Club History
Stourbridge Fencing Club has a long history. Early club records disappeared but the received wisdom was that the club was founded in the Spring of 1961. Evidence, in the form of the Minutes of the Regional AGM, have recently come to light to show that the club was in existence in 1959. Further evidence, including from Sutton Coldfield Club records (founded 1957), show that it was not in existence then. The fact that another club is listed in those 19659 minutes as 'new', whilst SFC is not, and the age at which our oldest surviving member joined, all point to foundation in 1958.
If you are interested in finding out more, click on the links below to see a summary of 65 years of the club's existence and various newspaper cuttings from long ago, together with other images as they are added.
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1. Club history document (pdf) Here
2. Club newspaper articles
The club first began to get coverage in the local papers when the late Nigel Pearson became the Sports Editor of the Stourbridge News. There was some increase in willingness to cover sports other than the big professional ones at the time. Known to the now club Chairman, Peter Baron, Nigel was happy to publish the reports that were sent in and started with a big general spread about the club with a large photo. A couple of subsequent editors were equally happy to continue to publish reports and regular reports continued for some 20 years from that start in 1984, particularly in the News, although the Chronicle was also willing to put in articles, although not quite as regularly. Then, a new editor was appointed, who was only interested in major sports and after 2004 the number of reports tailed off.
Recently found newspaper articles/documents not originated by the club (pdf)
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The West Midlands Region (Section as then called) AGM minutes of 1959, showing that the club existed as early as then Here
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A Birmingham Mail cutting from 1977, of which no-one in he club was aware until 2024. Soon after the revival of the club, it was about complaints within Dudley Coucil over "grants to 'well-heeled clubs'". At the time we would have been having (amateur) coaches expenses paid and a small equipment grant each year. Shows the attitude to fencing with the unsubstantiated reference to being well heeled. Here
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Other newspaper cuttings to follow:
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New information has come to light and the clubscrap book is being reorganised and new cuttings added. More insights into the club's past will be added as the process is completed.
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