TRIBUTES have been paid to a well-known bowls player and administrator who has died, aged 89.

George Pike of Harnham who was the longest serving member of the Salisbury Bowling Club in Devonshire Road and held several offices in the County Bowls Association will be remembered for his dedication to the sport for more than 65 years.

Born in Portsmouth, he was evacuated to Salisbury in 1941. He was billeted with Mr and Mrs Oliver who were both keen bowlers and they quickly introduced him to the game which was to play a huge part in his life.

After the war, George remained in Salisbury to finish his education at St Thomas’s School, then start his first job as a grocer’s assistant with the Maypole Dairy.

Called up for National Service, he served in the Middle East and North Africa as a technical assistant in the Royal Artillery.

On leaving the Army, George returned to Salisbury and resumed with the Maypole Dairy as a relief manager. In 1950, he joined Woolley & Wallis Auctioneers as an accounts clerk and he was to remain at the firm for exactly 40 years until taking early retirement. It was at work that he met Margaret and they were married in 1958 at St Thomas’s Church. Margaret sadly died in 2003.

George joined the Salisbury Bowling Club at Devonshire Road in 1950 and remained a member until his death. He won the Club Championship in 1954, the first of many titles, and took the County Singles crown in 1962 and 1973. Between 1959 and 1984 he made 55 appearances in the County Championship side and was selected to play for England at Under-35 level in 1961.

It was in 1955 that he first involved himself in the administrative side of bowls by becoming Secretary of Salisbury BC. Then in 1960 he took on the treasurer’s role with Wiltshire County BA, a position he held for 28 years. In 1967 he was elected treasurer of the County Bowls Benevolent Fund, a job he was still doing at the time of his death. During this period he also became the first treasurer of the Wiltshire Indoor BA, continuing for 13 years.

Among many other offices, George did duty as president of Wiltshire BA, Salisbury & District BA, Christie Miller Indoor BC and Salisbury BC. In 2010 he was honoured by Bowls England with the award of a Certificate of Merit for services to the Sport of Bowls.

He was loved and respected by family, friends and fellow bowlers alike, and will be sadly missed.

He died in Salisbury District Hospital on January 26 after a short illness. He is survived by his son Brian.