Club History
On 18th February 1887 a meeting was held in the Burgh Chambers within the Town Hall to organize a Committee for founding a Bowling Club. Various sites were looked at before the property of the Skating Co. Ltd. was chosen. A final agreement of £45 for the property and an annual rent of £5/5/- for the ground was decided upon.
By March 1887 a list of 83 intending members was submitted to the Committee and several more could be counted on to join. It was decided that it was now safe to make arrangements to form a Club. Entry fee was 1 guinea and an annual subscription of ten shillings.
A fence was built on the road leading past the green to the skating pond and £1 was spent on a few shrubs and trees. New turf was considered too costly so grass seed was sown. The green wasn’t ready for the first Season.
The first set of rules was drawn up and the opening date was set for 3.00pm on 7th June 1888. The Citizen reported on Friday 8th June 1888 that the President had opened the Green to nearly 100 members.
Like most well-used large turfed areas the green has enjoyed many years interspersed with a few bad, but on the whole has been recognized as being of a fairly high standard.
The first seed sown didn’t prosper and turf was obtained ‘for the lifting’ from the Lands of Kincaple. The returfing was done by Tom Smith of Hawick – a well known expert who devoted most of his life time to bowling and laying out greens.
The Club had an effective and novel solution to problems created by the dry year of 1959, when the Firemaster was John Gillespie who was a member of the Bowling Club. Some of John’s family are still members here today! He obtained the services of the local Fire Brigade and they came along with their hoses and watered the green. During other hot summers, water was hosed from the Kinnessburn.
Sunday Bowling was introduced in 1974 . A new sprinkler system was installed in 1981 at the price of £165.
In April 1982, there was mention of buying additional ground to the south of the bowling green. This was brought up again in the October of that year. In May 1983 there was formal acceptance to purchase this land for £1,250 to take effect from 7th July 1983. Work on this ground had to be put back because of what happened next.
In the Spring of 1984 the green suffered a terrible set back and no play was allowed after opening day. Fusarium, a fungus which attacks grass had been found and a special programme would be necessary to rectify matters. After a Special General Meeting on 13th June 1984, following many reports about the whys and wherefores of how the green had been damaged, it was decided that the whole green would have to be lifted and resown! The spring of 1985 was very wet – not good for growing grass – followed by an exceptionally wet summer. Play didn’t resume until the July of that year. A huge loss of playing hours, and it cost the club a lot of worry, financial worries and hard labour to get the green back in playing operation.
Ladies were allowed to become members after the AGM in 1962 . This had been brought up several times, some of the men objecting to having lady members! A ladies section was formed and they paid a reduced fee because they didn’t have the same rights as the male members The ladies have always held various fundraising events over the years to bring income into the club and for a while provided the catering for Friendly matches. Nowadays the ladies have the same rights as the men and pay full fees.
The Club has had many changes over the years. The original clubhouse was extended in 1962. In the spring of 2015 we moved into the premises we have today. When the joiner’s workshop in the old carpark was taken down to make way for the flats, the old pavilion was still inside! Unfortunately it was too damaged to do anything with it.
Hopefully you have enjoyed this short visit down memory lane!
Today, the Club continues to flourish and welcomes all new members. Anyone interested in joining should approach the Club Secretary for more details.
Various clubs, schools, work outings have had the use of our Green. We also let out our Hall for private functions. Again, speak to the Club Secretary for details.
For the second year running we are delighted to welcome back pupils from Greyfriars Primary School and hope they enjoy their visit to us.
One of our members bowls for Disability Scotland and we also have connections with the Scottish Deaf Bowling Association.
Bowling is a great sport for people from all walks of life – young and old – fit or not so fit.
You won’t know if you like it if you don’t try it!!