Date Established: Description: Bilston Town B.C. Address: Villers Avenue, Bilston, WV14 6AU.
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HISTORY: BILSTON TOWN BOWLING CLUB
By Roger Dale
Bilston Town Bowling Club (BTBC) has been in existence over 100 years and during this time has to be considered one of the leading Bowling Club’s in Staffordshire. This article will attempt to give an outline of its history during this period.
BTBC was opened at the beginning of the last century and was operated as a Company with directors running the club as a business [not as a members club]. Not unusually in such days, females were not allowed access to the club, but had their own building situated near what was then the croquet lawn. The directors at that time included businessmen from the locality during the 1950’s and 1960’s the list of the directors included Mr Wilf Aston, who was also a director of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C and Walsall F.C, Dr Sullivan who was the local G.P plus Mr F.W Collins who was the well known Funeral Director.
BTBC reached their first Staffordshire Challenge Cup Final in 1934 where they defeated Wilkes Excelsior, followed by losing in 1935 to Molineux who where, over the next 40 years, to be their chief rivals. Their green was situated between the famous Molineux Hotel the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football ground. BTBC did not feature in the Cup Final again until 1949 when losing to another very good team Cheslyn Hay, who during the 1940,s where the dominant team in Staffordshire. Bilston appeared in the final five times during the 1950,s winning on 3 occasions with the assistance of such legends as Dick Hodson, Jackie Jones and Ike Weeks to name just a few of what was a very formidable team.
The 1960,s were perhaps the most successful period of the clubs history when in 1960 Dick Hodson won the All-England Merit at Coventry [Alfred Herbert's] where he defeated another Staffordshire bowler Jimmy Howells [Molineux Hotel] in the final. Lucky Hodson, as he was affectionately known, was the last person to date from Staffordshire to win this competition
Dick, who kept a fish & chip shop, together with his wife Eve, in Moxley for many years was one of the reasons BTBC were so successful during the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s when his enthusiasm for the game was un-rivalled. He was known as 'Lucky Hodson' because he was never short and seldom off land when the shot was against him. He was also very artful whatever game was being played and was able to work out opponents weaknesses very quickly and hence playing accordingly.
BTBC provided many Staffordshire County Players during its history, some playing in excess of 30 matches including Dick Hodson, Jackie Jones, Jack Everitt and Les Evans to name just a few who where all top class bowlers. Norman Dawkes won the Staffordshire Merit two years running, the only person ever who retained this most prestigious of competitions.
BTBC during the 60’s probably enjoyed their best ever period, obviously starting with Dickie Hodson's All England victory. During this time the Staffordshire Challenge Cup was lifted 4 times and loosing finalists twice. Providing the winner of the Staffordshire County Merit twice and providing many Staffordshire County Players including in addition to those mentioned Bill Kinsey, Gordon Phillips, Harold Smart, Ike Weeks, Dennis Turner, Ike Morris and George Edmonds.
Also during the sixties the BTBC became a members club, being handed over by the directors into the hands of a committee whose Chairman elected by an AGM was Mr D.K Southwick Secretary C.Price Treasurer J.King. The Bar Steward was Jackie Jones assisted by his wife.
Ken Southwick during this time was not only Chairman of the club but also Captain of the First Team and was considered the best captain in Staffordshire and also a very competent player. His spare time was being Managing Director of a local company employing approx 200 people.
Charlie Price [secretary] was Ken's right hand man who could also compete on the green with most forms of opposition. He was employed by the Express & Star and was a very competent member of the club.
Jim King was the clubs treasurer who despite his years made his way to the Bowling Club and seemed to be present when ever money was changing hands, particularly across the bar area, reportedly he would be able to estimate the days takings without counting .His diligence was what Ken was looking for when appointing Jim as treasurer and he was one of the clubs heroes.
Jackie Jones not only kept the bar in order, with the assistance of his wife, but also was also responsible for the upkeep of the bowling green and the surrounding area providing what most people regarded as the best surface in the county.
During the sixties and early seventies the Snooker Team where considered the top team in the West Midlands with such fine players as Ken Campbell, Jim Fellows, Albert Woodbridge and Danny Cocklin all playing a considerable part in the success of our Snooker Team their chief rivals during that period being Cradley Heath Cons.
The F.W.Collins Cup has been played on BTBC’s green every year apart from one [1991] since 1930 and is considered the second most prestigious competition in the Staffordshire County Calendar. Prior to the Mid Eighties the entire competition was played on BTBC’s Green .This was because until this period bowlers normally only played the game 2 or 3 times per week e.g. Saturday, Monday and Thursdays hence leave the balance of the week available for the playing of the Collins Cup. The atmosphere that this competition developed during this period was second to none.
Collins Cup Finals Day was traditionally held the last Saturday in June until approximately 1967 when it was changed to the last Sunday in June and always attracted a large crowd, and since this was a recognised charity event, the accent was placed on making as much money as possible that the Staffordshire County Committee allocated the proceeds to the many deserving causes. BTBC provided several winners as you might expect on their own green, but always giving shots away to any away competitor, including the winner of the very first occasion, H Jones [1930] but more recently Jack Everitt [1966] Geoff Lloyd [1984] and the most recent finalist David Smith [1998]
The most prolific winners in recent times have come from Woodfield John Piggott winning on 3 occasions in 5 years and Anthony Aldridge who retained the Cup 1998-1999 and is the only person to achieve this feat. This competition is complimentary to the winners because the green demands bowling of the highest standard of accuracy to ensure victory.
Ladies were eventually allowed in the main club when it became a members club in 1965 and soon enough found their feet on the Bowling Green and by 1971 the first lady's team entered a six-a-side competition that took place on the greens of ECC and Bilston Ladies came out winners .The surprising fact about that occasion was the finishing time –after midnight on a Sunday, some men considered themselves fortunate it was the Ladies who were playing.
The seventies brought bowlers from the Cannock area to play for BTBC including such impressive people as Les Evans, his brother Albert and son Mel plus John Turner and Norman Dawkes and regular County player Wilf Dale who had played his bowls in Darlaston. With the addition of such good players it made the Bilston Town Bowling Club Team one of the best ever teams to play in Staffordshire winning the Staffordshire Challenge Cup 5 years out of seven 1969,70.73,74,75 and losing in the final 1976 the last time Bilston reached that stage.
Also Dickie Hodson winning 5the Staffordshire County Merit in 1970 beating another Bilston player in the final Les Evans, Dickie's last bowl looking into the ditch before stopping at 20 across. Norman Dawkes won this title two years running 1974-1975 in his best years of bowling prior to departing to Chadsmoor in 1976 together with John Turner following Les, Albert and Mel Evans who had left in 1976. This weakened the team considerably and despite the arrival of several top players the domination that BTBC had enjoyed had ended.
Despite the lack of winning major competitions the club have some notable success in single competitions as John Wall reached the final of the F.W.Collins Cup in 1983 loosing to John Piggott plus David Smith who also lost in the final to Anthony Aldridge 1998.
David Smith had a remarkable junior career winning the Staffordshire Junior Merit 2 years running 1991-1992 together with many League Junior Merit Competitions culminating in just failing to win the All England Junior Merit when losing to Dave Burdett from Coventry in the final in Barnsley 1992 .He also played many times for the Staffordshire Junior County Team, together with Steve Spicer, and he remains one of the games better players
Recent times our playing numbers have dwindled but we are indebted to the many people who came to play bowls under the banner of Beans Engineering in 1985, David Smith included who's father Des brought him along, together with Derek Davies and his two sons who helped with the running of the Bowling Section. During this period the Bowls section joined the West Bromwich League under the name of Beans Engineering and they will confess that they were not that good at the outset. In the forthcoming years they provided much needed encouragement to our Bowling Club assisting with not only with bowling matters, but with committee matters with Roger Jones becoming Chairman of the club Des Smith as Vice-Chairman plus Derek Davies being secretary of the Bowls Section and his son Sean Treasurer of the Club
Beans Engineering also sponsored our Floodlight Competition to good effect allowing the Club to purchase new Floodlights to replace the dilapidated examples that were in place in the early years .The Floodlight Competition was first ventured into in 1980 and was strictly for Staffordshire Bowlers only and attracted the highest quality of bowlers from this area, and hence became very popular attracting in excess of 200 people every year. Eventually due to the Bean Team belonging to the West Bromwich League the competition was opened to all comers and hence this attracted people from outside the Staffordshire area. There have been several winners from outside the area including people from Birmingham, Erdington and West Bromwich and this has helped make the Floodlight Competition a big success.
Geoff Page who has played for the club for many years has been the clubs most consistent winner, including winning the prestigious Willenhall League Individual Merit in 2003 against some of the best opposition in the district and twice winning the West Bromwich League Champion of Champions Competition
Jack Everitt during his years at the club was very successful culminating in winning the celebrated Waterloo Handicap at Blackpool, one of very few bowlers from this area to succeed inside Blackpool.
The Top green as it is now called, was a croquet lawn until the club decided that Fred Griffiths S. could manipulate the lawn into a Crown Green by burying all types of bricks etc in the centre of the lawn to create a bowling green with unusual dimensions of 42metres by 20 metres with an 18" Crown and it worked enabling the club to play four separate teams on a Saturday Afternoon Unfortunately it did not last too long, but the top green is still well used and has benefited lots of people over many years.
Since becoming a Members Club there have been many changes in Bar Staff, Gordon Jones taking over from Jack Jones [no relation] who also played bowls his wife Dorothy also helped with the bar and their two sons played bowls Malcolm & Ian. Following Gordon & Dorothy came several changes including Joe & Floss Eldon, Brian & Rene Perrins plus our very own Brian & Anne Round, Sam's lad who were followed by Ray & Joan Jarvis and until recently Ron & Laurina Hale who served the club until July 2005 having been at the club for over 11 years. Chairmen have also come & gone since Ken Southwick's days including Wilf Dale, Clive Taylor, Roger Jones, and finally today and for the last 9 years Roger Dale
Times have changed at the Bowling Club over the last 40 years since it became a members club, but it still retains its good natured clientele and hence a pleasant atmosphere that hopefully will continue for the next 40 years The Bowling seems to be on the rise and also the snooker front seems positive and for the first time in years we appear to be making a slight profit.
BTBC after two-three years of grief not knowing if we could survive are now more secure than for some time and with every chance of the building a new club. The Committee now in place, having survived the last eighteenth months is now more positive than for sometime and should a new club evolve could we once again be the dominant force in bowls in Staffordshire
