Hampstead and Westminster Hockey Club

Hampstead & Westminster Hockey Club

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Awards & Honours

RECENT AWARD WINNERS

The Hampstead & Westminster Hockey Club Awards celebrate excellence, commitment, leadership and contribution across all sections of the Club. Presented annually at the Annual Dinner, the awards form part of the Club’s long-standing tradition of recognising those who shape the culture and success of HWHC on and off the pitch.

ANNUAL AWARDS

Women's Most Valuable Player

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Women's 1s

Pip Lewis

Miriam Pritchard

Women's 2s

Vicky Drews

Caoimhe Byrne

Women's 3s

Maisie MacDonald

Lucy McEvoy

Women's 4s

Linda Nixon

Alisha Robinson

Women's 5s

Erin Kelly

Erin Kelly

Women's 6s

Ruby Baird

Ellie Caley

Women's 7s

Amy Arnott

Frankie Borderie

Men's Most Valuable Player

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Men's 1s

Damon Steffens

Mikey Robson

Men's 2s

Jake Davey

Pete. Makin

Men's 3s

Billy Rudolph

Jason Hullick

Men's 4s

Rich Laverick-Brown

Max Korner

Zak Hond

Aarie Verwey

Leonard Posthumus Meyjes

Thirsts

Angus Lachenicht

Jamie McKenzie

Spaniards

Joshua Skillern

Rodrigo Rivadeneira

Men's Colts

Josh Spencer

Thomas Bignone

Masters Most Valuable Player

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Vets

Antoine Julien Richard

Chris Grounds

Supervets

Boudewijn Dierick

Boudewijn Dierick

Grandmasters

Marc Rejali

Andy Brookes

Greg & Tracey Carr Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Women's Best Player

Joie Leigh

Olivia Hamilton

Dave Dixon Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Men's Best Player

Rhys Bradshaw

Tim Cross

Nick & Sally Openshaw Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Women's Most Improved Player

Rachel Greenwood

Carys Isherwood

Jeff Gibson Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Men's Most Improved Player

Ted Graves

Jake Glew

Women's Best Team Captain

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Women's Best Team Captain

Saar de Breij

Esme Burge

Men's Best team Captain

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Men's Best Team Captain

Fergus Stevens

Andrew Saunders

Women's Golden Stick

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Women's Leading Goalscorer

Erin Kelly (10)

Catherine Ledesma (9)

Holly Hunt (9)

Kirsten Meehan

Men's Golden Stick

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Men's Leading Goalscorer

Will Saxby (28)

Joshua Skillern (27)

Matt Guise-Brown (26)

Boudewijn Dierick

Barnard Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024//25

Season 2023/24

Team with the Best Playing Record for the Season

Women's 1s

Supervets

Oli Thomas Award

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Rising Star Award recognising a young player making their mark at the Club

Gabriella Giles

Ruby Baird

Morley Pecker Cup

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Most Outstanding Contribution by a Goalkeeper

Joe Harold

Sam Hext

Nick Cowley Award

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

Awarded for Exceptional Umpiring Contributions

Charles Packe

Josh Baron

Third Half Jug

Most Social Team

Women's 5s

Women's 4s

SPECIAL AWARDS

Woodpecker Tankard

Season 2025/26

Season 2024/25

Season 2023/24

For Long Service to the Club

Sam Taylor Award

Season 2025/26

Exceptional Contribution and Commitment to the Club

Nick Coleman

Oz Rankin

HISTORY OF AWARDS

Change of Approach

The Club remained conservative in awarding cups and trophies until an antipodean initiative, led by Kevin Gallen, in consultation with Jeff Gibson (player and later manager of the Men’s 1st XI), Greg Pierce and Greg and Tracy Carr in the 1993-94 season changed the picture completely. 

In the 1970s Club awards were limited to the Barnard Cup and the Woodpecker Tankard. They were handed out at the AGM. The Gallen inspired changes resulted in a series of presentations as part of the Annual Dinner, possibly to greater acclaim, given the difference in atmosphere. 

Later Awards

The Annual Dinner began to witness a wider range of awards from 2010. They included the Team Captain of the Year in both the Men’s and Women’s sections and a Website Prize in recognition of the best match reports posted to the Club’s website. 

As President, Richard Sykes reserved a few special awards at his discretion to recognise individuals who went above and beyond the call for the Club. There were no particular criteria but it was a way of recognising significant efforts. The guiding principle was that it was not to reward someone with a particular role but awarded to someone leaving a significant role, such as that to Victor Boulter in 2012, who singlehandedly ran all umpiring co-ordination, umpire assessment and also umpiring three (and sometimes more) matches every Saturday. 

In 2013, awards were made to Jen Hughes (for umpiring) Mark Clews (for his work and photography for the website) and Anton Davie (for fundraising).  In 2014, the award was presented to Jamie Perkins in effect as a lifetime achievement award as that was his final year playing for the Club. He had introduced the Zak Hond XI to the Club, acted as captain and later Club Captain and later agreed to be a manager of the Men’s 1st XI.


THE AWARDS

BARNARD CUP

Presented to the team with the best playing record for the season

The Barnard Cup is the Club’s oldest and its most prestigious playing award.


It was donated to the Club by Laurie Barnard, whose application to join the Club had come before the Annual General Meeting on 5 September 1924. Laurie was not known personally to two Club members and was invited to play in the practice game to be held on 20 September 1924. That membership must have been confirmed but there is no record of when.


On 7 January 1937, the Club Secretary reported that “Mr L Barnard had kindly offered a Cup to the Club in memory of his wife, to be presented for some feat, the exact nature to be discussed by the Committee.” Two days later, the Secretary wrote to Laurie to propose “that the Cup to be presented by him should take the form of a Loving Cup, to be kept in the Clubhouse during the season and to be used at the Club Dinner, Club Dance and, at the captain’s discretion, after any notable victory; the Cup to be held by the captain of the side with the best playing record for the previous season”.


On 5 April 1937, the Committee proposed that the Barnard Cup should be held, on the first occasion, by the 1st XI. Auspiciously, the Secretary was instructed to look into the question of its insurance.


Subsequent AGMs recorded the playing records of the Club’s teams and naming the team that had won the Barnard Cup that season. The winning teams’ results were not always startlingly good in later years as Club fortunes declined. For example, on 12 April 1961, the 1st XI had won the Barnard Cup but had only won six, drawn three and lost seven. Two years later, however, the Secretary reported that, so far as results were concerned, it had been the most successful season since the renowned 1955-56. The Barnard Cup had been won by the 3rd XI. One year further on, 31 goals were the least scored by the 1st XI since at least 1935 but the team still won the Barnard Cup.


In the early 1970s, one Saturday evening, whilst driving members of a team home after post-match entertainment a row broke out concerning the amount of time that was being spent playing hockey. It became increasingly contentious. The woman driver opened her car window, grabbed the Barnard Cup and threw it out on to the Kingston by-pass.


The other occupants watched in trepidation as the Cup bounced off the tarmac and tried to track its whereabouts. The driver was persuaded to stop on the side of the road. The hockey playing husband rushed out to retrieve the Cup. He did so but discovered that the Cup had sustained a large dent in its side that remained as a testament to the event.


On 30 April 1982, as reward for winning the Barnard Cup for the first time, the members of the Veterans XI convened at Kettner’s for a special dinner, convened by Peter Boizot.


Soon after the Club took up residence at the Carlton Tavern, following the migration to Paddington Recreation Ground, the Barnard Cup was on display behind the bar. It proved too much a temptation and to the chagrin of the manager, it was stolen in broad daylight. The thief was never apprehended, despite strenuous questioning of the regulars by the distressed manager, conscious of its importance to the Club.


An insurance claim was successful, despite there being no photograph of the Barnard Cup. A drawing of it was made from memory, which proved sufficient. Valuation advice was taken from the London Silver Vaults, off Chancery Lane. The Cup was made of solid silver and therefore considerably valuable at that time (in spite of the dent). 


Former President Stan Elgar offered the Club a replacement trophy. However, that too had a foreshortened history. It became another casualty of the partial demolition of the Carton Tavern and was not recovered. A third Cup was acquired that is still testament to Laurie’s name. Its award still focuses the attention of teams in contention towards the end of a season.

WOODPECKER TANKARD

Club Member of the Year Award

At the HWHC AGM on 5 April 1968, the President, Jeremey Potter, thanked Messrs Pecker and Wood for handing back a handsome sum from their winnings in the 200 Draw, to be expended on something of lasting benefit to the Club. A month later, the Committee agreed to suggest to Messrs Pecker and Wood that their offering might either be invested, with the annual interest being used to award a Member of the Year tankard or be set against the cost of a spiker that was then being considered to improve the grass surfaces. The Committee voted substantially in favour of the tankard but preferred the donors to make a choice with this knowledge.


On 4 July 1968, the Secretary reported that “Mr Pecker favoured a Member of the Year tankard and that Mr Wood was happy to accept any decision that the Committee made”. It was therefore agreed to invest the available funds accordingly. The tankard would be awarded annually by the President at the Committee’s recommendation, if requested, and would be known as the Woodpecker Tankard.

SAM TAYLOR AWARD


Exceptional Contribution and Commitment to the Club

Sam Taylor collapsed and died at the Carlton very suddenly after playing that afternoon. It was a huge shock. He was 37 years of age. In order to mark the contribution that he had made as Match and Venue Secretary and later Manager of the Men’s 1st XI in the first two seasons in the National League, the Committee wanted to express its appreciation in particular to his widow, Jenny, who had herself been a singularly dominant force in establishing a women’s playing section in the Club and who was well known and respected in the Club.


The Sam Taylor Award was therefore presented to Jenny at the Annual Dinner in 1995. It was intended to recognise exceptional contribution and commitment to the Club. It takes the form of an inscribed salver. It was not intended as an annual award and only to be presented on extremely rare occasions when the circumstances were appropriate.

MORLEY PECKER CUP

Most Outstanding Contribution by a Goalkeeper

As evident by its name, this Cup was donated by former goalie turned umpire and judge Morley Pecker. It was inaugurated for the Annual Dinner in 2005 and to reward the most outstanding contribution by a goalkeeper.

OLI THOMAS AWARD


Rising Star Award recognising a young player making their mark at the Club

It was with great sadness that HWHC learned of the death of Oli Thomas on 26th April 2016 while serving his country in southern Afghanistan. Oli joined HWHC in September 2012 and soon became a stalwart member of the Hammers.


It is a great credit to Oli that he quickly established himself as an integral part both of his team and of the club as a whole. On the pitch, Oli was a fine... if somewhat exotic, player. The nutmeg, lifted twirl and sideline keeper chip were never far from the top of his box of tricks. Both on the field and off it, he was always first to put his hand up to volunteer to help his team, his club and his friends.


But more than anything, Oli was a great guy to be around. A massive personality, full of fun, a brilliant raconteur, a natural wit, a warm and caring man. He made us all look forward to our weekends a little bit more. We all dearly loved Oli. We miss him.


Oli’s parents created the Rising Star award in his memory to recognise a young player each season that is making their mark at the club.


NICK COWLEY AWARD


Awarded for Exceptional Umpiring Contributions

Nick Cowley was one of HWHC’s finest.


He joined Hampstead & Westminster Hockey Club in the early 1990s and was a regular for many years for the Men's 4s, and in the late 1990s he captained the Men's 5s. By the noughties, he moved on to the Vets, Supervets and most recently the Grandmasters. He was also a regular member of the Vets touring teams in Belgium. And he captained the summer team “The Opposition”.


Above and beyond his own team, Nick was a willing umpire. He would not complain if the fixture was a late one, or even away. Whatever he did and whoever he dealt with, he did it well and with a smile.


Nick’s even bigger contribution to HWHC was off the pitch. He was a critical member of the Club’s Management committee, as Club Treasurer for more than a decade, until late 2008. Back in those days, match fees were paid in cash, so it was arduous counting and banking weekly match fees, and also having to chase late payers. Nick was diligent and, before the days of internet connectivity, he always pursued his own initiatives (politely of course) to collect money due from Club members.


All of this he did with modesty, together with his constant charm and patience. He was integral to the club becoming a Company Limited by the guarantee of its members, and he was instrumental in securing Gift Aid status for HWHC as a Community Amateur Sports Club; the latter was key to the finances of the club.


SANKEY SIFFLEURS AWARD

Awarded for Extraordinary Commitment to Umpiring

This award came about in March 1989 after the death of John Sankey, renowned as one of the three who managed the Club’s revival in 1951 after the dispersal of members at the end of the Second World War. Once a player in the 1930s, John had later taken up umpiring. He was a Vice President and hardly missed attending an AGM in the years that followed. His daughter discovered two whistles that John had used and donated them to the Club.


They were mounted, framed and presented to the Club, with the request that they be named the Sankey Siffleurs and awarded for some extraordinary commitment to umpiring in the Club. 


Latterly, in tribute to the late Nick Cowley, a similar award is now established in respect of exceptional umpiring contributions.

THIRD HALF JUG AWARD


Most Social Team

A trophy was provided by the Men’s 5th XI at the end of the 1995-96 season allegedly as the team wanted to encourage others to surpass its self-proclaimed renown as the most sociable in the Club at that time. It came about after the Club had moved to the Carlton Tavern. It was to recognise the largest social contribution made to the Club in each season. 


Usually, an opinion was taken from the managers of the Carlton Tavern in deciding which team deserved to win the award, although in its early days, it was said that the award was in the gift of the winners in the previous season. It was first awarded to the Veterans in 1996 and in 1997 to the Women’s 1st XI.

GREG AND TRACEY CARR CUP

The arrival in London of Greg and Tracey Carr from Kincumber, New South Wales in September 1988 led to a seismic change in the playing fortunes of the club. The lack of success at men’s 1st XI level had been a recurring problem.  The inability to bring about change led to suggestions that a professional coach was needed. Once Peter Boizot had indicated his support, the search began. When there was no response to advertisements in the UK hockey press, the net was spread wider. On 11 February 1988, the Committee learned that Greg Carr had responded to an advertisement placed in Australia and had applied to be the club’s coach.


Greg was a member of St George Club in Sydney and was captain in 1986. He had represented New South Wales Juniors and the full state side both at home and on tour (captaining the team when in the United States). He coached Esquires Women’s HC in 1987 (based at Gymea Bay, to the south of central Sydney) to the Grand Final of the Sydney competition. His mother had represented New South Wales and Australia from 1954 to 1970. His wife Tracey played Grade 1 hockey in Australia and specialised in the indoor game, representing New South Wales since indoor hockey’s inception in 1984.


Greg and Tracey were welcomed to the club’s committee meeting on 5 September 1988. In the previous season, the men’s 1st XI had won four games, drawn five and lost fifteen, with a 23.60 percentage. The introduction of the National League that season was expected to have a significant impact on the London League. At the end of the next season, the 1st XI had risen to eleventh in the London League, assisted by Greg’s impact as player coach. The women’s 1st XI had been strengthened by Tracey’s presence and were in contention with Hendon for first place in Middlesex League 2. This had an impact, too, on the women’s 2nd XI, who were promoted to Middlesex League 3 at the end of the season.


1989 was a year of significant change for Hampstead HC. In March, the committee agreed to recommend to a EGM that the club should sever links with the Hornsey Club, take up pitch residence at Paddington Recreation Ground, adopt Paddington Sports Club as its clubhouse and change its name to Hampstead & Westminster HC. 


At the mid-point of the season, the Hampstead & Highgate Express mentioned that “Hampstead skipper Mike Hick hopes his team will start the Nineties by winning the Pizza Express London League “after spending the last decade in the doldrums”. It added that, “Hampstead have spent several seasons struggling against relegation. But Hick believes this time they‘ll finish in the top three at least.” It was with this optimism in mind that Greg began preparations for his captaincy of the team.


In February 1989, he commented on the static nature of player selection. He suggested a panel of experienced members, not necessarily captains, to spot misplaced talent and to enforce movement between teams.  The Committee agreed that such a panel ought to be elected at the AGM and to examine, in the meantime, if the proposal could be introduced in some other format for the remainder of the season.  


The men’s 1st XI finished in second place in the League to Surbiton by seven points. Greg had been a regular goalscorer, including two goals against Oxford University and a hat trick in the next game, a 3-1 defeat of Tulse Hill. Tracey had became captain of the women’s 1st XI for the 1989-90 season and Greg took over the captaincy of the men’s 1st XI from Mike Hick at the start of the 1990-91 season. 


This season, there would not a play off to determine which teams would gain promotion to the National League.  The season came to a thrilling conclusion with the championship to be determined between Surbiton and Hampstead, the match taking place at Reed’s School at midday on 23 March 1991. The team had been bolstered by recruits, including Laurie Gallen, a New Zealand international (and brother of centre-forward, Kevin) and Dave Powter, a forward. Hampstead took the lead with a goal from Laurie but when Dave Powter went around the Surbiton goalkeeper, his shot hit the upright. Surbiton equalised deep into the second half and the draw was sufficient for the championship.


At the AGM on 4 June 1991, Greg reported that the team “had again come second in the League and that if the team could be kept together next year, it stood a good chance of winning”.  Tracey reported for the women’s 1st XI and said that they had had a better season, coming fourth (helped by new players). She was to hand over the captaincy to Lis Steele, in large part as she was to become a mother to daughter Lauren.


Spurred on by improvement and a taste of success, Hampstead consolidated its standing in the London League, under the coaching of New Zealand international, Greg Pierce, after Greg Carr’s return to Australia.  The London League then merged with the South League, which Hampstead won by three points at the end of the 1993-94 season.  This, finally, was the Club’s gateway to the National League. Many hold that the club’s participation in National League hockey is owed in large part to the contributions by Greg and Tracey. 


The couple made other contributions to the well-being of the club. Both provided significant assistance to the surprise party at the Lord’s Banqueting Suite on 14 November 1989 to celebrate Peter Boizot’s 60th birthday, addressed by Phil Appleyard, the President of the Hockey Association. In 1991, the responsibility for club information was taken up by Greg and Tracey, helped by their work then being based at Kettner’s. They distributed team selection sheets fortnightly.  They issued news of club events, as opposed to match reports, set in manuscript on headed notepaper. Tracey agreed to be the editor of a newly vamped Club Newsletter. 


When the club moved to Paddington Recreation Ground the arrangements for youth hockey had to be re-started. Greg went out to the local schools and forged local connections. However, he found that the supply of children continued to be unstable. In some years, there was a significant influx but as those children moved through the system they were not consistently replaced by younger players. 

JEFF GIBSON AWARD

Jeff was a tall New Zealander., who joined the club in 1988 and played as a centre back in the 1st XI under Mike Hick and then Greg Carr. He made his presence felt and hit the ball hard. Early in his Hampstead career, in October 1988, he was prominent with disallowed goal from a corner in a 0-1 loss to Cambridge University in the London League fixture and on the next day, with a hat trick In a 5-4 defeat of Staines in a Nationwide Anglia Cup game at Feltham. Hampstead had to recover from a 1-3 deficit. The headline in the Ham & High’s headline read “Gibson hat-trick lifts Hampstead”. He had “come to the rescue” rifling home his second goal after a penalty flick had been saved by the Staines goalkeeper and scored the winner at a short corner after an exchange of passes with Kevin Gallen. His goals continued to feature in match reports in the local press.


The 1st XI ended the season in eleventh place in the London League. One year later at the club’s AGM on 16 May 1990, captain Mike Hick reported that the team had had the best season for some considerable time and had come second in the League. He wished his successor well “and said that it was likely that the team would have a Manager next season”. 


This came about when Jeff was appointed the Manager of the 1st XI for the 1990-91 season. It was a rare development in London hockey at the time. It complemented the retention of Greg Carr as the club’s first full time player-coach, as the team adopted a more professional approach, determined to reach the National League. In a pre-season circular, Jeff informed prospective team members that he would be assuming the new role of Manager, working closely with Greg on team selection, training and game plans and, more specifically, would be taking pre-match and half time talks. 


As the Hockey Association had abandoned playoffs at the end of that season, winning the London League would lead to automatic promotion to the National League. This was an opportunity to be taken. Players would be tested and monitored as the start of the season approached and a training regime was set out.


He made his managerial presence felt in the first League game of the season delivering “a half time verbal roasting” when 0-1 down to Old Kingstonians. “Gibson’s half-time lecture did the trick as Hampstead stepped up,” winning 3-2.


Hampstead maintained an unbeaten run in the early stages that season with a 5-4 defeat of Purley, when the winning goal was scored with 30 seconds left to play. It led Jeff to tell the Ham & High’s reporter that for the sake of his health, he hoped that there would not be too many games like that one. 


The season culminated in a 1-1 draw with Surbiton at Reed’s School, the equaliser coming twelve minutes from time after Hampstead had hit the post when a goal up. The draw denied Hampstead the three points needed and instead guaranteed National League hockey for Surbiton. It was the second successive year that Hampstead were runners up in the London League.


Throughout that season, Jeff had articulated his requirements of the team in order to achieve the coveted promotion. In March 1991, he repeated the season’s objectives in a circular to squad members.  Additional players had been recruited to give flexibility and back-up. Starting line ups would be only announced immediately prior to each match. Players should not be surprised if omitted.  The starting eleven would be selected for each game on the basis of fitness, speed and the ability to adhere to and enhance the team pattern. Those not selected had a vital role to play in pushing the starting players, to warm up with them and to encourage. Tactical substitutions would be made and injuries would need to be covered. A unified squad was vital for the remaining matches.


As an incentive for the last three games, he agreed to contribute to the team fine fund £10 for each goal scored but deduct £20 for each goal conceded, conditional on winning all three games.


As the crucial final league match approached, on 20 March 1991 he produced a lengthy summary of team thoughts from the previous session, a game plan summary, a starting line up and a list of detailed individual tasks for each player, including substitutes. Routines for attacking and defensive short corners were recorded in detail and, finally, a timetable for the match on 23 March 1991, which included transport arrangements, a ninety minute pre-match routine and then (minute by minute) for arrival at the ground and assembly before the start of the match at noon. This was certainly a first for Hampstead.

DAVE DIXON CUP

Always with infinite modesty, given his hockey talents, Dave Dixon has been a loyal life member and player for the club for 50 years. He was involved at the outset with the men’s 1st XI, captaining the team for two seasons before taking a sabbatical with Hounslow, returning to bolster the campaign under Greg Carr and Greg Pierce to win the London League (later the South League) and gain promotion to the National League. Dave was also regularly selected by Middlesex and was awarded a County Badge in the 1979-80 season. 


After a break, he returned to play Veterans hockey and represented England at Over 65 and 70 level, playing a crucial role in winning the World gold medal in 2018. He was also a leader for the club in indoor hockey, including the three leagues at the time in the London area and in the national knock out competition. Dave had a part to play in almost all the significant episodes in the life of the men’s 1st XI prior to promotion to the Premier Division of the National League, including scoring Hampstead’s first goal in the National League in 1994. 


Dave was renowned in the London League days for his consummate stickwork and ability to thread passes at rapid pace. He was a fine striker of short corners, usually rattled in at high speed. He was one of only a handful of non-Asians invited to play for the London Indians and to tour with the Lusitanians. He has a huge admiration of the way they play the game. Had it not been for his free spirit, he was expected to have been selected for England’s outdoor team. But that was not be until later in life.


He was elected to membership of the club on 13 December 1976. He had played hockey at Cliftonville on the East Kent coast, frequently alongside his brother Tim, who also joined Hampstead. 


In this period, Dave was the outstanding indoor club player. In the 1978-79 season he made the greatest number of appearances (fourteen) in the Grays League, scoring fifteen goals, sixteen appearances in the Mercian League, scoring eight and eleven appearances in the Stanmore League, scoring twelve. In the National Indoor Tournament, he made six appearances and scored nine goals. 


At the Club’s AGM on 2 May 1978, Dave and Geoff Wilmott were appointed the Club’s Indoor Managers for the forthcoming season. Their appointment led to a marked change in indoor hockey for the Club.


Dave took on the captaincy of the 1st XI in the 1980-81 season. The League programme ended with a draw against fourth placed Richmond and a 5-0 defeat of Mid Surrey. That left the 1st XI with 53.7% success, winning eight, drawing seven and losing eleven. This improved to 59.2% in the following year, winning thirteen, drawing six and losing on eight occasions. 


Dave returned to Hampstead when the 1st XI was captained by Mike Hick and played alongside Greg Carr and Greg Pearce (who he held in high regard). Under Greg Carr the team won the South League and after Greg Carr had returned to Australia, it went on to secure promotion to the National League at the Play Offs from 25-27 March 1994. Dave scored from a short corner in the second game, in defeating Crostyx 1-0 and then twice in the third game when Hampstead overcame Harborne 2-1. 


Dave played for Hampstead in the first season in the National League, scoring seven goals in total. He then withdrew from first team hockey but was recalled two years later in April 1996, when  Hampstead faced the play offs again, on this occasion for survival. 

Drawing 1-1 with Warrington in the final game, Hampstead hit the goal post with just sixteen seconds left to play. The dropped points led to a single match play off a week later against Oxford Hawks, who came from behind in the final minutes to win 3-2. 


Dave was an eager tourist and frequently returned to his home town, with the Hampstead Spaniards, at the Thanet Festival during Whitsun. He also took part in pre-season festivals for training for the 1st XI squad, such as at Cardiff and Newport and Gloucester City under his captaincy.  


Later, Dave was content to take up Veterans hockey, not only for Hampstead but also on the international front, playing, among other venues, for the England Over 65 team, winning a gold medal at the Masters World Cup in Barcelona in June 2018 and a runner’s up medal at the European Championships in Brasschat later that year. In Cape Town in 2024, he blamed himself for England’s 3-4 loss to Wales in the men’s Over 70 competition but the Netherlands defeated Wales for the bronze medal. He also participated in regional Over 70 hockey, representing London in winning their division in June 2025. 

NICK & SALLY OPENSHAW CUP

Nick and Sally were one of several married couples who made a significant contribution to the club as the women’s section was becoming established after its formal establishment at the AGM on 16 April 1984. Sally was appointed captain of the 2nd XI for the 1984-85 season, between the two seasons when Nick captained the men’s 4th XI in 1983 and 1985. She won the women’s Golden Sticks Award as leading scorer in the 1985-86 season. 


In 1986, when presenting his report as captain of the 4th XI Nick described a season that was a mirror image of the 3rdXI.  Having enjoyed the best possible start, the form after Christmas had witnessed “a gamut of emotions over the next six weeks”. Absences by those going skiing had left the team playing poorly at the end, with frequent calls for players from the lower teams. Nick was content to move to lower ranked teams in later years. In a harsh judgment, the club’s newsletter of 29 November 1992 remarked that in a goalless draw for the 5th XI vs Spencer, “the game was dreadful, the pitch was dreadful, which suited Nick Openshaw’s game to the ground”.


When the women’s section began to exert some desired influence within the club, with a willingness to fulfil roles that otherwise may have laid vacant, Sally was appointed Subscriptions Secretary in 1991.


After what was said to be “four years in the wilderness of the back benches”, Nick was appointed Club Secretary in 1989 and continued for two seasons. With separation from the Hornsey Club, the hockey club’s committee suggested that a new form of constitution would be required. Soundings were taken from lawyers within the club and Nick set about compiling a new set of Rules  Those of March 1966 had been adapted in April 1979 to take account of the amalgamation with the Hornsey Club and now change was needed. 


He was heavily involved in the campaign to persuade Westminster City Council to floodlight the second pitch at Paddington (the current water based surface) in 1990.  He also proposed changes to the way in which the club was run, with the creation of a greater number of posts to spread the administrative burden. These positions were supplemental to the committee-based posts (and not all came to fruition).


Nick then moved to North Devon to set up his own legal practice but continued to join Hampstead touring teams, having been a touring regular when living in London. This included the Beerschot Veterans Tournament in 2010 and the Eburons Vets Tour in 2015. He also appeared for the Legends team in the third H&W Memorial Match played at Paddington Recreation Ground in 2010.

BARNARD CUP

Presented to the Team with the Best Playing Record for the Season

Season

Winner

Season

Winner

Season

Winner

1937-39

No record

1979-80

Vets

2015-16

1951-52

Not awarded

1980-81

Men's 6s

2016-17

1952-53

Not awarded

1981-82

Vets

2017-18

1954-55

Men's 3s

1982-83

Men's 3s

2018-19

1955-56

Men's 1s

1983-84

Men's 4s

2019-20

1956-57

Men's 4Bs

1984-85

Men's 3s

2020-21

1957-58

Men's 1s

1985-86

Men's 3s

2021-22

1958-59

Men's 2s

1986-87

Vets

2022-23

1959-60

Men's 3s

1987-88

Men's 5s

2023-24

1960-61

Men's 1s

1999-00

Men's 1s

2024-25

Supervets

1961-62

Men's 1s

2000-01

Vets

2025-26

Ladies 1s

1962-63

Men's 3s

2001-02

Thirsts

1963-64

Men's 1s

2002-03

Spaniards

1964-65

Men's 4s

2003-04

Zak Hond

1965-66

Men's 5s

2004-05

Men's 3s

1966-67

Men's 4s

2005-06

Men's 2s

1967-68

Men's 5s

2006-07

Women's 5s

1968-69

Men's 4s & Men's 5s

2007-08

Women's 2s

1970-71

Men's 3s

2008-09

Women's 2s

1971-72

Vets

2009-10

Women's 6s

1973-74

Men's 5s

2010-11

Men's 2s

1974-75

Men's 4s

2011-12

Women's 3s

1975-76

Men's 6s

2012-13

Women's 1s

1976-77

Men's 3s

2013-14

Zak Hond

1978-79

Men's 3s

2014-15


MEN'S GOLDEN STICK TROPHY

Leading Men's Goalscorer

Season

Winner

Season

Winner

Season

Winner

1978-79

T Fawley & A Hillel

2005-06

T Calewaert

2019-20

1979-80

M Sadler Forster

2006-07

I Hammond

2020-21

1980-81

C Schroeder

2007-08

T Calewaert

2021-22

1983-84

A Hillel

2008-09

T Calewaert

2022-23

1984-85

H George

2009-10

O Rankin

2023-24

1985-86

H Smith

2010-11

J Witt

2024-25

1986-87

R Jameson & R Chitra

2011-12

S Dixon

1987-88

A Latter & D Harper

2012-13

J Edington

1999-00

J Dakin

2013-14

D Richardson

2000-01

D Bendall

2014-15

2001-02

P Schapper

2015-16

2002-03

W Nurse

2016-17

2003-04

J Collinge

2017-18

2004-05

I Hammond

2018-19

CLUB PRESIDENTS

Period

President

Period

President

1884-1895

A Russell Parker

1969-1972

P Kay

1895-1902

E Brodie Hoare MP

1972-1975

T B Stafford

1902-1913

S S Pawling

1975-1977

S N Elgar

1913-1914

H B Hayman

1977-1986

Hornsey Club Hiatus

1919-1921

F W Orr

1986-2001

P J Boizot

1921-1939

F E Eiloart

2001-2011

G Mayers

1953-1960

R L Milsted

2011-

R Sykes

1960-1963

W J Fletcher

1963-1966

J C Sankey

1966-1969

R J Potter

2025/26 ANNUAL DINNER

Our Partners

1894 Club Members (Season 2025-26)
Mountview Capital
Wolfpack Bars and Pubs
Willow Tree Dental
Harris Balcombe
Lime Licensing Group
Major Padel Club
Hawkinsport
adidas
Everyone Active
Mill Hill School
Highgate School
Athlete Origin
The Portfolio Group
UCS Hampstead
1894 Club Members (Season 2025-26)
Mountview Capital
Wolfpack Bars and Pubs
Willow Tree Dental
Harris Balcombe
Lime Licensing Group
Major Padel Club
Hawkinsport
adidas
Everyone Active
Mill Hill School
Highgate School
Athlete Origin
The Portfolio Group
UCS Hampstead
England Hockey
England Hockey Men's Hockey League
England Hockey Women's Hockey League
England Hockey ClubMark
England Hockey Talent Centre
England Hockey Talent Academy
London Hockey
England Hockey
England Hockey Men's Hockey League
England Hockey Women's Hockey League
England Hockey ClubMark
England Hockey Talent Centre
England Hockey Talent Academy
London Hockey
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