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From humble beginnings in 1911 Maranui Surf Life Saving Club has stood loud and proud on Lyall Bay Beach, Wellington, New Zealand - it has truly stood the test of time. Many people ask why there are two lifesaving clubs within a stone's throw of each other on one of New Zealand's safest beaches. That's a good question. Let's find out... 1910. It's a sunny Saturday afternoon and the newly formed Lyall Bay Surf Life Saving Club is preparing for a display of practical lifesaving for the Wellington Mayor and city councilors. HOWEVER…a minute before the big demo a great argument broke out among the team members. Team captain Ted Levy decided to re-shuffle the team members. "Now look here Neal", said Levy to first line George Neal. "I'm the captain and I don't want to swim belt today, I want to be with the reel on the beach what." As a huge surf rolled into the Bay the team hotly debated the arrangement as hundreds of spectators stood watching on the beach. "But Teddy," replied Neal. "Those waves are ginormous and I'll be muredered out there." "I say Neal look here. Button that jib and tie that belt or I'll give you a damn good thrashing," replied Levy. Levy was out of control. Re-arranging the team would not only put his men in danger but might hinder the success of the demonstration. Neal again pleaded to go with the status-qou but Levy would have none of it. "I say Neal, don't you know who I am? I'm the captain don't you know and I want to be with the reel up on the beach with the women and children. Now you go on and climb into that big old belt or be gone forever." Neal left, took several others with him and legged it 100-yards down the beach and founded Maranui SLSC several months later in 1911. OK, maybe that's not quite verbatim but you get the general idea, and for now there are two surf life saving clubs on Lyall Bay beach and both have an amicable appreciation of the other and combine most effectively to keep the beach safe. Maranui has a long and illustrious history including many national, provincial and local titles. It's members have swum the Cook Straight, won national swimming and waterpolo titles, set many firsts in the life saving movement and its men's boat crew was named Wellington Sports Team of the Year in 2000. That's a huge accomplishment considering Wellington boasts several All Blacks including Jonah Lomu - the most famous rugby player in the world. This time line serves as a memory peg for the numerous Maranui men, women and kin scattered throughout New Zealand and the world. We owe a lot to the names listed below because not only did they save lives at the beach, many served in the great wars of Europe and the Pacific. They filled Maranui's proud history so that we may fill the future. If we have missed anything out please let us know about it. 1911 The club was formed on October 3, 1911 at a public meeting at Smith's Tearooms on Onepu Road. At the close of the meeting Maranui had 96 founding members. 1912-13 G Morgan set a record in hours patrolled in one season which will probably stand for all-time at 214.75. 1914 Maranui had successfully saved many lives on Wellington's most crowded beach but now they would be fighting for their own on the battlefields of Europe and Galipolli. By December 1914 21 known Maranui members were in active service. In all nine gallant Maranui men paid the supreme sacrifice during the Great War. 1919 Extreme pressure was applied by the City Council for the two Lyall Bay clubs to amalgamate The first of many coups by young and active members took place at a special general meeting and Maranui ceased to become a bathing club, which it threatened to be and swung into full active competition. Also in that year P. Edwards won the Turner Medal (100 yard run, 100 yard swim, 33 1/3 yard tow and boxing). Club membership 150. 1924 Maranui wins the New Zealand Nelson Shield - the most prestigious national title. The eight-man rescue and resuscitation team was: E. Hughes (capt), V Fletcher (support), I McHardy (belt), J Alexander, A Claridge, P Owen (line), C Eversleigh (reel), V Fletcher (patient). 1925 The Maranui 'wings' were designed for the membership role of a whopping 292. The first ever edition of the 'Maranui Moan' was circulated. It was intended to record the other side of the club. 1925-26 Jan 3, 3pm. A teenage boy from Masterton was pulled unconscious from the water by Maranui's J Sleeman and resuscitated by C Eversleigh. These two would be joined by E Hughes (capt), V Fletcher (belt), J Alexander, D Murrell (support), W Clarks (reel) and J Whisker (patient) later that year to win the Nelson Shield - the most prestigious title at the New Zealand championships. 1926-27 National Four-Man champions: D Murrell (belt), C Eversleigh (line), E Hughes (reel), W Clarke (patient). 1928-29 C Claridge swam Wellington Harbour and was awarded a watch in recognition of his distance swimming feats. Later that year he swam belt in the Nelson Shield winning team. The team was: E Hughes (capt), U Shannon (support), C Claridge (belt), I McHardy, F Jackson, C Eversleigh (line), D Murrell (reel), W Fletcher (patient). 1929-30 Funds were raised to build a new clubhouse and Maranui retained the Nelson Shield with: E Hughes (capt), K Hay (support), F Jackson (belt), E Raven, I McHardy, H Claridge (line), G Easte (reel), C Claridge (patient). 1930-31 The new clubhouse was formerly opened and Maranui placed second and third in the Nelson Shield final - the first club to have a B team place. C Claridge won all Wellington freestyle events and several rescues were made, including working with the police when the steamer 'Progress' was wrecked west of Ohiro Bay. National Four-Man Champions: (B team) E Hughes, I McHardy, H Weston, R Burns. 1931-32 At Christchurch's Sumner Beach Nationals Maranui cleaned house in all three water events that could be held in the huge surf and were the only team to complete the water section of the Nelson Shield. That team was: E Hughes (capt), T Hewitt (support), G Rose (belt), K Hoy, R Burns, C Eversleigh (line), A De Costa (reel), E Raven (patient). William Henry Memorial (four-man): C. Eversleigh (belt), K Hoy (reel), T Hewitt (line), A De Costa (patient). NZ Champion Beltman: C Eversleigh. 1932-33 National Four-Man Champions: E Hughes (capt), T Hewitt, W Clarke, J Whisker. 1934-35 National Titles: NZ Junior Championship (William Henry Memorial), E Hughes, C Durrant, F Hull, a, H Downs, H Baird, F Staub. 1935-36 National titles. March Past; Junior Cup: K Hoy, R Hawken, H Downs, J Gray, J Phythian, C Durrant, N Caradus. 1936-37 National titles. Nelson Shield: E Hughes, P Ballard, J Clark, H Downs, D Evans, T Hewitt, E Raven; NZ Four Man Alarm: K Hoy, D Evens, J Clark, H Hawken; Surf Teams Race: C Claridge, H Downs, D Evens, J Clark. 1937-38 Was the year an NZ team first visited Australia and three Maranui men were selected; J Clark, D Evans and H Downs. It was also the year Maranui got another hatrick at the National championships. Four Man Alarm: K Hoy, D Evans, J Clark, H Hawken. Resuscitation Championship: K Hoy. Surf Teams Relay: J Hatchwell, F Pennington, D Evans, J Clark. 1938-39 Two major events happened in this year. The outbreak of World War II took many Maranui men overseas and new faces held the light in the club's brightest competitive hour. We were the first club in history to win five titles at one National Championships. Nelson Shield Team: P Malthus, J Hatchwell, D Evans, J Clark, H Downs, E Raven. Junior Championship team: N Keall, V Youl, H Wooton, V Baird, R Hall, A Pritchard. Surf Race; J Clark. Surf Teams Relay: J Clarke, J Hatchwell, D Evans, P Malthus. NZ Beltman: J Clark. 1939-40 In what would be the last Nationals until the end of the War Maranui won a record seven events in cold southerly weather. Junior Championship: L Jarvis, K Albert, V Youll, A Gardiner, G Teward, F Youll. Senior Four Man: P Malthus, W Deavoll, E Raven, J Phythian. Senior Surf Race: R Hatchwell, F Pennington, D Evans, J Clark. Centennial Cup: P Malthus, D Evans, J Clark, E Raven, F Pennington, J Hatchwell. Senior Surf Race: J Clark. NZ Resuscitation: E Raven. Beltman: J Clark. 1943-44 Rrecords show 77 Maranui men in the armed forces with 12 dead. National titles (juniors and women only): Junior March Past. Junior Four Man Alarm: N Sellen, N Gray, M Allen, G Mellish. 1945-46 A homecoming party which included the Mayor and High Commissioner of Australia plus five national titles and Maranui picked up where they left post-war competition. Nelson Shield team: P Malthus, A Pritchard, J Hatchwell, E Raven, D Evans, N Sellen. Cambrian Shield: J Hatchwell. Senior Four Man: A Pritchard, E Raven, J Hatchwell, E Kelliher. Junior Beltman: N Gray. Junior Four Man: N Avery, N Gray, L Jackson, R Oliver. 1946-47 National titles. Nelson Shield team: J Clark, P Malthus, J Hatchwell, D Evans, A Pritchard, N Gray. Junior Six-man: W Lidstone, R Hatchwell, B Oliver, F Cooke, N Avery, F Jacobsen. Junior Four-man Alarm: W Lidstone, N Avery, F Cooke, R Hatchwell. 1947-48 Most of the local swimming and life-saving was cancelled in this year because of a polio outbreak. National titles: Senior Four-man Alarm: J Hatchwell, L Jackson, J Clark, V Baird. Senior Beltman: W Dyson. Senior Beach Relay: J Clark, L Jackson, P Aldous, V Baird. 1948-49 National titles: Senior Beltman: Clark. Senior March-Past. Surf Ski Teams: M Allen, S Bright, I Ball, L Jackson. Beach Relay: J Clark, L Jackson, S Bright, R Oliver. Junior March-Past. 1949-50 The year the first Australian team visited New Zealand and three Maranui men were selected for NZ; J Clark (captain), D Evans, R Oliver. National titles: Senior Beltman: J Clark. Surf Teams: J Clark, R Oliver, D Evans, M Haxton. 1950-51 National titles: Senior Beach Relay: J Clark, S Bright, B Oliver, A Maskill. 1951-52 Maranui won the Nelson Shield for the 10th time in this season. National titles: Nelson Shield: R Oliver, M Haxton, R Edwards, G Odams, R Hatchwell, W Lidstone. Surf Race: M Haxton. Senior March-Past. Senior Canoe: B Sinclair, D McCartney, E Rothwell, J Oliver. 1952-53 Was a huge year for Maranui juniors who swooped both Four-man and Six-man titles at the Nationals. They were: Junior Six-man: J Perkins, R Maltby, B Rogers, D Roake, B Williams, P Westropp. Junior Four-man: J Perkins, B Rogers, B Williams, I Harrison. Junior March-Past. Senior Surf Race: M Haxton. Senior Canoe: B Sinclair, D McCartney, N Roake, E Rothwell. 1953-54 Plans were drawn to raise the building by 11ft to convert it to a two-storey building, but was later amended to add a complete new storey. National titles: Cambrian Shield: B Sinclair. Senior Four Man: W Lidstone, M Haxton, R Edwards, B Sinclair. Junior Six Man: B Williams, R Maltby, P Westropp, I Frew, L Ferris, N Bramley. Senior Surf Race: M Haxton. 1954-55 National titles: Senior Surf Teams: M Haxton, G Odams, N Roake, C Lake. Beach Relay: R Darling, B Sinclair, B Edwards, N Bramley. Junior March-Past. 1955-56 With the additions completed the clubhouse was acclaimed as the best in New Zealand. Senior Surf Teams Race: M Haxton, C Lake, R Maltby, B Williams. Senior Four Man: B Williams, M Haxton, F Woodford, B Sinclair. 1956-57 National titles: Nelson Shield. G Odams, M Haxton, R Maltby, R Edwards, R Oliver, R Butts. 1958-59 Maranui became the first club in New Zealand to visit Australia. Club membership hit an all-time peak at 283 members and a huge effort in competition saw Maranui score first and second in the Nelson Shield, as well as well as win the first ever Allan Garner Memorial Trophy for aggregate points at the Nationals. National titles: Nelson Shield. R Oliver, R Edwards, M Haxton, R Malby, I Frew, F Woodford. Junior Four Man. D Hall, A Robinson, R Cheriton, L Eagle. Junior Teams Surf Race. B Crowder, K Mark, M Clark, G Moore. Junior Surf Race: B Crowder. Open Junior Surf Race: K Mark. Allan Garner Memorial Trophy. 1959-60 National titles: Senior Surf Race: B Crowder. 1960-61 In the club's golden jubilee year Maranui Maranui won just the one national title: Senior Surf Teams Race. B Crowder, W Penny, M Haxton, R Maltby. Crowder also picked up two national swimming tittles in this year. 1963-64 The gear shed was added in November. At the Auckland Nationals the senior boat crew was hammered by huge surf. In true Maranui tradition they were disqualified after ramming another boat. G Gallaher scored Maranui's only two tries, one converted by J Warwick in the annual game against Titahi Bay. National Titles: Senior Belt Race: B Crowder. Senior Surf Race: B Crowder. 1967-68 For those who want to know why the club did not help out in the Wahine disaster. What happened was shortly after midday our services were offered, but turned down by the authorities. Three members managed to go to Worser Bay and helped man one of the rescue boats. The club's rugby team, the 'Wellington Surfies' went through the season undefeated and won the fifth grade. WE'RE GETTING TO THE REST, BUT WE NEED ALL THE 'GOOD OIL'. SO E-MAIL US NOW ANY RESULTS AND ANECDOTES SO WE CAN COMPLETE THE JOB. |