The death has occurred of Barrie Davenport, former leading player, referee and GB junior coach, who gave many years’ devoted service to his home club, Walsall. He was 83.
Barrie played for the Birmingham & District League (now Midland League) when it entered a team in the inaugural season of the former men’s National League in 1963 and two years later was a key figure in Walsall’s decision to join the League in its own right.
At one stage in the 1960s, the Walsall club was so strong that it entered two teams in NWPL.
Barrie, who ran an engineering business, and his wife Jose had four children – Ian, Helen, Sharon and Angela – all of them prominently involved at Walsall SC. Jose herself set up the synchro at Walsall; Ian played water polo for the club for a number of years and still coaches there. Angela specialised in synchro – she now coaches at the Reading club and is an England Masters’ synchro champion – while Sharon (Worthington) is well known as a BWPL event manager and table official.
During his water polo career, Barrie was a top grade referee, officiating at home internationals. He coached GB juniors alongside Manchester’s Mike Glover.
The funeral takes place at 1pm on 20 March at Streetly Crematorium, Little Hardwick Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 OSG.
Barrie played for the Birmingham & District League (now Midland League) when it entered a team in the inaugural season of the former men’s National League in 1963 and two years later was a key figure in Walsall’s decision to join the League in its own right.
At one stage in the 1960s, the Walsall club was so strong that it entered two teams in NWPL.
Barrie, who ran an engineering business, and his wife Jose had four children – Ian, Helen, Sharon and Angela – all of them prominently involved at Walsall SC. Jose herself set up the synchro at Walsall; Ian played water polo for the club for a number of years and still coaches there. Angela specialised in synchro – she now coaches at the Reading club and is an England Masters’ synchro champion – while Sharon (Worthington) is well known as a BWPL event manager and table official.
During his water polo career, Barrie was a top grade referee, officiating at home internationals. He coached GB juniors alongside Manchester’s Mike Glover.
The funeral takes place at 1pm on 20 March at Streetly Crematorium, Little Hardwick Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 OSG.
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