Club History
Club History: 1923 – Founding Year of Trowbridge Town Bowls Club
A meeting was held at the park pavilion in April 1923 with the object of forming a Town Bowls Club to play on the new green in the People’s Park. It was unanimously decided to form a club to be called "Trowbridge Town Bowls Club".
The annual subscription for foundation members was fixed at £1 of which 17s 6d would be paid to the council for season tickets. There were 30 names handed in of intending members. It was arranged that the green would be officially opened on Wednesday May 23rd, when the donor of the land for the park extension, Mr Walter Jenkins of London, would bowl the first wood. There would be a match between a team of past and present councillors and a team from the newly formed Town Bowls Club. Tea would be at 4.30pm in the town hall gardens and the Comrades Band would play in the bandstand in the evening. Unfortunately Mr Jenkins was confined to bed with a temperature and was unable to attend. So Mrs Lee, the sister of Mr Jenkins, unlocked the pavilion to open the club. In the early days of the bowls club, players used the council’s woods. However there were not always enough woods to meet demand so the council had to purchase more. Anyone could play on the payment of 5d to include woods and slips (overshoes) and it was hoped that the general public would take advantage of this opportunity. The council, looking to make some revenue, charged a fee of 3d to enter the bowls enclosure to watch the bowls from the terrace. On Saturday July 9th 1923 the first match between Trowbridge Town Bowls Club and the Westbourne Recreation Club took place at home with the latter winning by 13 shots. The return match on August 18th resulted in a win for the Town by 8 shots.
The first annual meeting of Trowbridge Town Bowls Club took place in the Town Hall. The first season's membership was 52. It was recommended that the club would apply to the County Association for admission. In it’s first season, the club played two matches against Westbourne, two against Melksham Town and a match against the Avon Sports club, Melksham, winning two and losing three.
Club History 1924 – Present Day
1924
Trowbridge Town was admitted to the West Wilts Bowling League. The first match was played against Melksham.
1925
The West Wilts Bowling League was split into two sections with Trowbridge Town in Division Two.
1926
The Club Captain, Mr E A Eades, donated a trophy to the club. This was the Handicap Trophy. Mr H.Matthews and Mr E Eades played for Wiltshire against a South African representative team at Salisbury. Trowbridge Town was admitted to the Wilts County League.
1927
Because a pole could not be put on an adjoining owner's land, it was not possible to have electric lighting in the park pavilion, however a gas main was possible and a gas ring was connected.
1928
F Stear played against a New Zealand Bowls Team at Salisbury.
1930
The Park Pavilion was extended in the present accommodation. A Ladies committee was formed for catering.
1931
A scoreboard was made by Linzeys the builders. Mr Long and Mr Hoar gave the uprights and had the board painted. Mr Hamilton (captain) and Mr Bull (v-captain) presented a flagstaff and flag. Trowbridge Town Bowls Club hosted their first county game, the North v South trials.
1935
The Club won the Wiltshire County League by defeating Swindon Town in the final by 40 shots. The club also won the Bath & District League on shot difference. G Chapman was also County Singles Champion.
1973
An EBA President's team played Trowbridge Town to celebrate the clubs Golden Jubilee.
1975
The pavilion was damaged by a fire on Tuesday May 6th.
1983
A Wiltshire Bowling Association President's team played Trowbridge Town to celebrate the club's Diamond Jubilee.
1985
Mrs J Tugwell won the Ladies county singles.
1986
Mr Bob Meaden donated the President's chain of office to commemorate the club winning their section of the Wiltshire 4 rink league.
1989
The club went on their first tour, to North Devon, in May.
1993
Mrs Mavis Nuttall was the Wiltshire Ladies President.
1994
A 24hr Bowlathon was held in Trowbridge Leisure Centre in aid of Dorothy House.
1995
Trowbridge Town entered the newly formed North Wilts Mixed League.
1996
D Godwin, M Meaden, and G Shadwell won the men’s county triples.
1999
B Godwin and D Godwin won the men’s county pairs.
2002
The proposed extension to the pavilion for changing rooms and toilets was funded jointly by Trowbridge Town Council, West Wilts District Council and Trowbridge Town Bowls Club.
2003
The new extension to the pavilion (the changing rooms and toilets) was opened by the Mayor of Trowbridge to coincide with the club's 80th anniversary. Trowbridge Town Ladies were finalists in the County Top Club competition. D Godwin won the men’s county two-wood singles.
2004
The new kitchen was opened by the club president, Mr D. Hare, on May 23rd. The Fred Mills Garden was created in the Spring.
2005
Mrs Mavis Nuttall was the club's first Lady President.
2013
Roy Jones became Men’s County President of Bowls Wiltshire.
2017
Dave Betteridge won the County Two Wood Championship.