The Evenwood Weightlifting Club, formerly known as the Teesdale and District Weight Lifting Club, was established in 1975.  George Parkinson started the club at the Turks Head pub, Barnard Castle where Allan Jackson, John Gowland, Maurice Shields and Mike Rutter were training.  Using George’s connections, he was a policeman based at Staindrop, the club used the Borstal gym at Barney and used the facilities at HMP Durham.  George Parkinson, Allan Jackson, Alan Hutchinson and some other lads moved into a room in the old school building at Evenwood.  They had to vacate it so they moved to the Wesleyan Chapel down the road.  Then they were offered the use of the former Infants School building and that became the permanent base for the club.  Equipment has been acquired over the years from various places – the first Olympic Bar with weights was brought from Hull by Alan and Myra Hutchinson in their Ford Escort with it stuck out of the window!  

Members have been involved in power lifting, tug-of-war and arm wrestling.  There has been global and national success with Allan Jackson being a member of the Great Britain power lifting team, Allan Hulme qualifying for the World Masters Bench Press Championships and Neville Wood, British under-23 champion.

The tug-of-war team started competing locally at Copley and Evenwood carnivals before entering more prestigious competitions farther afield.  The highly successful tug-of-war team went under the name of Steel Edge and in the mid-1980s, the team was a force to be reckoned with.  They won every event in Scotland during this successful period.  Team members included Nigel and Neville Wood, Barry Harle, Allan Jackson, Ian Hutchinson, Marshal Elliott, Alan Wilkinson, Martin Hyman and Paul Lupton. 

Scott Douthwaite and Raymond (T) Swainston have been influential in the continued success of the club. This brief introduction is insufficient in recognition of its huge success, both locally and beyond.

Long may it continue.

Above: 15 March 2025: Evenwood Weightlifters at the 50th Anniversary Display at the Randolph Community Centre

Above: Randolph Community Centre: The display in the foyer.

Above: 1975, Northern Echo, an article by Mike Amos also known as John North

Above: British Amateur Weight Lifting Association badge, courtesy of Alan Hutchinson

Above: ALLAN JACKSON LIFTING 325 Kgs (51 STONES 2½LBS.)

Above: And another of Allan with Alan Hutchinson at the doorway.

Above: Competition photos.

Above: Photo courtesy of Maurice Shield.

Above: Allan Jackson, Neville Wood and George Parkinson

NEVILLE WOOD: NEVILLE WAS THE BRITISH JUNIOR & UNDER 23 CHAMPION

Above: ALLAN HUME TRAINING FOR THE COMMONWEALTH BENCH PRESS RECORD (Over 500lbs) with ALLAN JACKSON AND GLYNN MAUGHAN

Above: Allan Hume

Above: LATE 1970s EVENWOOD TUG-OF-WAR TEAM

EVENWOOD CARNIVAL WINNERS

MARSHAL ELLIOTT; NIGEL WOOD; ALAN WILKINSON; ALLAN JACKSON; MARTIN HYMAN; PAUL LUPTON; NEVILLE WOOD

Above: LATE 1970s EVENWOOD TUG-OF-WAR TEAM

THE FIRST COMPETITION WAS AT COPLEY CARNIVAL WHICH BROUGHT THEIR FIRST WIN.  LATER, THE TEAM WENT UNDER THE NAME OF STEEL EDGE.

ALLAN JACKSON; NEVILLE WOOD; PAUL LUPTON; NIGEL WOOD; MARTIN HYMAN; PAUL BELL (Landlord of the Green Tree)

Above: STEEL EDGE TUG-OF-WAR TEAM

NIGEL WOOD; BARRY HARLE; ALLAN JACKSON; NEVILLE WOOD; IAN HUTCHINSON AT THE BACK

FRONT ROW ?

THESE TROPHIES INCLUDE THE HIGHLAND GAMES & THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE WHEN THIS TEAM WON EVERY COMPETITION IN SCOTLAND.

Above: STEEL EDGE TEAM PRACTICING AT SPENNYMOOR  

THE TEAM KIT WAS TWO BLUES WHICH HAPPENED TO BE THE COLOUR THE EVENWOOD WEIGHTLIFTERS GYM WAS PAINTED

Above: A COLLECTION OF TROPHIES FROM ABOUT 1988 WHICH WAS THEIR MOST SUCCESSFUL TUG-OF-WAR PERIOD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alan Hutchinson, Allan and Margaret Jackson, Maurice Shield

27 March 2025: The photographic display to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the club is located in the foyer of the Randolph Community Centre.