History

BOWLS was being played in Beacon Park as early as 1911.

In the City Council minutes for August of that year it was reported that the chairman had granted permission to Mr Thomas Howell of Ivanhoe Road and others "to play bowls in the Museum Grounds".

Mr Howell wrote to thank the chairman for the privilege stating that "he and his friends had had 13 nights' bowling".

A large number of people had expressed a wish to play but "were prevented from doing so as they had not any bowls".

The council was "unable to incur any expense in the matter," Mr Howell was informed. The first mention of the Museum Bowling Club occurs in a report presented to the City Council by one of its sub-committees.

A letter had been received from "members of the Lichfield Museum Bowling Club thanking the committee for the use of its grounds". So the existence of the Museum Bowling Club in that year, 1913, is confirmed making 2013 its centenary year.

Until 1924 there wasn't a green as we understand it, Thomas Howell and members simply used ground nearby the fountain to bowl on, when not being used for bowling, it was used by the public for whatever they chose, e.g. football. It took ten years or more of requests by the members to eventually get better conditions 

A green was laid in 1924  and was opened by the Mayor, Cllr. J R Bridgeman, who led the council in the first match between the two teams, June 24th 1924, which was won by Museum B. C. by 7 shots.

In 1926 Lt. Colonel Swinfen-Broun, having read in the Mercury that there was to be a third match, wrote to the council and offered to provide a silver challenge cup, on the condition that the match would be continued annually.

The first match for the Swinfen-Broun Cup was played on 2nd June 1926 and was won by by the Mayor's team, coincidentally by, 7 shots.

This match is one of several traditional events which have survived to this day. Others include the ladies v gentlemen match, which is always keenly contested!

The club clearly prospered during the next few years with the result that the secretary, Mr FH Harrison, was able to report a healthy financial position to those attending the AGM in April 1927.

The balance in hand was £5 11s 9d, an increase of 5s 4d compared with 1925! Members' subscriptions totalled £9 10s 0d.

 Expenditure had been heavier during the year owing to the purchase of new woods costing £7.

The 1927 AGM, held at the King's Head Hotel, was chaired by the Vice-President, Mr J Cole, while others present included Mr G Lock (Captain) and Mr F Axten (Vice-Captain).

It was unanimously decided that The Mayor of Lichfield, Councillor F Garratt, should be invited to become President of the club.

In July 1931 the Mercury carried a report of the Swinfen-Broun Trophy match.

The "corporation was represented by Messrs GS Russell, HG Hall, AH Barnes, BT Sadler, H Jones, J Key, WA Wood, CH Averill, F Garratt, F Williams, RJ Nevill, WH Bowering, J Pinches, AE Harrison, GS Russell, and W Brocksom.

Representing the museum were Messrs W Pratt, B Clarke, T Studart, G Rea, A Clarke, F Durbridge, W Jarvis, F Axten, J Cole, J Pratt, T Taylor, L Hawkins, T Hudson, W Bridgewater, T Mason and R Osborne. The result was a victory for the Museum (112-65) and the Mayor, Alderman W.A. Wood, presented the trophy to the Museum Captain Mr. F. Axten. In 1936 it was reported that the Lichfield Corporation was to provide a pavilion for the benefit of the members of the Museum Bowling Club.

The announcement was made at the Annual Dinner of the club which was held at the Swan Hotel in November 1936.

It was stated that "the catering was excellently carried out by the host and hostess, Mr and Mrs Yates".

The Annual Dinner and Presentation Evening has been held at several different venues since 1936 but in recent years we have enjoyed excellent hospitality at the Terrace Restaurant in Brownhills.

During 1936 season the Museum Club played 11 matches of which six were won.

The winners of the club trophies were Mr R Whitewick and Mr C Matthews.

By the end of the 2013 season in September the club will have played some 84 matches (which include league matches and friendlies) and 16 club competitions, a measure of how the club has grown and prospered in the intervening years.

The oldest surviving club trophy, made of solid silver, is the Horace Wilson Challenge Cup which was presented for the first time in 1942 to a Mr F Axten.

Club members were clearly active during the war although their numbers would have been severely depleted.

It is surely significant that no Swinfen-Broun Trophy matches were played in the three post-war years, 1946, 1947 and 1948.

In August 1940, the curator reported that "some damage had been caused to the green by four youths riding bicycles".

And, in more recent years, on their old green which was unfenced, bowlers had to contend, not only with cyclists on the green, but also with picnickers, dog-walkers, footballers, cricketers and even visitors to Lichfield seeking a good vantage point for their picture of Captain Smith of the Titanic!

The most significant change in the club's long history occurred in 1953 when it was decided that a Ladies' Section would be formed and that on the afternoons of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the green would be reserved for the ladies to practice.

At the April 1953 Annual General Meeting, Secretary Mr Harman suggested that a ladies section be formed. A decision was deferred until members had approached their wives. 

On May 1st, 1953, It appears that enough wives were in favour. The committee decided that Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons would be allocated to the Ladies BUT the committee marked it with a cautionary note and referred to it as "an experiment". Mrs Sylvester appointed Lady Captain, but Ladies were not full members at that time. 

The first woods of the 1953 season were bowled by Mrs J Sylvester, captain of the Ladies' Section, and Mr G Davies, captain of the Men's Section.

At the 1956 AGM it was decided  that, the 'TRIAL' period of having a Ladies Section, begun in 1953, had not produced a sufficiently positive result to warrant continuing "The Experiment" The afternoons for the Ladies were subsequently offered to the Old Peoples Welfare Society whose members would use the green each afternoon.

On March 14th 1969, Annual General Meeting, The Committee members expressed concern over a drop in membership numbers. Vice-President Jack Iverson said the club compared well with other clubs whose numbers included Lady members. He stated, "There is no question of that happening here. The Museum Bowling Club is strictly a male preserve.''

My research places this milestone to beginning of 1980. Barbara Kent was appointed Secretary at the AGM. The following year Kath Robinson was runner-up to Frank D. Axten in Fred Houghton Cup. Since the failure of the "experiment" exhaustive enquiries have failed to show any record of Ladies as members prior to this date and no Ladies names appear on any of the cups before this date. 

Barbara Kent, Marjorie Bowen and Kath Robinson were instrumental in bringing about the change. 

Some 60 years later, when the existence of men-only clubs is still a contentious issue, the admission to the club of ladies in 1953 has to be viewed as an enlightened and most welcome decision even if rather belated.

A hundred years after its foundation, the Museum Bowling Club is thriving. There has been a recent influx of new members and more are always welcome.

Members can enjoy mixed and ladies' friendly matches against local clubs, rather more competitive bowling in the Lichfield, Cannock and Over 50s leagues as well as social bowling and practice at virtually any time of the week in the season which runs from the beginning of April to the end of September.

In September, 2010 members staged a "Farewell to the Old Green" match between Roland Cope's Presidents team and Peter Duffell's Captains team ( Don't know the result, sorry). The departure was sealed when Secretary Barbara Curry bowled the final wood.

2011 -  The new green was not ready to be played on. All home league fixtures were forfeited although away fixtures were played. All teams finished in bottom place in their respective leagues.

The centenary was celebrated in 2013 on September 6, with the annual match between the President's team and the Captain's team, with members donning period dress. A total of £300 was raised from members, which will be donated to the British Heart Foundation in memory of past president and club treasurer John Currier. The charity was chosen by his wife, Barbara.

Lichfield also welcomed HRH. Princess Anne visit Beacon Park. She had come to Lichfield to see the improvements brought about by the Historic Parks Project. She watched members bowling on the new green but declined the offer to "bowl a few bowls". 

Another noteable event in 2013 saw Mrs Freda Lees elected as the first Lady President of Museum B.C.

2014 - Sponsorship of the "Spoons" competition by Arthur Price Ltd. A new trophy was donated and the two former wooden spoons, carved by former member Ron Booth were hung in a place of honour in the hub.

2014 - Introduction of "Taster" sessions. Prospective members were invited to "come and have a go" at bowling without the necessity of providing their own bowls. 

2015 - Task Force set up to consider self-maintenance of the green.

2016 - Reflecting the strength of the membership two new teams were entered into the Needwood League and one other team was entered into the St. Giles League. 

2017 - President's Charity Day raised £3,200 to support Defence Medical Centre and the We Love Lichfield support charity.

2018 - Link established with Queen's Croft H.S. to encourage youngsters to take up the sport.

2018 - Museum B.C. and Crown Green B.C. formed a joint working group to consider the best way forward regarding negotiations with the Lichfield District Council over self-maintenance of the greens.

2020 - In partnership with Crown Green B.C. the Beacon Park Bowling Green Company was formed. Agreement was reached, with the L.D.C. Both clubs were to share the maintenance of the two greens.

2020 - In March, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the government closed all public venues. All league and club competitions were cancelled.