Where We AreSituated at 17 Tinakori Road, in the central city suburb of Thorndon, Wellington Bridge Club is the largest
and most successful bridge club in New Zealand's capital. ♣ 7.30pm Tuesday evenings
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Visitors are welcome to ring Bridget Willcox, our club manager, on +64-4-972 4311 who will
endeavour to find a partner for you for a night's relaxing bridge. Alternatively,
you can email us for any further information.
Lessons for people who want to learn to play Bridge will be held at the club rooms on Tuesday evenings starting at 7.45pm.
Two sets of lessons are planned for 2012, the first starting on 14 February and the second in June.
Lessons consist of two weeks of Minibridge followed by 12 weeks tuition, then new members are introduced into the Junior Grade on Tuesday evenings.
The $70 cost includes comprehensive take-home notes and will also be credited towards the cost of Club membership.
Anybody interested in attending the lessons should contact Bridget Willcox, our Club Manager, at the bridge club on +64-4-972 4311 or send her an email.
♣ 12 December 2011
♣ 14 November 2011
♣ 10 October 2011
♣ 12 September 2011
♣ 08 August 2011
♣ 11 July 2011
♣ 2010 Annual Report
♣ January 2012
♣ December 2011
♣ November 2011
♣ October 2011
♣ September 2011
♣ August 2011
Contact Us | |
| Postal Address: | Wellington Bridge Club |
| PO Box 12-370 | |
| Thorndon | |
| Wellington 6144 | |
| Clubrooms: | 17 Tinakori Road |
| Thorndon | |
| Wellington | |
| Telephone: | +64-4-972 4311 |
| Email address: | wnbridge@paradise.net.nz |
Important Dates |
|
| Wellington 5A Open / 3B Junior Pairs | Sunday February 12 2012 @ 09.30am, 10.00am |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday February 22 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Wellington Regional 10A Main Centre Pairs Location TBA | Saturday 28-Sunday 29 March 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday April 04 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Regional Mixed Sex 3A Pairs Location TBA | Sunday April 22 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday May 09 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Regional IP Trials Location TBA | Saturday 26-Sunday 27 May 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday June 13 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Regional Club Teams Playoff Location TBA | Sunday 17 June 2012 |
| Wellington Regional Mini Congress Location TBA | Friday 06-Sunday 08 July 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday July 18 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Centre Island Pairs 15A Location TBA | Saturday 11-Sunday 12 August 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday August 29 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| National IP Championships Hamilton | Wednesday 26-Friday 28 September 2012 |
| National Congress Hamilton | Saturday 29 September - Saturday 06 October 2012 |
| Wednesday Open 5A | Wednesday October 31 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| New Zealand-Wide Pairs 5A Location TBA | Friday 02 November 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Wednesday Open 5A (Final/Plate) | Wednesday November 07 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Wednesday Open 5A (Final/Plate) | Wednesday November 14 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Wednesday Open 5A (Final/Plate) | Wednesday November 21 2012 @ 7.30pm |
| Wellington Region Christmas Cheer Pairs 3A | Saturday November 24 2012 @ 10.00am |
| Suzanne Duncan Memorial Tournament | Thursday 27, Friday 28, Saturday 29 December 2012 @ 7.30pm each night |
Bridge Links (Note - links will open a new browser window)
Designed by Dean Sole and Karl Hayes.
A Short History of Wellington Bridge Club
With the benefit of hindsight, it can be seen that an American bridge player would come to this country
for something more than a fleeting visit, would miss his competitive bridge, and would do
something about it. In Wellington, in 1934, that’s what happened.
An advertisement was inserted in the “Evening Post” by Mr Otto Glen-Doepel with a plea for
anyone interested to contact him. A meeting was called, attended by 80 people,
and “The New Zealand Contract Bridge Association (Wellington Division)” was duly formed and
registered some 13 months later as an incorporated society. In December 1937 the
local club changed its name to The Wellington Bridge Club (Incorporated).
By March 1935 membership numbered 250 names and the Elm Tree Rooms, above McKenzie’s department
store in Willis Street, was the Club’s first home. The first year’s membership
stabilised at 120 players and apart from the years of World War II this figure remained
constant until the world-wide bridge boom of the mid 1960’s. In 1936 the Club
entered into a tenancy agreement with the National Club for the use of its rooms then
situated above Johnston’s Wines & Spirits at the corner of Panama Street and
Featherston Street, and thus began an association which was to continue until late 1949.
Short-lived tenancies included the Boronia Tea Rooms in Lambton Quay
(opposite Kirkcaldies), in Wakefield House on the Terrace, the Catholic Women’s League
rooms in Lower Cuba Street, a brief return to Wakefield House, and in early 1955 the Club
bought its own premises in Pipitea Street.
In the decade following the purchase of this building, membership increased from 120 to 180
and in the following 5 years was to more than double - from 180 to 375. By late
1965 the hunt was on again for new premises and the Club purchased a property from NZ
Breweries Limited at 8 Moturoa Street. In August 1966, after considerable renovation,
these premises were used for the first time and could boast of a playing room to
accommodate 25 plus tables.
The move to Moturoa Street enabled the Club to settle into a regular routine - A grade on
Wednesdays, B on Thursdays and all-comers on Mondays - to cope with its rapidly growing
membership. July 1958 saw the creation of a new grade to play on the vacant
evening each week and so it was found expedient to transfer the B playing night to
Tuesday and the new “A Reserve” grade to use Thursdays, and so it has continued.
Bridge players are a competitive lot and it is interesting to note the first regular
inter club competition made its appearance between the Wellington Club and Crockford’s
Bridge Club in Christchurch (a comparatively cheap overnight ferry trip away), played
annually on a home and away basis until it ended in 1954.
In 1989, with membership hovering around the 500 mark, the Wellington Bridge Club purchased
its existing clubrooms at 17 Tinakori Road, Thorndon.
To quote the late, great Les Schneideman, for many years “Mr Bridge New Zealand”, replying
to a remark that Wellington would be one of the best bridge clubs in New Zealand.
Les bridled and practically trumpeted “IT IS THE BEST BRIDGE CLUB IN NEW ZEALAND.”
Long may it remain so.
[extracts from “Bridging Fifty Years: A history of the Wellington Bridge Club 1934-1984”
by J.G. (Woe) Wilson, compiled by Jenny Delaney]
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Lessons
Where We Are
Session Times
Visitors
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Tuesday evening
Wednesday evening
Thursday evening
Friday afternoon
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Minutes
Newsletters
Important Dates
Information Leaflet
Club Officers
Bridge Links
Contact Us
Club Rules as at 22 February 2011
Club History
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This page last updated February 03 2012.
© Dean Sole, 2003 - 2012. Feel free to use the links on these pages in the great spirit of the game of Bridge.