History of the South Solway Wildfowlers Association
1953
The club is formed, when a group of dedicated wildfowlers met in the Victoria Viaduct Hotel at Carlisle.
1954
The club joins forces with the Scottish Wildfowling clubs, who operated on the Scottish side of the Solway Firth, and becomes "The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Wildfowlers Association".
1958
The association becomes known as the Solway Wildfowlers Association, with the highly respected Wildfowler & Author, Bill Powell as its chairman.
1975
After 17 years of service to the Association, Mr Bill Powell stands down and is succeeded by Mr Cyril Atkinson, another founder member.
Late 1980s
The Association goes through monumental change with the split of the Scottish & English clubs. This led to the formation of the Association as we know it today – The South Solway Wildfowlers Association, who would control leases held on the English side of the Solway & the newly formed Scottish Solway Wildfowlers controlling the leases held on the Scottish side of the Solway.
1990
The inaugural meeting for the South Solway Wildfowlers Association was held in the Knights club on Warwick road, Carlisle in May 1990, with John Alford as its Chairman & Paul Cunningham as its secretary. A constitution was adopted and the Association was affiliated to BASC.
The club was formed in 1953, when a group of dedicated wildfowlers met in the Victoria Viaduct Hotel at Carlisle.
This group formed the Cumberland & District Wildfowlers Association. The original Charmain & Secretary were Mr John Strong and Mr Eric Stokoe. This original Association was affiliated to WAGBI.
The following year, 1954, the club joined forces with the Scottish Wildfowling clubs, who operated on the Scottish side of the Solway Firth, the new Association became “The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Wildfowlers Association.” Branches of this Association included Stewartry, Dumfries, Anna, Gretna & Carlisle , with over 300 members.
Inn 1958 the association became known as the Solway wildfowlers Association, with the highly respected wildfowler & Author, Bill Powell as its chairman. In 1975 and after 17 years of service to the Association, Mr Bill Powell stood down & was succeeded by Mr Cyril Atkinson, another founder member, who would serve the Association for many years to come.
During the late 1980’s, the Association went through monumental change with the split of the Scottish & English clubs. This led to the formation of the Association as we know it today – The South Solway Wildfowlers Association, who would control leases held on the English side of the Solway & the newly formed Scottish Solway Wildfowlers controlling the leases held on the Scottish side of the Solway.
The inaugural meeting for the South Solway Wildfowlers Association was held in the Knights club on Warwick road, Carlisle in May 1990, with John Alford as its Chairman & Paul Cunningham as its secretary. A constitution was adopted and the Association was affiliated to BASC.
During the past 32 years, the club has grown in strength, now having approximately 160 members. It has been guided along by various chairman such as Mike Thomlinson and the late Eddie Nixon, also secretaries the late Dave Wildey Snr & Brian Hodgson, Brian has now taken on the role of Chairman.