Many members will be familiar with the sight of Oliver Pollard at tournaments and championships, but probably few will realise the extent to which, during 50 years of SRA membership, he has been involved with squash at all levels. Peter Wiseman, a friend of many years standing, sets the record straight.

It was whilst playing football for the Old Foresters FC that Oliver's interest in squash started to manifest itself as a means of keeping fit and his squash career took him on a move to the now defunct Wanstead Club, where his involvement in Essex squash began.
As County Secretary for eight years, he formed the Essex Pilgrims in 1954 to play schools of the like of Felstead, Brentwood, Forest and Westcliff County High. He was able to call on players of note for these matches, Jeremy Lyon, David Brazier and many others of County standard turned out for them. During this time, he witnessed the emergence of Robert Dolman, who was capped some 70 times for Wales and Mike Thurgur to play for England, as well as many others who played regularly for their counties. Even after moving to Kent in 1963, Oliver continued to play in every Pilgrims match for 30 years.

Although not a top player, he did represent the Essex 2nd team and played for the now defunct North Kent Priory in Division 2 of the Cumberland Cup. Other clubs represented were HAC ( as captain ) and Ebbisham in the Surry Cup, which entailed a journey by public transport from Loughton in Sundays.

In 1963 he moved to Orpington where joining a squash club proved difficult with the rise of interest in the game. The London Borough of Bromley was allowing St Olave's School to move into the area and with it, fives courts and four squash courts. In no time, a group had got together to form The Chasers who used the school as it's base on Tuesday evenings from 7.00 - 9.00pm in order to play in Division 1 of the new North Kent Priory League. One player - Austin Smith - was to become a very senior official in the Kent LTA administration.

When Oliver, Shelia and their young family moved to Bromley in the late 1960's, Oliver joined Beckenham Cricket Club. He was immediately invited to join the Squash Committee and started an 8 year term as Secretary among such notables as Ron Hosking and the Chairman, Len Miller. This period saw Oliver found the Foxgrove League which is still going strong. The Club was about to enter its Golden Age by winning the Cumberland Cup on six occasions and in 1975, the Banbury Trophy under the captaincy of Guy Morgan. The Cornwallis Cup found its way into the Beckenham trophy cabinet on four occasions.

Oliver's role on the Squash Committee broadened by taking on the job of Fixture Secretary and he was Junior Co-ordinator for some 20 years. Beckenham duly recognised his prodigious input to the club and elected him a Vice President for the services to squash. The Kent SRC, in the person of the late Brian Phillips, asked Oliver to run the inter-club Championships in 1978 and he is still doing it, although the format has greatly changed. A Phillips Plate event was instigated as well as two Ladies events - the Turner-Maltby Trophy and Plate.

All this involvement led to the County awarding his Colours in 1986 and a Vice Presidency in 2000. The Escorts also benefited from Oliver's organisational wizardry and he was made an Honorary Member. The Kent Juniors saw Oliver involved with the creation of the Kent Junior League and Inter-Club Championships which was originally a single event known as the Boddington Trophy, formed in 1982. Further events such as the Pollard (1984), Barton (1985) and Beddoe (1998) Trophies led to another award coming Oliver's way for services to the Junior League.

As if this were not enough, Oliver officiated at the British Amateur Closed and World Championships from 1975-1993 at such venues as the RAC and Lansdowne Clubs, Bromley and the NEC Birmingham with the Royal Albert Hall for the World Championships for good measure. During this time he witnessed some of the best matches at the highest  level for free and missed not a single match when the events were staged at Wembley. An official at the London Youth Games, Oliver was awarded a medal for 20 years service.

I have had the pleasure of Knowing Oliver for as long as I care to remember. I recall him hurtling from a committee meeting one night as I was enjoying my pint and gleefully informing me that I had been elected to the Committee and trusting I wouldn't mind! During my period as Beckenham's Cumberland Cup Manager, Oliver's staunch support and wise counsel were invaluable. Gunboat diplomat he may be, but Oliver has a heart as big as a football and he cares deeply about his club and the game of squash.

( written by Peter Wiseman )