A MEMORIAL seat to honour three generations of the same family who where all team captains at the Madeira Bowls Club, was unveiled this week.

A MEMORIAL seat to honour three generations of the same family who where all team captains at the Madeira Bowls Club, was unveiled this week.

The garden seat was presented to the club according to the wishes of popular Exmouth hotelier Josie Hall, who died in August.

The bench will have her name and the names of her father and founder-member grandfather also inscribed.

For more 30 years, Josie was owner of The Royal Beacon Hotel and then Alliston House Hotel in Salterton Road and joined the club in 1993, first as an indoor bowler and then in 1996 she started to play outdoor bowls.

President of the club Mike Cannings said: "Although her first love was probably golf she soon became a much respected member of the Madeira Bowls Club too.

"She played for the club in indoor representative competitions and was Ladies Indoor Section Captain in 2005."

Josie's father Jack Jefferies was also a member and was a Devon Middleton Cup player in 1948, 1949, 1950 and was Men's Outdoor Club Captain in 1963 and 1964.

While her grandfather, Joseph Summers, was a founder committee member of the Club in 1926 and was Club Captain in 1929 - his picture still adorns the club house.

He added: "(Josie's)...illness and subsequent death was a great sadness to her many friends and the Club is extremely honoured and grateful that she has left us with an enduring memorial of herself and her family connections.