The Downing Memorial Bowl
The Downing Bowl was presented by the South Devon Beekeepers in memory of Mr SAL & Mrs H Downing who died in 1962. The South Devon Beekeepers’ Association (SDBKA) was a group of southern members which broke away from the DBKA in 1953 and returned in 1967. In the first few years the Bowl was presented to the member of the former SDBKA making the most worthwhile contribution to the craft. The handsome silver bowl is presented annually at the AGM, and the decision as to who should receive the award is decided by the Award Committee made up of the current and the previous 2 year’s recipients. The panel does not suggest names themselves but choose from those names given to them.
The award has been made since 1965 and is currently given to the DBKA member who is considered to have contributed most to the Association in recent years. Usually, this is to someone who has contributed at County Association level as well as for their Branch, but the nominee does not have to be a committee member. It is a rule that it is not awarded to the same person more than once. On four previous occasions it has been awarded to a husband and wife team. Every name is considered and all names are kept confidential.
| YEAR | AWARDED TO | YEAR | AWARDED TO | YEAR | AWARDED TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | C J Jeffrey | 1966 | George Gill | 1967 | Eric Morison |
| 1968 | R S Weatherburn | 1969 | Mr & Mrs F Wyatt | 1970 | W H Tunkin |
| 1971 | H J S Clark | 1972 | R E G Green | 1973 | E D Milledge |
| 1974 | Miss J K Hicks | 1975 | D M Hobbs | 1976 | E M Morison |
| 1977 | Not awarded | 1978 | Mr & Mrs C A T Price | 1979 | George Gill |
| 1980 | H W B Luxton | 1981 | B L Pritchard | 1982 | W E Paddison |
| 1983 | Basil Salter | 1984 | Jack & Bar Trew | 1985 | Arthur Jones |
| 1986 | P & Peggy Rosenfeld | 1987 | Kingsley Law | 1988 | Gordon Hill |
| 1989 | Kay Thomas | 1990 | David W Loo | 1991 | Cyril R Gould |
| 1992 | Frank Alston | 1993 | Ron Brown | 1994 | Jim Stevenson |
| 1995 | Reg Gove | 1996 | Brian Gant | 1997 | Henry Morris |
| 1998 | Len Davie | 1999 | Chris Utting | 2000 | Jenny Buckle |
| 2001 | Glyn Davies | 2002 | David Milford | 2003 | Denis Giles |
| 2004 | Mike Deane | 2005 | Jane Ducker | 2006 | Bob Ogden |
| 2007 | Beryl Smailes | 2008 | Dr Mick Street | 2009 | Richard Ball |
| 2010 | Roger Lacey | 2011 | Alicia & Bob Normand | 2012 | Nigel Lawrance |
| 2013 | Richard Howes | 2014 | Ruth Neal | 2015 | Stephen Ide |
| 2016 | Jim Mogridge | 2017 | Colin Sherwood | 2018 | Barry Neal |
| 2019 | Mike Ticehurst | 2020 | Jean French | 2021 | Lilah Killock |
BBKA Honorary Member:
Glyn Davies
DBKA Honorary Member:
Mick Male
Jim Mogridge
Ruth Neal
Colin Sherwood
Mike Ticehurst
Chris Utting
BBKA Master Beekeepers:
Dan Basterfield; Ken Basterfield; Leslie Bill; Glyn Davies (w); Dr Mick Street; Chris Utting
(w) holder of the Wax Chandlers Prize for the highest national marks in their year.
National Diploma in Beekeeping (the highest qualification that can be obtained in the UK):
Dianne Askquith-Ellis; Ken Basterfield; Daniel Basterfield
