12/09/2024
Itโs club competition finals this weekend - matches start at 10:30am on Saturday and Sunday. Supporters welcome!
Reading Bowling Club
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Welcome to the official page of Reading Bowls Club.
Address
94 Kendrick Road
Reading
RG15DW
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The Reading BC Story
The Reading Bowling Club was founded in 1803. The first green was behind and belonged to the Crown hotel, a posting house in Crown Street, with land extending to the stables of the Red Cow public house. In 1892, the site of the Crown was sold (eventually to Huntley Bourne & Stevens; the metal box maker for the famous Huntley & Palmers). Although we were given to the opportunity to by it at ยฃ1.00 per foot frontage, we declined and began to seek other sites.
Several were explored but we settled on our present site, which had become available as a result of the Highgrove estate, previously owned by the Blandy family, being acquired by Mr Robert Toomer who was a coal, coke and salt merchant of the town. We negotiated a six month lease for ยฃ15.00, with an option to purchase within three months for ยฃ675.00. The site was conveyed on 26th November 1892 with the granting of a mortgage of ยฃ500.00.
Leading up to this decision a number of meetings had been held to explore possibilities. A meeting held on 5th April 1892 resolved that "this meeting is of the opinion that the Highgrove site offered us in every way calculated to make a most desirable green but the apathy displayed on the part of some members, added to other difficulties in acquiring and preparing the ground under the scheme too impractical to be entertained". However three weeks later it was agreed to acquire this site and a General meeting held on 9th May 1892 at the Upper Ship hotel resolved "that play should begin at 3pm on Monday 16th May, when a subscription of one guinea with eighteen guarantors being liable (if necessary) for another half-guinea". Twelve members had also guaranteed ยฃ10.00 each. In 1895 additional land was purchased for ยฃ130.00 to include the site of the gatehouse and adjacent frontage.
The first captain of the new green was Mr WH Simmonds and the President was Mr J Miller. A groundsman, Mr S Clemenson, was engaged at seven shilling and six pence (37.5p) per week. The secretary, Mr H Wright, received an annual honorarium of three guineas. In 1897 the green was re-laid at a cost of ยฃ35.
