It all started back in 1982, one of our members, Dave Scriven was having a night out in his local one Saturday night in October of that year. More often than not he would stand at the bar having the usual half hour chin wag with his old friend Jim Grain. At that time Jim was more into Goldfish, Shubunkins and Orfe and not so much into Koi. Dave was totally Koi, so you can imagine what the conversation was like, totally conflicting but very enjoyable and informative.
It was after one of their Saturday night discussions that someone suggested to Jim that they should form a fish club. Two weeks later the first meeting was held by four of them at the Hare and hounds, to see if it was viable to form a club. After a short discussion, it was obvious that it was a goer. The clubs name was to be The Hoyland and District Koi and Goldfish Society.
They had no Chairman, just a secretary & treasurer, With Fred Wainright & Pete Randle making up the Committee.
Within a couple of months, the club grew to about 20 members, this was about as many as they thought they were going to get, the club soldiered on for several years, raising funds for bus trips, barbeques, etc. Our first show 1983 was called a pond show, a team of judges spent the weekend going from pond to pond judging the fish in their own habitat, not the ideal situation you may say, but very enjoyable. The Judging was made simple and to the point, goldfish 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and Koi 1st, 2nd and 3rd, the presentations being held at the Christmas do.
This format was maintained until 1985, the club was beginning to be much more Koi orientated. After visiting shows at the Yorkshire Koi Society Show at  Harewood House and the ever increasing dealer fraternity, it was obvious that the main nucleus of the club was very much Koi.

In 1985, we had our first Koi show at the house of Fred and Jessie Wainwright. Fred later became President of the club.
The setup was simple, we made some show vats out of 3”x 2” timber and plywood, lined with visqueen. The lawns were shielded by tarpaulins. To make it private a small marquee was borrowed from the scouts, a good day was had by all. This format was used until 1990. Ian Brown from Transcontinental, judged the show for several years. Ian later became more involved in the club and gave great service to which we were all grateful.

Following the departure of the Yorkshire Section of the B.K.K.S from Barnsley area, we decided that it was time, the club looked to the future, so in 1990, we applied to the B.K.K.S. for section status, eventually changing our name to the East Pennine Section.

In March of 1990, the club gained section status to the B.K.K.S and the East Pennine was born .There was no doubt that the section was going places, within 2 years, we became the largest section within the B.K.K.S boasting over 200 households.

Our first open show under canvas was held in 1990 at Wentworth. A resounding success and put the section well and truly on the map.
The section meeting saw our usual meeting place bulging at the seams, so sadly our venue for many years, the Hare and Hounds, had to be vacated. The new meeting venue at the Rockingham arms, Wentworth, was also quickly outgrown. We then moved to the Phoenix, Platts Common, where the room could comfortably seat 150.

In 1991 we had to move venues for the open show and found ourselves in a farmer’s field, next to the M1 Motorway. The weekend had to be one of the wettest on record, with most of the visitor’s ankle deep in mud. It rained continually for two days; the sun came out at 5pm on the Sunday, Just in time to see the show close.

In 1992 we decided to play it safe, in fact what a contrast. It had to be one of the most ambitious undertakings any section of the B.K.K.S. had ever taken for an open show. The venue was the Sheffield arena above the main plus of having such a prestigious setting, was the ability to control the water temperature in the vats, and would you believe the weather outside was glorious
.
In 1993 it was decided that there was nothing quiet like having a show outside and we missed the atmosphere that a tented village created, mind you the management at the Sheffield arena made it easy for us when they asked for double the price of the previous year.

As with many clubs and societies things sometimes got too big, and it was no surprise when in 1995 the section split, but that didn't stop the club from moving on and we decided to do the unknown in the Koi world and hold two open shows in one year. The first at our usual place of Wentworth held under canvas. This was held in June.

The second held in October was to celebrate our 15th anniversary and one of the first BKKS shows to be held indoors. It was also the first section show to be Japanese style. Which lead to a few headaches and sleepless nights for the show committee but in the end it was all worth while.
Every year since then, the section has acquired many assets, from the show vats to video projectors. Early in 1997, the section moved its meeting place to the Market Hotel in Elsecar.

In 1999, we found that we had to move once again, but this time to bigger premises. We moved to the Welcome Inn, Hoyland, where the landlord and landlady Jim and Jean Jones made us feel more than welcome. This is where we have spent more than 9 happy years until January 2008, unfortunately Jim passed away late 2007 and in December Jean felt it was time to retire and we wish her many happy years.

In 2002, we lost one of members, who was well known in the Koi fraternity, Mr Ron Gray and in honor of Ron we now have a trophy for our closed show which goes to the best Showa. This trophy has now become much sort after by the members. Which means his name will never be forgotten by his fellow Koi Keepers and friends.
2007 saw the club celebrating its silver jubilee, by holding a bigger and better open show at our usual venue Elsecar Heritage Centre. Once again this show was very well attended by dealers, exhibitors and the general public. The North East section presented the club with a friendship award which will be awarded at every open show the club holds from now on. Long standing members and founder members got a bit emotional; after all it is 25 years.
So in 2008, we find ourselves once more on the move, this time back to the Rockingham Arms, Wentworth, to their bigger room. Over the years the section has grown from strength to strength, doing the National Koi show for around 5 years and making friends with plenty of clubs, from the North East section, with whom we have a close bond to friends in Essex, West Lancs, Mid Lincs and many others.
Over the years the section has had to thank many members for their hard work and support, some of whom are no longer members of the section, without their efforts plus the efforts of the present membership, the section wouldn't be where it is today and believe me the section is alive and kicking and looking forward to the next 25 years of continued success.

This might be the history but it’s also the future.