THE NEWS OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The "News of the World" was not a WDF tournament. As you can see below it started in 1927 as a London competition, gradually expanding to become the biggest darts tournament the world has ever seen. I have received many enquiries concerning the tournament and have decided that, as one of the all-time classic tournaments, it certainly deserves its place on this website.
My sincere thanks to John Morris, former Chief Sports Sub-Editor of the News of the World for providing this information.
Sammy Stone (New South-West Ham Club) bt B Haigh (Victoria Inn, Kensington).LONDON AREA
1927-28:
1928-29: J Hoare (Duke’s Head, East Twickenham) bt L Lee (New Eltham SC).
1929-30: C Bowley (Shakespeare’s Head, Finsbury) bt W H Gentry (St Pancras) 2-0.
1930-31: Tommy Nye (Tankerville Arms, Kennington) bt R Wright (Hampstead) 2-0.
1931-32: Jack Hood (Hood’s Dartboards, Bow) bt George Branch (Tottenham) 2-0.
1932-33: Kenny Enever (Bull, Mitcham) bt F Wearn (Bricklayer’s Arms, Putney) 2-1.
1933-34: Fred Metson (Hanbury Arms, Islington) bt W Rossiter (Wellington, New Cross) 2-0.
1934-35: Billy Forecast (Duke of York, Bow) bt Jim Pike (Hope, Carshalton) 2-0.
LONDON & HOME COUNTIES
1935-36: Peter Finnigan (Eight Bells, Tolworth) bt Albert White (Weaver’s Arms, Islington) 2-0.
1936-37: Stan Outten (Seven Kings Hotel, Ilford) bt T Hares (Stag & Hounds, Ashford, Middx) 2-0.
1937-38: Fred Wallis (Railway Hotel, Eastbourne) bt F E Betts (Waterman’s Arms, Norwich) 2-1.
LONDON & SOUTH
1938-39: Marmaduke Breckon (Jolly Sailor, Hanworth) bt Jim Pike (Windmill Club, Southwark) 2-1.
WALES
1936-37: D Cornacia (Ivy Bush Hotel, Pontardawe) bt T A Jones (Llanerch Hotel, Llandrindod Wells) 2-0.
1937-38: Gwyn Jones (Unemployed Club, Penygraig) bt Jack Gorvett (Ferry Boat Inn, Briton Ferry) 2-0.
1938-39: Charlie Parker (Castle Inn, Pontywaun) bt Horace Trickett (Old Express Hotel, Merthyr) 2-0.
LANCASHIRE
1937-38: Sam McIntosh (Duke of York, Salford) bt Luke Ratcliffe (Commercial Hotel, Oldham) 2-0.
LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE
1938-39: Peter Birchall (St Peter’s Liberal Club, Oldham) bt Jack Kirk (Sandon Arms, Heswall) 2-1.
YORKSHIRE
1938-39: Jim Munroe (Vine Tree, Wakefield) bt George Johnson (Fisherman’s Hut, Leeds) 2-1.
NORTH
1938-39: Jimmy Young (Wheatsheaf Hotel, Newcastle-u-Tyne) bt Tom Steel (Atlantic Hotel, West Hartlepool) 2-1.
MIDLAND COUNTIES
1938-39: Harry Prior (Duke’s Head, Polebrook) bt H Ball (Gardens Hotel, Stapenhill) 2-0.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
1947-48: Harry Leadbetter (Windle Labour Club, St Helens) bt Tommy Small (Sth Durham Steel & Iron SC, West Hartlepool) 2-1.
1948-49: Jackie Boyce (New Southgate SC) bt Stan Outten (Dr Johnson, Barkingside) 2-1.
1949-50: Dixie Newberry (Albert, Hitchin) bt Ronnie Ridley (King Edward Hotel, Newcastle-u-Tyne) 2-0.
1950-51: Harry Perryman (Home Office SC, Greenford) bt Laurie Runchman (Feathers, Felixstowe) 2-0.
1951-52: Tommy Gibbons (Ivanhoe WMC, Conisbrough) bt Jack Wallace (Low Seaton BL, Workington) 2-0.
1952-53: Jimmy Carr (Red Lion, Dipton) bt Ernest Greatbatch (Horse Vaults Hotel, Pontefract) 2-0.
1953-54: Oliver James (Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Onllwyn) bt Johnny Bell (Sun, Waltham Abbey) 2-0.
1954-55: Tom Reddington (New Inn, Stonebroom) bt Johnny Bell (Sun, Waltham Abbey) 2-0.
1955-56: Trevor Peachey (Black Fox, Thurston) bt Les Campbell (Boot, Dinas) 2-0.
1956-57: Alwyn Mullins (Traveller’s Rest, Tickhill) bt Len Baker (Corporation Hotel, Cardiff) 2-0.
1957-58: Tommy Gibbons (Ivanhoe WMC, Conisbrough) bt Eric Moss (Railway Tavern, Harleston) 2-0.
1958-59: Albert Welsh (Horden Hotel, Seaham) bt Frank Whitehead (White Rose Hotel, Rossington) 2-1.
1959-60: Tom Reddington (George Hotel, Alfreton) bt Dai Jones (Cambrian Hotel, Aberystwyth) 2-1.
1960-61: Alec Adamson (Prince of Wales, Hetton-le-Hole) bt Eddie Brown (Magpie, Stonham) 2-1.
1961-62: Eddie Brown (Magpie, Stonham) bt Dennis Follett (Cadeleigh Arms, Cadeleigh) 2-0.
1962-63: Robbie Rumney (Waterloo Hotel, Darlington) bt Bill Harding (Globe Hotel, Aberdare) 2-0.
1963-64: Tom Barrett (Odco SC, London) bt Ray Hatton (Flower of the Valley Hotel, Rochdale) 2-0.
1964-65: Tom Barrett (Odco SC, London) bt Norman Fielding (Station Inn, Swannington) 2-1.
1965-66: Wilf Ellis (Brookside WMC, Upton) bt Ron Langley (Arlington SC, Harlow) 2-1.
1966-67: Wally Seaton (Swan, Parson Drove) bt Brian Quarterman (Ivy Inn, North Littleton) 2-0.
1967-68: Bill Duddy (Rose & Thistle, Frimley Green) bt Gerry Feeney (Unicorn Club, Workington) 2-0.
1968-69: Barry Twomlow (Red Lion, Chesterfield) bt Paul Gosling (William IV, Truro) 2-0.
1969-70: Henry Barney (Pointers Inn, Newchurch, IoW) bt Alan Cooper (Plough, Filton) 2-0.
1970-71: Dennis Filkins (Barrow, Hepburn & Gale SC, Bermondsey) bt Derek White (Ship, Weymouth) 2-0.
1971-72: Brian Netherton (Welcome Home Inn, Par) bt Alan Evans (Ferndale Hotel, Rhondda) 2-0.
1972-73: Ivor Hodgkinson (Great Northern, Langley Mill) bt Ron Church (Royal Alfred, Shoreditch) 2-1.
1973-74: Peter Chapman (Bird in Hand, Henley) bt Paul Gosling (Portscatho Club, Truro) 2-1.
1974-75: Derek White (Belvedere Inn, Weymouth) bt Bill Duddy (Frimley Green WMC) 2-1.
1975-76: Bill Lennard (Cotton Tree Inn, Manchester) bt Leighton Rees (Ynysybwl USC, Pontypridd) 2-0.
1976-77: Mick Norris (King of Denmark, Ramsgate) bt Bob Crosland (Blackamoor Head, Pontefract) 2-0.
1977-78: Stefan Lord (Stockholm Super Darts Club) bt John Coward (White Hart BL, Sedbergh) 2-0.
1978-79: Bobby George (King George V, Ilford) bt Alan Glazier (George & Dragon, Wetherby) 2-0.
1979-80: Stefan Lord (Stockholm Super Darts Club) bt Dave Whitcombe (Naval Club, Chatham) 2-0.
1980-81: John Lowe (Willow Tree, Pilsley) bt Mick Norris (Earl St Vincent, Ramsgate) 2-0.
1981-82: Roy Morgan (Wheel o’ Worfield, Worfield) bt Jim Hughes (Parcwern Country Club, Ammanford) 2-1.
1982-83: Eric Bristow (Foaming Quart, Norton Green) bt Ralph Flatt (Old Red House, Carlton Colville) 2-0.
1983-84: Eric Bristow (Milton Hayes BC, Stoke-on-Trent) bt Ian Robertson (Bell, Marston Moretaine) 2-0.
1984-85: Dave Lee (Ivor Arms, Pontllanfraith) bt Billy Dunbar (Woolwich Infant, London) 2-0.
1985-86: Bobby George (Old Maypole, Hainault) bt Rick Ney (US Darting Association) 2-0.
1986-87: Mike Gregory (Stones Cross Hotel, Midsomer Norton) bt Peter Evison (Halcyon/Spikes, Peterborough) 2-0.
1987-88: Mike Gregory (Stones Cross Hotel, Midsomer Norton) bt Kevin Spiolek (Cambridge Squash Club) 2-1.
1988-89: Dave Whitcombe (King’s Head, Ipswich) bt Dennis Priestley (Horseshoe, Rotherham).
1989-90: MenPaul Cook (Gorse Hill WMC, Swindon) bt Steve Hudson (Oakworth SC, Keighley).
Women: Lynne Ormond (George, Alford) bt Jane Stubbs (Roebuck Hotel, Northwich).
(Competition suspended)
MenPhil Taylor (Cricketer’s Arms, Newcastle-under-Lyme) bt Ian White (Dockside Inn, Runcorn) 2-0.1996-97:
Women: Linda Jones (Seven Stars, Chorley) bt Melanie Saunders (Railway Inn, Abergavenny) 2-0.
(Competition suspended)