Sometimes ordinary people can be in historical situations, simply because of the work they do – and that is certainly the story of Barry Wilson.
Barry’s daughter Lisa Vincent contacted Table Tennis England to make a remarkable donation – a copy of the VK’s program by the Chinese table tennis team in December 1971, signed by the entire Chinese contingent.
Barry was able to get the signatures because he was the mechanical engineer on the plane that flew the Chinese party around the United Kingdom, along with an electrical engineer and two flight attendants and spending time with the players and civil servants on board.
The Hawker Siddeley HS748 Twin Turbo-Pop flew the team from Sweden to England and then around the British Isles, with stops in Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin and Birmingham.
The 15 signatures include the entire playing team, including different world champions, plus the coaches, interpreter and team leaders of the Department of Sports of Sports or Beijing Physical Culture Institute.
The Tour is generally considered the most important thing to visit these coasts that are on the heels of the Ping pong diplomacy Tour of China by players from England, the US, Canada and Nigeria in April of the same year.
English players Jill Parker, Pauline Piddock, Alan Hydes, Trevor Taylor and Tony Clayton were among the invited to the first sporting visit to China in a generation. The Chinese tour through England was a mutual invitation.
To illustrate its importance, the plane was met during the landing by the British sporting icon Roger Bannister (the chairman of the Sports Council) and the cultural program included a meeting with Princess Anne and a trip to 10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Edward Heath.
There was a range of sponsors, many in the program, including ‘Headline’ Sponsor Mothercare, Plus Ford, Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank.
On the table, China took teams representing England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
The program can be read in full below.
Lisa said: “Reading on the Tour gave me a real insight into its importance. The program has been in a cupboard for many years and it is great to think that it will now be seen by others.”
Table tennis England is very grateful for the donation. If you have historical artifacts you want to donate, please contact us via [email protected].
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