a much more leisurely affair! Surrey were involved from the very start and have an enviable consistency of success.

As far as the records show, the competition has always been organised by members of Bath Sword Club on behalf of the South West region.

The tournament is hugely popular and well known in the fencing world. Much of the success is due to Lynne Bornemisza who organised the competition from 1980 to 2014, a remarkable 35 years.She was first involved in the tournament in 1973 when she served tea for the fencers from the canteen and she has been present every year since!

She took over organising the tournament in 1980 and with Bob’s blessing increased the number of counties invited – first to eight then ten and then to 12 which we all agree is the most that will fit into any local venue. The tournament was also reduced to 2 days to add a little more pressure. The last enlargement was to include Ladies Sabre in 2002 so the total number of fights is now 3564 over a 2-day weekend!

The winners of the competition have been:

2021 – Cancelled due to Covid
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Kent
2018 – Hereford & Worcester
2017 – Devon
2016 – Devon
2015 – Hereford & Worcester
2014 – Somerset
2013 – Somerset
2012 – Somerset
2011 – Cornwall
2010 – Cornwall
2009 – Somerset
2008 – Somerset
2007 – Surrey
2006 – Surrey
2005 – Surrey
2004 – Surrey
2003 – Surrey
2002 – Surrey
2001 – Surrey
2000 – Surrey
1999 – Surrey
1998 – Surrey
1997 – Somerset
1996 – Somerset
1995 – Somerset
1994 – Surrey
1993 – Surrey
1992 – Somerset
1991 – Somerset
1990 – Gloucester
1989 – Kent
1988 – Kent
1987 – Kent
1986 – Essex
1985 – Gloucester
1984 – Essex
1983 – Surry
1982 – Gloucester
1981 – Surrey
1980 – Gloucester
1979 – Surrey
1978 – Surrey
1977 – Surrey
1976 – Surrey
1975 – Surrey
1974 – Surrey
1973 – Surrey
1972 – Surrey
1971 – Surrey
1970 – Surrey
1969 – Surrey
1968 – Surrey
1967 – Somerset
1966 – Surrey
1965 – Surrey
1964 – Surrey
1963 – Essex
1962 – Gloucester
1961 – Essex
1960 – Middlesex
1959 – Gloucester
1958 – Devon
1957 – Gloucester
1956 – Devon
1955 – Gloucester
1954 – Devon
1953 – Wiltshire

Detailed Results from Excalibur 2019

1^st Kent (12 pts)
2^nd Devon (10 pts)
3^rd Somerset (8 pts)
4^th Hereford & Worcester (6 pts)
5^th Gloucestershire (4^th pts)
6^th Surrey (2 pts)
7^th Wiltshire (0 pts)

Team results
Individual Results

Club Champions

Men's Foil

2022 – Will Peach
2021 – Ethan Ridsdale
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Matthew Cowley
2018 – Ryan Cheung
2017 – Dominic Chang
2016 – Ben Bates
2015 – Warren Shillingford
2014 – Piers Gilliver
2013 – Alex Robinson
2012 – Tim Miles
2011 – Tim Miles
2010 – Dominic Chang
2009 – Martin Cott
2008 – Tim Miles
2007 – Freddie Dean
2006 – Martin Cott
2005 – Jamie Kember
2003 – Neil Hutchison
2002 – Dominic Chang
2001 – Dominic Chang
2000 – Matt McKenzie
1999 – Mike Anderson
1998 – Mike Anderson
1997 – Mike Anderson
1996 – Mike Anderson
1995 – Mike Anderson
1994 – Glen Golding
1993 – Pat Robbins
1992 – Pat Robbins
1991 – Dominic Hoskyns
1989 – Rob Hillier
1982 – Andy Bornemisza
1974 – J Eynon-Williams

Women's Foil

2021 – Karolina Sniarowska
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Rhiannon Granville
2018 – Bronwen Granville
2017 –
2016 – Karolina Sniarowaska
2015 – Rhiannon Granville
2014 – Bronwen Granville
2013 – Rhiannon Granville
2012 – Rhiannon Granville
2011 – Caron Hale
2010 – Caron Hale
2009 – Caron Hale
2008 – Sue Benney
2007 – Caron Hale
2006 – Elaine Hughes
2003 – Hanna Bryers
2002 – Lois Chang
2001 – Lois Chang
2000 – Lois Lloyd
1999 – Lois Chang
1997 – Sarah Henley
1996 – Rachel Duckett
1995 – Lois Hinch
1994 – Sue Benney
1993 – Sue Benney
1992 – Sue Benney
1991 – Sue Benney
1982 – Sue Roose
1977 – Sue Benney
1975 – Lynne Bornemisza
1974 – Lynne Hancock

Women's Epee

2022 – Kate Haswell
2021 – Rhianna Cole
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Daisy Barrow
2018 – Bronwen Granville
2017 – Yasmin Mousseau
2016 – Tracey Rodford
2015 – Bronwen Granville
2014 – Lynne Bornemisza
2013 – Florence Bird
2012 – Lynne Bornemisza
2011 – Caron Hale
2010 – Caron Hale
2009 – Jane Hutchison
2008 – Kat Young
2007 – Caron Hale
2006 – Elaine Hughes
2005 – Elaine Hughes
2003 – Lynne Bornemisza
2002 – Louisa Brownlee
2001 – Lynne Bornemisza
2000 – Sam Martin
1999 – Lynne Bornemisza
1998 – Sian Lewis
1997 – Sam Martin
1995 – Lynne Bornemisza
1992 – Sue Benney
1991 – Sue Hanney
1989 – Lynne Bornemisza

Men's Epee

2022 – Dan White
2021 – Jacob Mitchell
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Dan White
2018 – Leslie MacDonald
2017 – Leslie MacDonald
2016 – James Male
2015 – Tom Edwards
2014 – Simon Armour
2013 – John Chalmers
2012 – Leslie MacDonald
2011 – Philip Marsh
2010 – John Perkins
2009 – John Chalmers
2008 – Matthew Edgar
2007 – John Chalmers
2006 – John Chalmers
2005 – John Chalmers
2003 – John Chalmers
2002 – Peter Walker
2001 – Marc Burkhalter
2000 – John Chalmers
1999 – Tristram Parris
1998 – Tom Benney
1997 – John Chalmers
1996 – John Chalmers
1995 – John Chalmers
1992 – Gareth Leake
1991 – James Greenwell
1990 – John Perkins
1989 – John Chalmers
1982 – Steve Roose
1976 – Steve Roose

Men's Sabre

2021 – Dan White
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Jack Stamper Watling
2018 – Jack Stamper Watling
2017 –
2016 – Piers Gilliver
2015 – Martin Chadwick
2014 – Simon Armour
2013 – Simon Armour
2012 – Simon Armour
2011 – Dan Wide
2010 – Daniel Brooks
2009 – Daniel Brooks
2008 – Morgan Vondee
2007 – Simon Armour
2006 – Kit Rumney
2005 – Julian Nellis
2003 – Peter Walker
2002 – Neil Hutchison
2001 – Neil Hutchison
2000 – Oliver Woodward
1999 – Peter Wright
1998 – Oliver Woodward
1996 – Mike Anderson
1995 – Tom Benney
1994 – Andy Bornemisza
1993 – Andy Bornemisza
1992 – Andy Bornemisza
1991 – Mike Aldrich
1982 – Andy Bornemisza
1977 – Andy Bornemisza
1976 – M Fullford
1975 – Andy Bornemisza
1974 – J Eynon-Williams

Women's Sabre

2022 – Nina Lewis
2021 – Michele Narey
2020 – Cancelled due to Covid
2019 – Michele Narey
2018 – Maria Balica
2017 –
2016 – Jane Hutchison
2015 – Jane Hutchison
2014 – Jane Hutchison
2013 – Jane Hutchison
2012 – Jane Hutchison
2011 – Sue Benney
2010 – Sue Benney
2009 – Eloise Turner
2008 – Jessica Davies
2007 – Jessica Davies
2006 – A Piecs
2005 – Emma Croker
2003 – Jo Hutchison
2002 – Jo Hutchison
2001 – Crystal Nichol
2000 – Jenny Hutchison
1999 – Sue Benney
1998 – Sue Benney
1996 – Sue Benney
1995 – Sue Benney
1994 – Sue Benney
1993 – Sue Benney
1992 – Sue Benney
1991 – Sue Benney
1990 – Sue Benney

Oliver Champion at Arms

2022 – Will Peach
2018 – Andy Courtney
2017 –
2016 – Jane Hutchison
2015 –
2014 – Simon Armour
2013 – Lynne Bornemisza
2012 – Lynne Bornemisza
2011 – Caron Hale
2010 – Caron Hale
2009 – Caron Hale
2008 – Caron Hale