Whilst recently doom scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post from the British Sub Aqua Club, advertising an event in the North. They were congratulating a number of dive clubs for achieving anniversary’s for length of affliation and formation with BSAC.

Facinated by this, and wondering when our own club may be reaching a landmark date, I casually commented on the post, that Id love to know when the KEJSC would be reaching this point.

Half an hour later, I received an email from HQ, who said they had seen the post, and had done some digging on our behalf.

Now, I had always thought our club was formed in around 1974; when the National Snorkellers Club, the precursor to BSAC Snorkelling, and the former governing body of our sport was formed. This was what had been reflected in all our documentation to this point, and no one had any information to the contrary. Ive been a member of KEJSC since 1987, so had always believed this to be the case. How wrong was I!

HQ informed us that our branch no 3069, was originally Club 229 under the old BSAC system, but the records had changed in the early 90’s. This I knew, as my old 1987 NSC log book showed our club no as 229. We were a sub group/club of the Kingston & Elmbridge Sub Aqua Club (Formerly the Kingston Sub Aqua Club), formed by the members wishing to give their children a chance to dive before the age limits were lowered for scuba training. KSAC (now KESAC) had been formed in August 1955 and hold a club no of 0017.

I was informed that our club, The Kingston & Elmbridge Junior Snorkellers, Club 229, was in fact actually inaugurated in 1966!

I was astounded! The British Sub Aqua Club was only founded in 1953, so we are, as a club, one of the earliest pioniers of club snorkelling in the UK. In fact, according to BSAC HQ, we are the oldest running affliated snorkelling club in the UK (and most likely the world!).

I have since spoken with BSAC HQ again, and whilst sadly the records of formation have long since been lost to time, there are still some elements of paperwork that remain from our change over to the new 3000 club number system from the early 1990’s. The wonderful thing to see on this update form, is the name of the leader who ran the club when I joined, and who is the grandfather of our one of our current instructors, Natalie.

This is what makes me so proud about our club. It is our family legacy. Our connection to each other and the fact that we pass on our knowledge and sport to our loved ones, so they can carry this forward. This is especially poignant to me now, as my own daughter is about to try out at the pool in our next new members intake.

Here’s to more memories!

BSAC have sent us a certificate to commemorate our 50th Anniversary, which would have been in 2016. I guess now, we need to start planning for our Diamond Anniversary for our 60th year in 2026! I feel a party coming on!

Some Pictures of me and the club in my early years (I still own the white mask)…