MEN’S ARTISTIC – SENIOR
1896 – PRESENT
MEN’S ARTISTIC – TEAM
1900 – PRESENT
MEN'S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS - TEAM CHAMPIONS
From 1900 onwards, the ‘Adams Shield’ is the biggest and most infamous trophy in British Gymnastics. Photo shows Huddersfield Gymnastics Club, winners in 1967, with the original Adams Shield. Photo Alan Burrows.
| Year | Club | Coached by | Known gymnasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | DUNDEE GYMNASTICS & ATHLETIC CLUB | ||
| 1901 | NEWPORT ATHLETIC CLUB South Wales | ||
| 1902 | DUNDEE GYMNASTICS & ATHLETIC CLUB | ||
| 1903 | LEITH GYMNASIUM Edinburgh | ||
| 1904 | LEITH GYMNASIUM Edinburgh | ||
| 1905 | HALIFAX GYMNASTICS CLUB | W. Greenwood | J.C. Collins, A. Lumb, E. Dyson, W. Hirst, G. Marsland, H. Cooke, I. J. Lumb, L. Chapman |
| 1906 | DOLOBRAN AC Birmingham | Samuel Hodgetts | |
| 1907 | DOLOBRAN AC Birmingham | Samuel Hodgetts | |
| 1908 | CARNEGIE GYMNASTICS CLUB Dunfermline | A. B. Hughes | William Meiklejohn, William O. Paterson, T. Shields, William Fergus, Jas. Cooper, William Watters |
| 1909 | BIRMINGHAM ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | ||
| 1910 | BIRMINGHAM ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | ||
| 1911 | BIRMINGHAM ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | ||
| 1912 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, London | P Reitmann, RH Potts, EW Potts, C Simmons, A Reynolds, G Masters | |
| 1913 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, London | Bernard W Franklin, Henry Oberholzer, E W Potts, R H Potts, P Reitman, William ‘Bill’ King | |
| 1914 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | ||
| 1915 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1916 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1917 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1918 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1919 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1920 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Rudolf Oberholzer | AG Cocksedge, T Scott, G Reynolds, S Andrew |
| 1921 | NO CONTEST | ||
| 1922 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Rudolf Oberholzer | A Reynolds, AG Cocksedge, H Brown, Bernard W Franklin |
| 1923 | BIRMINGHAM & DISTRICT | JW Dudley, JA Walker, WC Tunstall, HJ Finchett | |
| 1924 | SWANSEA YMCA | Stanley Leigh, Ernest Leigh, T Hopkins, A B Smith | |
| 1925 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Rudolf Oberholzer | J J Seymour, A Cocksedge, W Bolt, H Brown |
| 1926 | BIRMINGHAM** | ||
| 1927 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Rudolf Oberholzer | FH Davis, S Jackson, W Bolt, H Brown |
| 1928 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Rudolf Oberholzer | GC Raynes, Bill Bolt, S Jackson, H Brown |
| 1929 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Standish | CB Best, HS Davies, EGA Jenkins, Arthur Whitford |
| 1930 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Standish | Arthur Whitford, C Best, EGA Jenkins, Harold Davies |
| 1931 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Standish | C Best, EGA Jenkins, Harold Davies, Arthur Whitford |
| 1932 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Standish | Harold Davies, C Best, Hugh Evans, EGA Jenkins |
| 1933 | BOLTON LADS CLUB | E Aspinall | J Hilton, W Walsh, T Parkinson, S Humphries |
| 1934 | BOLTON LADS CLUB | E Aspinall | J Hilton, W Walsh, T Parkinson, S Humphries |
| 1935 | BRADFORD GYMNASTICS CLUB | Eddie Hirst | J Leach, E Walton, L Martin, G Whitaker |
| 1936 | BOLTON LADS CLUB | H Smith, T Parkinson, W Walsh, S Humphreys | |
| 1937 | NO RECORD | ||
| 1938 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | ||
| 1939 | NORTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE London | Alec Wales, A Bach, E Hulme, J Knight | |
| 1940 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1941 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1942 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1943 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1944 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1945 | NO CONTEST DUE TO THE WAR | - | - |
| 1947 | SWANSEA YMCA | Frank Edmonds, Ivor Vice, Percy May, Arthur Whitford, Res Glyn Hopkins | |
| 1948 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Walsh | Frank Edmonds, Alec Wales, Jack Whitford, Percy May, Ivor Vice. |
| 1949 | LONDON* | ||
| 1950 | LONDON | George Weedon, E Baker, Frank Turner, G White, Vic Element (reserve) | |
| 1951 | LONDON GC | Bob Smale | Frank Turner, George Weedon, E Baker, and G White |
| 1952 | LONDON GC | Frank Turner, George Weedon, E Baker, Vic Element, Reg Gentle (reserve) | |
| 1953 | SWANSEA YMCA | Arthur Whitford | Ivor Vice, Grahame Harcourt, Percy May, Colin Beynon |
| 1954 | SWANSEA YMCA | Walter Walsh | Colin Beynon, Percy May, Ivor Vice, Grahame Harcourt |
| 1955 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Tommy Slaven | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Gerry Moon (reserve) |
| 1956 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Tommy Slaven | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Terry Norris |
| 1957 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Tommy Slaven | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Jack Pancott, Rod Coveney |
| 1958 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Tommy Slaven | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Jack Pancott |
| 1959 | NO CONTEST | ||
| 1960 | BIRMINGHAM ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | Bernard Thomas | George Kunzle, Gordon Yates, Graham Davies, John Bowen, Renee Stauffer |
| 1961 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Nik Stuart | Nik Stuart,Bert Dooley, Bob Trenholm, Jack Scrivener, Micky Munn |
| 1962 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Nik Stuart | Bob Trenholm, Jack Pancott, Bert Dooley, Jim Wilson, Wilf Pollard |
| 1963 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Nik Stuart | Bon Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Nik Stuart, Rod Coveney, Jack Scrivener |
| 1964 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | Wilf Pollard | Bob Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Jack Scrivener, Jimmy Wilson, Jack Pancott |
| 1965 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | PT School's gym instructor | Dick Gradley, Bob Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Jack Pancott, Bill Cosgrave |
| 1966 | YORKSHIRE ( a county team) | Dick Gradley, Bernie Cawthorne, Mike Booth, Brian Metcalfe | |
| 1967 | HUDDERSFIELD GYMNASTICS CLUB | Stan Booth | Tony Birkhead, Harry Hayhurst, Brian Hayhurst, Bill McLoughlin, Mike Booth |
| 1968 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | PT School's gym instructor | Bob Trenholm, Micky Munn, Jimmy Wilson |
| 1969 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | PT School's gym instructor | Micky Munn, Jimmy Wilson, Billy Norgrove, Bob Trenholm, Grahame Rushforth |
| 1970 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION Aldershot | PT School's gym instructor | Billy Norgrove, Grahame Rushforth, Bert Dooley, Jim Purvis, Dickie Dart |
| 1971 | LEEDS ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | Dick Gradley | Eddie Arnold, Stan Wild, Morgan Smith, John White, - Harrison |
| 1972 | LEEDS ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | Dick Gradley | Eddie Arnold, Stan Wild, Morgan Smith, Jim Brogan, - Huffingley |
| 1973 | CAMDEN TURNERS | Evan Tuck | Tommy Wilson, Jeff Davis, Tony Phillips, Ian Norfield, Steve Morgan |
| 1974 | ARMY GYMNASTICS UNION | PT School's gym instructor | Jimmy Wilson, Jim Purvis, Billy Norgrove, Alan McLean, Les Donkin |
| 1975 | HENDON GYMNASTICS CLUB | Evan Tuck | Theo Charalambous, Ian Norfield, Tommy Wilson, Steve Morgan, Tony Phillips |
| 1976 | DARLINGTON GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lloyd Readhead, Dougie Bertlesen, Peter Collins | |
| 1977 | LEEDS ATHLETIC INSTITUTE | Dick Gradley | Jim Brogan, Stan Wild, Tony Harrison, Morgan Smith, John White, Eddie Arnold |
| 1978 | HENDON GYMNASTICS CLUB | Evan Tuck | Tommy Wilson, T Marshall, Ian Norfield |
| 1979 | HENDON GYMNASTICS CLUB | T Marshall, Ian Norfield, Barry Winch, Eddie Van Hoof | |
| 1980 | HENDON GYMNASTICS CLUB | Billy Wills | Andy Rich, Martin Davies, Tommy Wilson, Martin Ling, Eddie Arnold. |
| 1981 | HENDON GYMNASTICS CLUB | Billy Wills | Martin Ling, Tommy Wilson, Vince Walduck, Eddie Van Hoof, Eddie Arnold |
| 1982 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTIC CLUB | Mitch Fenner | Ian Dobson, Barry Winch, Jeff Davis, Dave Pumfret, Tony Griffiths |
| 1983 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | |
| 1984 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | |
| 1985 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | |
| 1986 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | |
| 1987 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | Gary Hart, Neil Fletcher, Mat Smith, David Diggle, Ian Dobson |
| 1988 | BUSH HARLOW GYMNASTICS CLUB | Mitch Fenner | Ian Dobson, Lee Harris, Richard Ellis, Neil Fletcher, Gary Hart |
| 1989 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Stoyan Deltchev, Paul Mackenzie | David Cox, Carl Rainbird, Jason Wink, Neil Thomas, David Griffiths |
| 1990 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | Carl Rainbird, Jason Bannister, David Cox, David Griffith, Neil Thomas, Stephen Kelsall |
| 1991 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | Jason Bannister, David Cox, Jason Wink, Stephen Kelsall, David Carr, Carl Rainbird |
| 1992 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | David Cox, Carl Rainbird, Justin Bannister, Stephen Kelsall, David Carr |
| 1993 | CENTRAL MANCHESTER GYMNASTICS CLUB | Colin Leigh | John Rennie, Paul Bowler, Marvin Campbell, Craig Heap, Andrew Atherton, Kevin Atherton |
| 1994 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | Neil Thomas, Andrew Minshall, Colin Close, Stephen Kelsall, David Cox, Jason Bannister |
| 1995 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | Neil Thomas, Marvin Campbell, Colin Close, Mark Lister, Jonathon Rutland, Darrell Allcock-Blakeborough |
| 1996 | LIVERPOOL GYMNASTICS CLUB | Ma Shi | Marvin Campbell, Shane Lyons, Jonathon Rutland, Mark Lister |
| 1997 | WOKING GYMNASTICS CLUB | Simon Moore, George Predescu | Lee McDermott, Klemen Bedenik, Ross Brewer, Julian Niven Reed, Michael Taylor, Mark Freeman |
| 1998 | WOKING GYMNASTICS CLUB | Simon Moore | Michael Taylor, Ross Brewer, Julian Niven-Reed, Chris Gibson, Klemen Bedenik, Simon Elliot |
| 1999 | CENTRAL MANCHESTER GYMNASTICS CLUB | Colin Leigh | John Smethurst, Chris Hanson, Lee Moulton, Abid Munir, Gareth Hazelby |
| 2000 | HINCKLEY GYMNASTICS CLUB | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low | Barry Collie, Craig Barry, Jamie Barlow, Tom Sturman, James Boyes, David Eaton |
| 2001 | HINCKLEY GYMNASTICS CLUB | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low | Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Barry Collie, Craig Barry, Jamie Barlow, Jon Mutch, Ruslan Pantelemonov |
| 2002 | HINCKLEY GYMNASTICS CLUB | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low | Ruslan Pantelemonov, Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Barry Collie, Jon Mutch, Craig Pellowe |
| 2003 | HINCKLEY GYMNASTICS CLUB | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low | Mitchell Edwards, Ruslan Pantelemonov, Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Ivan Bulyha, James Boyes, Charlie Heyes |
| 2004 | SUTTON GYMNASTICS CLUB, London | Simon Moore | Ross Brewer, Kirk Zammit, James McGranaghan, Ben Brown |
| 2005 | SUTTON GYMNASTICS CLUB, London | Simon Moore | Ross Brewer, Kirk Zammit, James McGranaghan, Ben Brown |
| 2006 | HUNTINGDON OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS CLUB | Paul Hall | Louis Smith, Adam Folwell, Robert Payne, Richard Martin, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas |
| 2007 | HUNTINGDON OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS CLUB | Paul Hall | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Cameron MacKenzie |
| 2008 | HUNTINGDON OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS CLUB | Paul Hall | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Cameron MacKenzie, Dan Keatings |
| 2009 | HUNTINGDON OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS CLUB | Paul Hall | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Dan Keatings, Alex Hodges |
| 2010 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Anthony Hughes, David Mott, Robert Neff |
| 2011 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Anthony Hughes, David Mott, Robert Neff |
| 2012 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Brinn Bevan, Anthony Hughes, Anthony Wise |
| 2013 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Jay Thompson, Anthony Wise |
| 2014 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Dave Massam, Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Anthony Wise, Brinn Bevan |
| 2015 | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell | Hamish Carter, Dominick Cunningham, Joe Fraser, Joshua Nathan |
| 2016 | LEEDS GYMNASTICS CLUB | Dave Murray, Tom Rawlinson | Ashley Watson, Nile Wilson, Loukas Jones, Tom Bourke, Harry O'Neill |
| 2017 | NOTTS GYMNASTICS ACADEMY | Adam Folwell, Sergey Sizhanov | Raekwon Baptiste, Pavel Karnejenko, Mathew Boardman |
| 2018 | SOUTH ESSEX GYMNASTICS CLUB, Basildon | Scott Hann | Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Jay Thompson, Tommy Nicolaou and Hayden Skinner |
| 2019 | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell | Dominick Cunningham, Joe Fraser, Joshua Nathan, Donell Osbourne, Korben Fellows |
| 2020 | NO CONTEST DUE TO COVID PANDEMIC | ||
| 2021 | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell | Joshua Nathan, Dominick Cunningham, Joe Cemlyn-Jones, Winston Powell |
| 2022 | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell | Joe Cemlyn-Jones, Winston Powell, Joe Fraser, Dominick Cunningham, Korben Fellows |
| 2023 | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell | Joshua Nathan, Remell Robinson-Bailey, Winston Powell, Raekwon Baptiste, Joe Cemlyn-Jones |
| 2024 | NOTTS GYMNASTICS ACADEMY | Josh Champion | Hamish Carter, Liam Jury, Luke Marsh, Sam Mostowfi, Alexander Yolshin-Cash |
NOTES.
Variations in names are recorded as per official minutes of technical meetings.
*1949 contest was cancelled due to the withdrawal of the Swansea team. Agreed that the London team be declared winners and trophy and medals to be awarded. **Minutes state that Birmingham only club entered so were entitled to the shield & certificates (executive minutes 28/7/26).
MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS AT THE BRITISH MEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Army Gymnastics Union
Swansea YMCA
Northampton Polytechnic Institute
Liverpool GC equal with Bush Harlow GC
Gallery of British Gymnastics Men’s Team Champions
Halifax GC, winners of the Adams Shield Trophy in 1905
Carnegie Gymnasium Club – 1908 winners of the Adams Shield and the Scottish Shield
British Team Champions – 1912-13 – Northampton Polytechnic Institute, London
Poster for the Adams Shield in 1933
1967 Adams Shield winners Huddersfield Adam Shield
Coach centre back – Stan Booth, Gymnasts L-R Tony Birkhead, Harry Hayhurst, Brian Hayhurst, Bill McLoughlin, Mike Booth – photo Alan Burrows
British Team Champions – 1976 – Darlington
Lloyd Readhead centre and showing the original Adams Shield
British Team Champions – 1977 – Leeds Athletic Institute
L-R Jim Brogan,Stan Wild, Tony Harrison, Morgan Smith, John White, Eddie Arnold and coach Dick Gradley.The original Adams Shield was stolen from the Institute.
Adams Shield Champions 1982 Bush Harlow
Ian Dobson, Barry Winch, Jeff Davis, Dave Pumfret Tony Griffiths – Photo Alan Burrows
British Team Champions – 2012 -South Essex
Coach – Scott Hann Known gymnasts – Brinn Bevan, Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford
British Team Champions – 2010 – 2014 – South Essex
Coach – Scott Hann Gymnasts – Dave Massam, Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Anthony Wise, Jay Thompson and Brinn Bevan
British Team Champions 2015 – City of Birmingham
Coaches – Lee Wools & Luke Folwell Gymnasts – Hamish Carter, Dominick Cunningham, Joe Fraser, Joshua Nathan
British team champions 2016 – Leeds
Coaches – Dave Murray and Tom Rawlinson Gymnasts – Ashley Watson, Nile Wilson, Loukas Jones, Tom Bourke, Harry O’Neill
A photographic history of the Adams Shield
The Adams Shield was donated by Birmingham’s Councillor Adams in 1899 to the competition for the best team in the country in 1899. Over it’s over 100 years, the tropy been through many iterations as each team has won it and returned it sometimes with damage and parts missing, and in 1977, losing it altogether, meaning a whole new tropy had to be made.
Adams Shield in 1925 with Northampton Polytechnic Institute
displaying the shield with the angel with both wings and individual shields arounds the sides
Adams Shield in 1953 or 1954 with Swansea
showing the shield with the angel with both wings and bands added around the sides to allow more winners
Adams Shield in 1955 with the Army Gymnastics Union
showing the shield with the angel with a wing missing
Adams Shield in 1977 with the L.A.I.
showing the shield with the angel with both wings missing – shortly after this, the original shield was stolen from Leeds Athletic Institute, never to be seen again
Adams Shield in 1982 with Hendon GC
showing the new wooden shield with squared off top
Adams Shield in 1999 with Central Manchester Gymnastics Club
showing the new wooden shield with rounded off top
A photographic history of Adams Shield prints
Adams Shield 1910-1911
Rules, Conditions and Instructions for teams
Adams Shield 1929
Programme for the competition held at Swansea YMCA Gymnasium on April 13th
Adams Shield 1930
Programme for the competition held at Birmingham Dolobran Gymnasium on April 12th
Gymnast Magazine 1933
featuring the renovated Adams Shield with the side bands
Adams Shield 1933
Programme for the competition held at Dolobran Gymnasium in Birmingham on March 25th
Adams Shield 1935
Programme for the competition held at YMCA Gymnasium, Leicester on April 20th
Adams Shield 1939
Programme for the competition held at Balfour Institute, Liverpool on 4th February
Click photos to view full size
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