Gerry Eaves

A fine cricketer who captained the Bowdon (Cheshire) first XI, Gerry Eaves was also a full-back for the Bowdon Hockey Club. However, it was as an umpire, rather than a player, that Eaves made his name in the hockey world and officiated at leading matches in both Britain and abroad, including the Oxford v Cambridge Varsity Match, Home Internationals, and the 1964 and 1968 Olympics.

After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, bank manager Eaves moved to the Newcastle area in 1948 and played hockey locally for St. George´s, and the Northumberland county side. During his time as manager of Martins (now Barclays) Bank in Newcastle, Eaves was president of the Northumberland County Hockey Association. Upon his move back to the Manchester Area, he became an official of the Northern Counties Hockey Umpires Association.

An accomplished golfer, Eaves was umpiring county hockey championship match’s up to two years before his death in 1973. During his tine working for Martin´s Bank Eaves and his wife Nancy both took part in local amateur dramatic productions.