After announcing that I would make a 'Journal' entry for 'George', I have to admit that such a simple promise has been so hard to complete. Charlie said that George always wanted to be shot, in bed, aged 85, by a jealous husband and I suppose that sums up the humour that he always had?

Apart from this admirable jest, it was an archery club at Killingworth that was the dream of George McGowan after he started shooting by taking a beginner's course at Killingworth Leisure Centre. This course was taken by Ron Ventilla who was an archery instructor at the time. Six people. including George, were on the course and at it's conclusion the then manager of the leisure centre asked them to start a club at the venue. That must be have been sometime in 1974 at the venue we lost a few years ago due to 'structural' problems. If you have read the little bits of information given elsewhere on this site, the beginning of the club is covered there and mentions George's part in it? George shot for a while at the club in 'Backworth' but then moved back full time to Killingworth.

However, it was George's enthusiasm and persistence that caused the club to flourish from then. Even in the 'bad times' when membership dropped to only a few hearty souls and bleak times looked ahead, it was George who instructed course after course without a break until the membership grew back and he was able to relax, for a while, and allow the club to settle.

I cannot claim to have known George for all that time, as I came here to my 'second' club after moving from another part of the country. By then (the mid 1990's) George was obviously suffering from repeated bouts of poor health with lung infections, however this never prevented him coming to the field or county shoot when the opportunity presented itself. Indeed he was at the Durham & Northumberland 50^th anniversary shoot, held at Houghall College in Durham in 1999. The site of the first ever county championships.
Shortly afterwards it was the club 25^th anniversary and again George turned up, as did the rain, but it didn't stop the fun and George talked enlessly about 'archery' and the club! Another milestone passed.

George was immensely proud of Killingworth and when the shared facilites were 'officially' opened then George was proud as punch to be there with 'his' club, but for details of that you'll need to view another of our journal entries. George was seldom far from Edna and I have included a photo of them together in brighter days. I could have posted dozens of photos onto this journal page and indeed have been offered so many, but I think that it could easily overwhelm this entry where we only wish to remember George and thank him for the opportunity to be all members of Killingworth Archers.