Marion Clague, the last surviving member of the original founding committee of Western Ladies’ Darts League, has died at the age of 84.

It was Marion who wrote to publicans and landlords in the west of the island as early as 1968 to put the idea forward to set up the original league.

Speaking at the time of the league’s 50th anniversary dinner in October 2020, she said: ‘Frank Mellor of the Peel Castle Hotel was very helpful. He drew up the fixture list and a set of rules to get it started.

‘We began with eight teams of six players. They represented Peel Legion, White House Hotel, Peel Castle Hotel, Glen Helen, Ballacraine, Central [Peel] and the Marine, which had two teams.’

The inaugural league commenced in October 1969 and Marion, who was league secretary, confirmed that 78 players had signed on in total by the Christmas.

The first presentation took place in the upstairs function room of the Peel Castle Hotel and Marion recalled that tickets were ‘three bob’ each.

She and other committee members spent hours making the sandwiches for the buffet - ‘We prepared the buffet in a small room that had the ceiling propped up by old railway sleepers!’

Marion was the secretary of the league for at least the first 20 years.

Continuing, she said: ‘I think as many as 20 pubs have been involved with the league over the years…The Railway Inn, Union Mills also wanted to join, but we felt that the league was big enough and Union Mills was a long way to travel for the girls from the Mitre or the Ballacallin.’

Although Marion played darts at the Central St John’s, she initially represented the Ballacraine Hotel as the Central had no team. She later played for Glen Helen, the Halfway House when she was landlady and more latterly the Crosby Hotel.

At its peak, there were as many as 17 teams in Western Ladies Darts League.

Mrs Clague died on July 2 and a memorial service for her will take place next Monday, July 31 in St Andrew’s URC Church at 10.45am.

She and her late husband Jack had four children, 13 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter. She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.

Family flowers only, donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, 11 Sunnybank Avenue, Onchan.