Whitchurch Fencing Club
Former members
Alf Pearce : 1925 - 2005
Alf Pearce, Welsh Fencing armourer extraordinaire, passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of 4 January 2005.
Alf Pearce was one of the founder members of Whitchurch Fencing Club, when he, along with Colin Wickens and Bob Turner, joined the ‘experienced beginners’ from Barry Diamond’s evening class in Whitchurch High School in 1984. Prior to that Alf had fenced at Cardiff, and ‘Excalibur’, as well as taken part in numerous competitions in the UK and overseas.
Alf’s forte was armoury. He worked at Pitney-Bowes, the postal franking machine company, retiring from there in the late 1980s. His expertise translated with aplomb to the subleties of modern fencing equipment, where fine adjustments to springs and points were the order of the day. His speciality was running repairs to weapons for Welsh regulars, during major competitions in Sophia Gardens, and elsewhere.
Alf will be remembered by all as a quiet friend, for whom nothing was too much trouble. He always had a joke to tell and avoided the limelight. Alf lived his life governed by his strong views on decency and standards of behaviour. Older members will not forget Alf's fencing either, particularly his accurate, almost boxing-style counter punches, from a tighly coiled position !
For his services to Welsh Fencing, Alf was created an Honorary Member in 1999 (he was WAFU member No 5 !), and Whitchurch Fencing Club presented him with a certificate marking his contribution to fencing on the occasion of his 75th birthday in 2000.