HERTFORD CASTLE CLUB
HISTORY
1910 The Garden Bowling Club is formed
On
the 4th July 1910, a meeting was held at Mr Rose’s garden in Hertingfordbury Road,
to consider the question as to ‘the desirability or otherwise’ of forming a
Bowling Club with Cowbridge Congregational Church. It was agreed to go ahead, with Rev. A. L. Whitmee
as President, W. Drury as Treasurer, and G. Rushworth as Secretary. Membership
was confined to members of the Congregation assembling at the Congregational
Church.
It was agreed to purchase 4 pairs of bowls, and an entrance fee (to become a member
of the club) of 2s.6d to be charged. Each game would be 15 points, and the
green fee was one halfpenny for each member playing.
It was agreed that the Club would be called “The Garden Bowling Club” and the
green was in Mr. Rose’s garden, which was behind the brick wall where the
present roundabout is situated on the Hertingfordbury Road.
The Club had
20 members.
(extract from "A History of Hertford Castle Bowling Club
1910 to 1990" by Ted Ford)
1925 The Club moves to
play in the Hertford Castle grounds. The green was at the
rear of the Hertford Town Council offices. (The green is still visible where
the flower beds and car park are now).
1933 The name changes to "Hertford Garden Bowls Club".
1944 On
the 30th November the name was changed to "Castle Garden
Bowls Club Hertford".
1951 The
Bowls Section of Hertford (Evening) Townswoman's Guild is formed.
1953 Both
the men's and ladies’ clubs move to the new Wallfields Green.
1964 The
Ladies reform as "Hertford Ladies".
1978 The men change their name to "Hertford Castle Garden
Bowling Club".
2002 The
Ladies’ and men’s clubs merge to form a single club called the "Hertford
Castle Bowling Club".
2003 The Club
changes its name to the "Hertford Castle Bowls Club".
2012 The club plays again in the
Castle grounds as part of the celebrations to mark the castle grounds
being open to the public for 100 years.
G. Butt, 2012