Our club is rich in history although sometimes that richness isn’t well known. One small chapter in our history involves a semi-circular table in Carnarvon House against the north windows and opposite the bar. Following a request for some background information on this table, Harnam Grewal kindly provided the text below. This table is not only a testament to the friendships made at our club but also to the enduring memory of past members.

TABLE OF FRIENDSHIP
(To honour the memory of David Roberts)

David and Joan Roberts came to BC to spend their retirement years here in Victoria in December 2005. Shortly after (in 2006), they joined Oak Bay LBC, and the following year David became a member of the Executive as Secretary. He served in that position for five years before he had to retire on health grounds.

David had migrated to Canada with Joan and their four children in 1977 to take up the position of Technical Director of the Canadian Rugby Football Union. In that capacity, he was the rugby football National Coach for eight years, and was “instrumental in the development of Canada’s coaching and refereeing certification programs”.

Shortly after David passed away in October 2011, five members – Jeff Machan, the late Jon Magwood, Harnam Grewal, Jim Sidel and Bill Topfer – got together to see how his memory could be honoured. At Jeff’s suggestion, a decision was taken by them to fund and commission a semi-circular bar table around which members could gather over a drink to watch a game in progress, if there was one on the West green, or simply enjoy having a chat. A table of friendship for members.

A proposal was put to the Executive and it was readily accepted, no cost being involved for the Club. The wood for the table – Honduran Mahogany – had been presented to Jon by the late Ken Mawle, a long-standing and respected member of the Club and a retired Land Surveyor colleague of his. The table was hand-crafted by Sakman Fine Woodworks of Victoria, BC.