I lived in Bexley and at that time three new pools had just opened in the Borough of Bexley and Bexley Council were seeking interested persons to help set up a Borough Swimming Club. I decided to become involved and offered my services to form a water polo section of the new club. My main motivation was to provide an opportunity for youngsters in the area to take up the sport.
A small grant enabled me to purchase a dozen training balls, and a notice was place in the local press inviting any young lads 12 years and older to come along and give water polo a try, at that first session we had a queue of 50 boys….read George’s full account of our early years … link to George’s account here
George was Head Coach up to 1985 and by the mid-1970s the club had three senior teams and two junior teams under 16s and 18s. All George’s hard work paid off when in 1976 Bexley Water Polo had won its first trophy the Kent Senior Cup, which was the start of 25 successful years. The senior sides of the 1980s & 1990s were full of junior players trained by George supplemented with some key experienced seniors. Bexley had two outstanding years of trophy success in 1985 and 1998/9 (see picture below of the 1998/9 Men’s Squad)
Fred Holehouse joined the club in 1974 and immediately started help George run the club, so George could concentrate on coaching. Fred is a legend in the Water Polo fraternity founding Invicta Water Polo who play in the British Championships and six of the team represented GB at the 2012 Olympics. Fred took on roles of Secretary, Chairman and was still our Table Official up to 2015. He was famous for organising amazing fun tours including to France, Netherlands and Malta.
Fast forward to the 2000s success faded as we became homeless twice, in 2006 we moved to our current home Swanley Leisure Centre. We started up a new Ladies section and restarted junior training under our Head Coach Matt Haw. The club is thriving again, with the senior team boosted by GB Olympians Sean King, Ed Scott and Jack Waller we are again a real force in Kent and London Leagues and the clubs greatest achievement came in 2017 when we won the London Premier League Title for the first time.
In 2019 we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a big gathering of past and present players, it was a great evening with guests of honour George Murrell and Fred Holehouse. The evening was capped off by speeches from current Chairman Paul Holehouse, who presented Life Time Achievement awards to George and Fred. Club Captain Paul Ashenden also spoke about the amazing friends and fun he has in over 30 years of playing and surprised Paul Holehouse with a Life Achievement Award, everything he has done in roles as player, Treasurer and Chairman in his 45 years at the club.