MEN’S ARTISTIC – APPARATUS
1947 – PRESENT
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 | Known gymnasts | Coached by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | J.C. Collins, A. Lumb, E. Dyson, W. Hirst, G. Marsland, H. Cooke, I. J. Lumb, L. Chapman | W. Greenwood |
| 1906 | Dolobran Ac Birmingham | Samuel Hodgetts | |
| 1907 | Dolobran Ac Birmingham | Samuel Hodgetts | |
| 1908 | Carnegie Gymnastics Club Dunfermline | William Meiklejohn, William O. Paterson, T. Shields, William Fergus, Jas. Cooper, William Watters | A. B. Hughes |
| 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 | AG Cocksedge, T Scott, G Reynolds, S Andrew | Rudolf Oberholzer |
| 1921 | NO CONTEST | ||
| 1922 | Northampton Polytechnic Institute, London | A Reynolds, AG Cocksedge, H Brown, Bernard W Franklin | Rudolf Oberholzer |
| 1923 | Birmingham & District | JW Dudley, JA Walker, WC Tunstall, Henry J Finchett | |
| 1924 | Swansea YMCA | Stanley Leigh, Ernest Leigh, T Hopkins, A B Smith | |
| 1925 | Northampton Polytechnic Institute, London | J J Seymour, A Cocksedge, W Bolt, H Brown | Rudolf Oberholzer |
| 1926 | Birmingham** | ||
| 1927 | Northampton Polytechnic Institute, London | FH Davis, S Jackson, W Bolt, H Brown | Rudolf Oberholzer |
| 1928 | Northampton Polytechnic Institute, London | GC Raynes, Bill Bolt, S Jackson, H Brown | Rudolf Oberholzer |
| 1929 | Swansea YMCA | CB Best, HS Davies, EGA Jenkins, Arthur Whitford | Walter Standish |
| 1930 | Swansea YMCA | Arthur Whitford, C Best, EGA Jenkins, Harold Davies | Walter Standish |
| 1931 | Swansea YMCA | C Best, EGA Jenkins, Harold Davies, Arthur Whitford | Walter Standish |
| 1932 | Swansea YMCA | Harold Davies, C Best, Hugh Evans, EGA Jenkins | Walter Standish |
| 1933 | Bolton Lads Club | J Hilton, W Walsh, T Parkinson, S Humphries | E Aspinall |
| 1934 | Bolton Lads Club | J Hilton, W Walsh, T Parkinson, S Humphries | E Aspinall |
| 1935 | Bradford Gymnastics Club | J Leach, E Walton, L Martin, G Whitaker | Eddie Hirst |
| 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 | Frank Edmonds, Alec Wales, Jack Whitford, Percy May, Ivor Vice. | Walter Walsh |
| 1949 | London* | ||
| 1950 | London | George Weedon, E Baker, Frank Turner, G White, Vic Element (reserve) | |
| 1951 | London GC | Frank Turner, George Weedon, E Baker, and G White | Bob Smale |
| 1952 | London GC | Frank Turner, George Weedon, E Baker, Vic Element, Reg Gentle (reserve) | |
| 1953 | Swansea YMCA | Ivor Vice, Grahame Harcourt, Percy May, Colin Beynon | Arthur Whitford |
| 1954 | Swansea YMCA | Colin Beynon, Percy May, Ivor Vice, Grahame Harcourt | Walter Walsh |
| 1955 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Gerry Moon (reserve) | Tommy Slaven |
| 1956 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Terry Norris | Tommy Slaven |
| 1957 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Jack Pancott, Rod Coveney | Tommy Slaven |
| 1958 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Nik Stuart, Tom Slaven, Dick Gradley, Jack Scrivener, Jack Pancott | Tommy Slaven |
| 1959 | NO CONTEST | ||
| 1960 | Birmingham Athletic Institute | George Kunzle, Gordon Yates, Graham Davies, John Bowen, Renee Stauffer | Bernard Thomas |
| 1961 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Nik Stuart,Bert Dooley, Bob Trenholm, Jack Scrivener, Micky Munn | Nik Stuart |
| 1962 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Bob Trenholm, Jack Pancott, Bert Dooley, Jim Wilson, Wilf Pollard | Nik Stuart |
| 1963 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Bon Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Nik Stuart, Rod Coveney, Jack Scrivener | Nik Stuart |
| 1964 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Bob Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Jack Scrivener, Jimmy Wilson, Jack Pancott | Wilf Pollard |
| 1965 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Dick Gradley, Bob Trenholm, Bert Dooley, Jack Pancott, Bill Cosgrave | PT School's gym instructor |
| 1966 | Yorkshire ( A County Team) | Dick Gradley, Bernie Cawthorne, Mike Booth, Brian Metcalfe | |
| 1967 | Huddersfield Gymnastics Club | Tony Birkhead, Harry Hayhurst, Brian Hayhurst, Bill McLoughlin, Mike Booth | Stan Booth |
| 1968 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Bob Trenholm, Micky Munn, Jimmy Wilson | PT School's gym instructor |
| 1969 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Micky Munn, Jimmy Wilson, Billy Norgrove, Bob Trenholm, Grahame Rushforth | PT School's gym instructor |
| 1970 | Army Gymnastics Union, Aldershot | Billy Norgrove, Grahame Rushforth, Bert Dooley, Jim Purvis, Dickie Dart | PT School's gym instructor |
| 1971 | Leeds Athletic Institute | Eddie Arnold, Stan Wild, Morgan Smith, John White, - Harrison | Dick Gradley |
| 1972 | Leeds Athletic Institute | Eddie Arnold, Stan Wild, Morgan Smith, Jim Brogan, - Huffingley | Dick Gradley |
| 1973 | Camden Turners | Tommy Wilson, Jeff Davis, Tony Phillips, Ian Norfield, Steve Morgan | Evan Tuck |
| 1974 | Army Gymnastics Union | Jimmy Wilson, Jim Purvis, Billy Norgrove, Alan McLean, Les Donkin | PT School's gym instructor |
| 1975 | Hendon Gymnastics Club | Theo Charalambous, Ian Norfield, Tommy Wilson, Steve Morgan, Tony Phillips | Evan Tuck |
| 1976 | Darlington Gymnastics Club | Lloyd Readhead, Dougie Bertlesen, Peter Collins | |
| 1977 | Leeds Athletic Institute | Jim Brogan, Stan Wild, Tony Harrison, Morgan Smith, John White, Eddie Arnold | Dick Gradley |
| 1978 | Hendon Gymnastics Club | Tommy Wilson, T Marshall, Ian Norfield | Evan Tuck |
| 1979 | Hendon Gymnastics Club | T Marshall, Ian Norfield, Barry Winch, Eddie Van Hoof | |
| 1980 | Hendon Gymnastics Club | Andy Rich, Martin Davies, Tommy Wilson, Martin Ling, Eddie Arnold. | Billy Wills |
| 1981 | Hendon Gymnastics Club | Martin Ling, Tommy Wilson, Vince Walduck, Eddie Van Hoof, Eddie Arnold | Billy Wills |
| 1982 | Bush Harlow Gymnastic Club | Ian Dobson, Barry Winch, Jeff Davis, Dave Pumfret, Tony Griffiths | Mitch Fenner |
| 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 | Gary Hart, Neil Fletcher, Mat Smith, David Diggle, Ian Dobson | Mitch Fenner |
| 1988 | Bush Harlow Gymnastics Club | Ian Dobson, Lee Harris, Richard Ellis, Neil Fletcher, Gary Hart | Mitch Fenner |
| 1989 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | David Cox, Carl Rainbird, Jason Wink, Neil Thomas, David Griffiths | Stoyan Deltchev, Paul Mackenzie |
| 1990 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | Carl Rainbird, Jason Bannister, David Cox, David Griffith, Neil Thomas, Stephen Kelsall | Ma Shi |
| 1991 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | Jason Bannister, David Cox, Jason Wink, Stephen Kelsall, David Carr, Carl Rainbird | Ma Shi |
| 1992 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | David Cox, Carl Rainbird, Justin Bannister, Stephen Kelsall, David Carr | Ma Shi |
| 1993 | Central Manchester Gymnastics Club | John Rennie, Paul Bowler, Marvin Campbell, Craig Heap, Andrew Atherton, Kevin Atherton | Colin Leigh |
| 1994 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | Neil Thomas, Andrew Minshall, Colin Close, Stephen Kelsall, David Cox, Jason Bannister | Ma Shi |
| 1995 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | Neil Thomas, Marvin Campbell, Colin Close, Mark Lister, Jonathon Rutland, Darrell Allcock-Blakeborough | Ma Shi |
| 1996 | Liverpool Gymnastics Club | Marvin Campbell, Shane Lyons, Jonathon Rutland, Mark Lister | Ma Shi |
| 1997 | Woking Gymnastics Club | Lee McDermott, Klemen Bedenik, Ross Brewer, Julian Niven Reed, Michael Taylor, Mark Freeman | Simon Moore, George Predescu |
| 1998 | Woking Gymnastics Club | Michael Taylor, Ross Brewer, Julian Niven-Reed, Chris Gibson, Klemen Bedenik, Simon Elliot | Simon Moore |
| 1999 | Central Manchester Gymnastics Club | John Smethurst, Chris Hanson, Lee Moulton, Abid Munir, Gareth Hazelby | Colin Leigh |
| 2000 | Hinckley Gymnastics Club | Barry Collie, Craig Barry, Jamie Barlow, Tom Sturman, James Boyes, David Eaton | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low |
| 2001 | Hinckley Gymnastics Club | Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Barry Collie, Craig Barry, Jamie Barlow, Jon Mutch, Ruslan Pantelemonov | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low |
| 2002 | Hinckley Gymnastics Club | Ruslan Pantelemonov, Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Barry Collie, Jon Mutch, Craig Pellowe | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low |
| 2003 | Hinckley Gymnastics Club | Mitchell Edwards, Ruslan Pantelemonov, Evgenyi Gryshchenko, Ivan Bulyha, James Boyes, Charlie Heyes | Alexander Shiryaev, Trevor Low |
| 2004 | Sutton Gymnastics Club, London | Ross Brewer, Kirk Zammit, James McGranaghan, Ben Brown | Simon Moore |
| 2005 | Sutton Gymnastics Club, London | Ross Brewer, Kirk Zammit, James McGranaghan, Ben Brown | Simon Moore |
| 2006 | Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastics Club | Louis Smith, Adam Folwell, Robert Payne, Richard Martin, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas | Paul Hall |
| 2007 | Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastics Club | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Cameron MacKenzie | Paul Hall |
| 2008 | Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastics Club | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Cameron MacKenzie, Dan Keatings | Paul Hall |
| 2009 | Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastics Club | Louis Smith, Luke Folwell, Ahmahd Thomas, Dan Keatings, Alex Hodges | Paul Hall |
| 2010 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Anthony Hughes, David Mott, Robert Neff | Scott Hann |
| 2011 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Anthony Hughes, David Mott, Robert Neff | Scott Hann |
| 2012 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Brinn Bevan, Anthony Hughes, Anthony Wise | Scott Hann |
| 2013 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Reiss Beckford, Max Whitlock, Jay Thompson, Anthony Wise | Scott Hann |
| 2014 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Dave Massam, Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Anthony Wise, Brinn Bevan | Scott Hann |
| 2015 | City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club | Hamish Carter, Dominick Cunningham, Joe Fraser, Joshua Nathan | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell |
| 2016 | Leeds Gymnastics Club | Ashley Watson, Nile Wilson, Loukas Jones, Tom Bourke, Harry O'Neill | Dave Murray, Tom Rawlinson |
| 2017 | Notts Gymnastics Academy | Raekwon Baptiste, Pavel Karnejenko, Mathew Boardman | Adam Folwell, Sergey Sizhanov |
| 2018 | South Essex Gymnastics Club, Basildon | Max Whitlock, Reiss Beckford, Jay Thompson, Tommy Nicolaou and Hayden Skinner | Scott Hann |
| 2019 | City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club | Dominick Cunningham, Joe Fraser, Joshua Nathan, Donell Osbourne, Korben Fellows | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell |
| 2020 | No Contest Due To Covid Pandemic | ||
| 2021 | City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club | Joshua Nathan, Dominick Cunningham, Joe Cemlyn-Jones, Winston Powell | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell |
| 2022 | City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club | Joe Cemlyn-Jones, Winston Powell, Joe Fraser, Dominick Cunningham, Korben Fellows | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell |
| 2023 | City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club | Joshua Nathan, Remell Robinson-Bailey, Winston Powell, Raekwon Baptiste, Joe Cemlyn-Jones | Lee Woolls, Luke Folwell |
| 2024 | Notts Gymnastics Academy | Hamish Carter, Liam Jury, Luke Marsh, Sam Mostowfi, Alexander Yolshin-Cash | Josh Champion |
| 2025 | Leeds Gymnastics Club | Michael Goddard, Harry Hepworth, Jonas Rushworth, Jack Stanley, Luke Whitehouse | Andy Butcher, Dave Murray, Tom Rawlinson |
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
Northampton Polytechnic Institute
Swansea YMCA
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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