Click to read the B&DBA 2024 End of Season Review, which was used when presenting the awards at the luncheon.

Downton Bowling Club came into existence much later than most bowling clubs in the country. Prior to 1980, with no bowling green and little interest in the village, anyone living in Downton would have needed to bowl in Wilton, Alderbury, or S.E.B (now Salisbury Victoria) in Wiltshire, or Fordingbridge in Hampshire to get their bowling fix. 

1980, however, was the year International bowler Ralph Bentley, a past President of the English Bowling Association, came to retire in the village of Downton and take up fishing as a hobby. Word got around of Ralph’s stature in the game, and it was not long before Ralph was persuaded to find a location for lawn bowling in Downton.

53 villagers who each paid a £5 inauguration fee, founded Downton Bowling Club. Ralph Bentley became the first Captain of the Club in 1980. The club’s first bowling green was on the playing field to the rear of the Downton Primary School, thanks to the kindness of the Headmaster Mr Offer. Great pleasure was experienced by bowlers of both sexes in playing on the school lawn when it was not required by the children. Club members would meet and set up the boundaries to a ‘green’ using lengths of guttering and bits of string. Although this could not be considered a purpose built bowling green, much valuable experience was gained. Ralph Bentley, a past President of the English Bowling Association, founded in 1980 At the 2023 AGM, a founder member, Bob Dymott, spoke about the club’s history: 

“Prior to 1983, when people bowled on the Downton Primary School’s playing field. Club members did occasionally play on the club green at Alderbury, and under Ralph’s captaincy in 1982/3, an opportunity arose to build a green at what was to become the Brian Whitehead Sports and Social Club in Wick, to the west of Downton. At the same time, Downton Football Club was setting itself up on the same site. Many Bowling Club members helped to erect the original facilities.”

When a building was needed, Bob Dymott and Les Cousins moved a redundant village hall from the nearby Broad Chalke area to the new site, piece by piece. This construction is what you see as the bar area in the Social Club today. Others helped with the roofing, including Jim and Dave Galpin. Vic Bryant, Don and Ron Moody were also involved, as was Ralph’s son-in-law, Mike Hallam. Ralph organised contractors to produce a bowling Green to the required standard. Stubby Sherwood also devoted a lot of time and resources to this project.

The Club moved to Wick Lane in May 1983 after securing a long lease from Downton Parish Council, who in turn, have an enduring lease with the Radnor Estate. It is said that the bowling green is on land which had originally been a chalk walled enclosure for sick farm animals.

Downton Bowling Club will never forget Ralph Bentley; his portrait hangs in the Clubhouse and an annual competition is played in his honour. He and many others worked hard to establish the Club, but unfortunately, he died in October 1982 without actually playing on the new Green. Bob Dymott took over as Club Captain and Vic Bryant was the first Greenkeeper at the new site.

President Andrew Lunt performed the Opening Ceremony, accompanied by Mrs R. Bentley and members of her family. The opening match was versus Wiltshire County Presidents and their teams. The first visitors were entertained in an unfinished clubroom with unglazed windows and candle-lit suppers, prepared on camping stoves.

In 1984, both men and lady members were accepted into the Salisbury and District leagues, and later, the New Forest leagues in 1987. It was not until 2021, that Downton joined the Bournemouth & District leagues, as Saturday competitive bowling was an attraction to its members. Initially, coming out of Covid-19, Downton joined the Saturnoon afternoon league, which was Triples play for one season, but then moved to Saturday morning from 2022 to remain Triples, as the afternoon league reverted back to rinks.

In 1998, Audrey Collett started recording the history of the club, covering the first two decades, to date. Audrey recalled their youngest member, Kevin Cousins, had gained many honours, which included winning the England Under-25 National Championships, of which more than 400 bowlers took part in the competition. Kevin’s bowling career ended when he gave up bowling at a young age, however, his photo still remains in the clubhouse as a result of his outstanding achievements whilst at Downton Bowling Club.

In August 2024, the B&DBA League Secretary, Dave Whitt, had the pleasure of visiting Downton Bowling Club for the first time, after being invited by club member Ivan Buss. Having won promotion from Section 5, Ivan asked Dave to present the players of Downton Bustards with individual trophies to mark their fantastic success.

Downton is a very friendly small club whose membership 40 years after being established is lower than when they started. Whilst this alone is not an issue, attracting new members to the game of bowls is something their members have been actively trying, with a postal leaflet drop to much of Downton village, which yielded little reward. Downton head into their next chapter looking for people to carry out key roles within the club, so that the club can flourish once again.

At the 1931 Annual Meeting an application from Swanmore Bowling Club for affiliation was accepted. The club was founded on 22 July 1931 as a result of the Cooper-Dean family’s gift of land. Set in a garden environment, the site for many years was renowned for its unique collection of rose bushes that provided a riot of colour through the summer. Today, plaques can still be seen in the borders, highlighting uncommon plants from around the world.

In more recent years, Swanmore BC had a large ladies section, outnumbering a number of other local clubs, and with the men at good strength, membership was relatively strong. The men last experienced success in the B&D Saturday Premier, winning Section 3 in 2015, and their ‘A’ team finished second in Section 5 the following season. The women had their own team in the BETBA league, Swanmore Ladies, that were Champions of Section 3 in 2013.

Despite being a thriving club right up until their closure, the willingness for members to carry out key roles within the club dwindled, and this became a factor around the closure.

In their final years, Swanmore BC experienced local youths getting on to their green and often using it as a football pitch or to ride their bikes on. There was no protection around the green to prevent this from happening, and it was becoming an expense to resolve the damaged green and clubhouse. Windows would be smashed in, only to be repaired and smashed in again.

Amalgamation communications were held between Swanmore BC and their close neighbours, and also now defunct club, Iford Bridge BC. At one time Swanmore BC were going to join forces with Iford Bridge BC, whilst talks also involved Iford Bridge BC joining Swanmore. There were pros and cons for either to happen, but in the end, neither club could agree on the best solution, largely down to financial barriers, and therefore, unfortunately, neither option was carried out.

The club called time on its use of Swanmore Gardens in September 2020, and the pavilion was handed back to the council, which has since remained unused. With the space used less frequently, BCP Council has linked this to a rise of anti-social behaviour. The council is, however, currently investigating alternative uses for both the bowling green and the pavilion in the future.

Sadly, for many members, the closure of the club marked the end of their playing days, with the vast majority choosing not to join another club in the area. The outbreak of Covid-19 would have been one of the reasons behind members not wishing to continue playing elsewhere.

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The B&DBA welcomes Chez Fred for their sponsorship of the B&DBA in 2024. Please check them out!

Chez Fred Fish and Chips - Westbourne

In 2022, having been a well established club within the New Forest Leagues, Lyndhurst BC asked to enter the Bournemouth and District Bowling Association, to participate in the Saturday Triples League in 2023, which the Executive Committee and its members agreed, making Lyndhurst the latest club to join the B&DBA. This was the first time the Club had ventured outside of the New Forest leagues. This move was well supported by its 100+ members and provides more opportunities for players.

Entering the league in Section 5B, the lowest entry at the time, with the section split into two divisions following Covid-19 and the additions of many new teams, promotion to Section 4 was achieved in their first season. Due to the popularity and success, a second team entered in the 2024 season.

For Lyndhurst BC, it all started over 100 years earlier. In 1920, Dr Alfred Moore retired to the village of Lyndhurst. He was a bachelor and enjoyed a game of tennis at the local club which, at the time, was based in Pinkney Lane. Eight years later, Dr Moore became involved in starting a new tennis club on land off Sandy Lane, next door to where the Club is currently based. This land had been made available by the nearby Cedar Mount Estate, later to become a small residential development. His plans for the new Tennis Club included a “Social Clubhouse, where the hall could be used for meetings, dances, billiards and changing rooms”.

Following the success of the Tennis and Social Club, Dr Moore began to respond to requests from local people for a bowling green. James Hughes made a small piece of land available, next to the Tennis Club and at the rear of two properties he owned, where a green was constructed and a club founded, all for a nominal rent. And on the 1st May 1929 Dr Moore rolled the first wood down the green.

Due to the size of the plot and adjacent properties, the Green is sufficient only to allow play up and down (East to West) and not across the green, with a maximum of four rinks in use. This creates challenges for the ground staff, who work tirelessly to ensure the Green bowls well, having many different coloured markers to continuously rotate the positions of the rinks. 

In the 1960s the three organisations situated on the site, the Tennis Club, the “Social Hall” and the Bowling Club became their own individual clubs. In the late 1970s, Mike Harland and his wife, Jill, joined the club. Mike went on to be Club President, and wrote an extensive history about Lyndhurst BC in 2006, which can be found today in a ring-binder within the clubhouse. Mike would write about how Lyndhurst Bowling Club had 30+ members but few real facilities within a small, basic clubhouse, which was a shed measuring 8ft by 7ft, boasting just one plug point, a kettle and store for the bowls equipment.

In the early 1980s, Mike would describe how membership improved, which also improved the bank balance of the Club. A decision was taken to find something that would be larger than their current shed, to be their new clubhouse. A builders site office in New Milton was found, and at £150, the decision was made to purchase and double the size of the clubhouse. The new shed lasted less than a decade, but was sold to Downton Tennis Club for the same amount, £150. By this point in the late 1980s, Lyndhurst BC were experiencing larger membership, and a new clubhouse was required. Mike Harland documented how the members built it themselves, from the digging out, setting the base, laying the concrete and building the frames. Mike was a local policeman at the time, and whilst working, was passing the Gascoine Hotel which was being demolished. Mike, seeing an opportunity, asked to have the three 7ft by 7ft fully glazed glass windows that were once part of the skittle alley. Mike was allowed the windows at a cost of £5, but with the agreement that he knocked down the concrete support pillars and took away the windows himself. The next weekend, Mike got six helpers to do the job. It took all six to carry the windows back to the Club on wooden poles, with the weight described as being unbelievable. 30+ years on, and the windows sit prominently on the Clubhouse. 

In the early 2000s the existing changing rooms for ladies and gents were added to meet the current league rules, and whilst visiting the Club in 2024, were improving the facilities again. In recent years, Lyndhurst BC has continued to grow in strength, regularly recruiting new members. The Club has further improved facilities with the erecting of stainless steel safety railings around the green, extending the side grass area to allow for more outdoor socialising space and adding new seating benches, signage and storage areas. A brand new equipment shed has been erected giving excellent, larger storage facilities. Refurbishment of the Ladies and Gents toilets and changing rooms and new additional facilities in the Pavilion/Clubhouse for member’s benefit and enjoyment! The actual “Green” (the very important club asset) has been kept up to a high standard. The side bank of the green and ditches has stainless steel protective panels, improvements to the club watering system and a thorough conscientious “Green Team” looking after the Green through the year.

Lyndhurst Bowling Club has a vibrant social side to the Club with Social Membership for those who do not bowl, as well as bowlers, friends and guests to enjoy. Regular events and evenings are held through the winter months as well as during the bowling season. Their friendly members ensure everyone is welcomed at the Club, and thank the B&DBA for the opportunities to build new relationships and play competitive bowls with clubs from Dorset & Hampshire. And long may it last!

The B&DBA would like to congratulate New Milton BC for reaching their centenary year. 100 years is a fantastic achievement for the Hampshire club who have served their community well in the last century, and continue to provide Greens to a high standard, for the current and next generation to enjoy in their next 100 years!

Nick Saunders will be producing a history book of the club, which should be a fascinating read, and will no doubt form one of the future news article on the B&DBA website.

New Milton BC website is one of the best in the league, so if you haven't seen it, please do check it out > New Milton Bowling Club, Hampshire | NMBC

To celebrate this momentous occasion a full programme has been planned for members and visiting clubs. The first event Bowls England will be sending 6 mixed rinks to play New Milton on Wednesday July 3rd match starting 2pm. A Gala day will follow on Wednesday July 24th with 10 clubs invited from the New Forest League to send a mixed triple. A second Gala day will be held on Wednesday August 14th with 8 clubs from the Bournemouth & District league invited to send a mixed rink. The visiting players will receive an anniversary gift pen and badge and a history of the club brochure.

Members of New Milton are looking forward to a full season and wish all players from New Forest and the Bournemouth leagues a very happy season.

New Milton BC becomes the 11th club to reach their centenary within the association.

Redhill Park Bowling Club opened in 1937, the same year that Redhill Common changed its name to Redhill Park. The Council used the Bournemouth Corporation Act 1900 to extinguish all common rights in the land. Once known as Inclosure Allotment 61, it was decided in 1913 to turn the public open space into pleasure grounds. It took over twenty more years for the bowling green to be created, at a cost of £316 6s 2d, using Cumberland turf. Having played a friendly match between the Council and the Kinson Ratepayers Association to mark the green’s official opening on 9 June 1937, a meeting took place on 25 September 1937, with about 20 people in attendance, to discuss forming a bowling club. The newly built pavilion opened in May 1938, at a cost of £1,863 to build.

During the club’s affiliation with the B&DBA, they were often competing in sections outside of the top flight, however, gained promotion to Section One as Champions of Section Two in 1968 and 1976. In 1967, Redhill “A” became the first Champions of the new Section Five.

The club had members who went on to become the President of the B&DBA, in 1950, 1982 and the most recent, in 2001, held by J. E. Williams.

Michael Hutley wrote on social media how he used to choose to play his County Area Final Singles game at Redhill Park around 2009, when the green was really quick. The green was also chosen to host games in the Bournemouth Open, which Michael remembers fondly having moved away to Norway in 2013, but came back a few times to coincide with the Bournemouth Open.

The club also had a thriving Women's team, competing in the B&DWBA, and enjoyed various Fun Days, raising money for charity, as can be seen in the photograph, believed to have been taken in the early 2000s.

Redhill Park BC closed in October 2017. The reasons given for closure was declining membership and the struggle to maintain its green once the Council removed their funding. There were also deeper issues with the Council, however, as the club were told they had to offer toilet facilities to the public when the pavilion was open. This was as a result of the public toilets building having to be demolished due to vandalism. With this added responsibility, the water bills were high, and the club also had an ongoing and unresolved dispute over being charged for the water used in the public paddling pool.

What was once a thriving, well established club within the B&DBA, it is sad to see that financial implications cost the club that served its community for 80 years.

Alexandra Park Bowling Club was opened in 1924 having been petitioned by potential members in 1914, but the opening was delayed due to the first world war.

Looking back at the early years, Debbie Kilpatrick recalls: “My grandad, David John Thomas, was a member of Alexandra Park BC. I believe he joined in the late 1940's when he came back from WW2, but may have played prior to being drafted as well. I have memories of going to Alexandra Park and watching my grandad play here. My Nan and I did get asked to leave a few times though, as we sometimes used to giggle at the various leg lifts and manoeuvres. My grandad claimed he beat the world champion at one point, although I was not convinced, as he liked to spin a good yarn.” Debbie would go on to hold strong memories of Alexandra Park as she also lived in the park lodge during the 2000's. Her grandad won many trophies and collected pin badges during his time playing. Two old badges were of the club itself, and the B&DBA celebration 50 years in 1956.

In its existence, Alexandra Park was a very competitive and successful club. They had top players including 8 current or past Middleton Cup players. In the 2000s, the club were in Section One of the B&DBA League, and were also past County Champions and County Cup Winners. Eleven players reached the National Finals in the same year representing the County in all four competitions. In 1997, they were Champions of Section 1 in the B&DBA League, having only been promoted to the top tier two years previously. Twice in its history Alexandra Park had members who became the President of the B&D - 1939, H. D. Hunt, and in 1976,R. E. Willis.

Alexandra Park was outside the Tuesday triples area, due to the original concept that all clubs in the BETBA League played within the boundary of Bournemouth. To get around this, "The Wanderers" who were predominately members from Alexandra Park had a team playing within the Bournemouth conurbation. Records indicate the use of Knyveton Gardens green, along with "Spion and Koop", which is another bygone green within Meyrick Park. After the closure of Alexandra Park, a team continued for a couple of years as Alexandra Nomads, using Bournemouth BC green at Meyrick Park.

Having successfully been in the top section of the Bournemouth & District Bowling Association for a number of years, they finished in the bottom two of their section in 2015 and therefore filled a relegation place at the end of the season, Alexandra Park became defunct during the close season, in October 2015. The main reason for the closure was the fact that Poole Council made drastic funding cuts, in particular, the grant to maintain the green, whilst also putting up their rent. Remaining club members had to find £9000 a year to continue, however, with a dwindling membership of just thirty, that equated to £300 per member. On average annual membership for clubs is around £150.

Having just 30 members in 2015 meant the club was always going to be on life support, regardless of council cuts. The location did not help - there was always a lack of available parking spaces for players, and the hills in the park made it difficult to access the club. Alan Stockley, a former club member, recalls on social media: “I used to play for “Alex”, up to the year before they closed. One reason it went into decline was that the hedges were too tall and people couldn’t see in and we were always in danger from youths in the park, who regularly threw stuff over the hedge at us when playing, then constantly breaking into the pavilion at night and using it as a drug den.” A decade on and Alan still plays the game as a member of Broadstone Wessex BC.

It was seen as a great shame when Alexandra Park left the bowling circuit, as its green was considered one of the best in the B&D. In an interview with Geoff Jones in 2024, he recalls: “Whenever you played on rink one, going away from the pavilion, we used to have string in those days to mark out the rinks, and you would need to bowl right over the string in order to find the line and get close to the jack.”

Currently there are plans to open a community cafe, although lots of work and money spent on repairing the pavilion is required first. Fruit trees and planting areas have already been placed on the green.

There had been a Bowling Green/ Croquet Green in Christchurch since 1784, however, there was a large demand for a bowling club in the town, but Christchurch Town Council never seemed to want to entertain the idea. Luckily for the town, in 1925, the proprietor of the Kings Arms stepped in and constructed a green opposite his premises, known as the Kings Arm Bowling Green, which was land he owned but leased it to Christchurch Council. This was when Christchurch Bowling Club was formed, and at the time was the only club in the Borough until the 1970s.

The setting of the green being close to the Priory and overlooked by the ruins of the Castle Keep right by the river was probably one of the most picturesque Greens in the Country 

The club got their first success as Champions, winning League ‘A’ Section 2 in 1951, and then again in 1966, finishing top of the second section. There were other promotions along with relegations at the turn of the century, having won Section 3 in 2000, but then after two relegations, finished Champions of Section 4 in 2004. 

Twice the President for the B&DBA came from Christchurch BC, in 1959, Arthur “Toby” Hornby, and in 1974, H. E. A. Burton. Arthur went on to become a Life Vice-President in 1972 until his passing in 1973. John Waller also achieved the same honour in 1994.

In 1991, Norman Blandford was the Club Captain and Club Champion and had been for many years. His daughter, Sarah Park, described how her late father loved playing bowls and the club. Norman died at the green playing the game he loved. Sharing on social media 33 years later, Sarah wrote: “The family were kindly allowed to scatter Norman’s ashes under the green itself - so it has always been a special place for us as a family.” Norman was often seen with his hand on his hip, and this was depicted perfectly in a painting by Terry Harrison that the family owns.

The club got the council to maintain the green, however, many visiting teams found it was not up to an acceptable playing standard. This was one of a number of factors that saw the sad demise of the club. Membership was dwindling, in part to the quality of the green, with some citing it as unplayable, but also there were always problems with parking for the players. The final nail in the coffin came in 2013, when the hotel that once brought bowls to the local community, squeezed out the bowling club. The club only had a small shed to store all their equipment, and the pavilion for the players started to be used as a wedding venue, which was not ideal as a game of bowls and a wedding tend not to go hand-in-hand with one another!

Steve Burns was the last captain and club champion. Reflecting back at his time at the club over a decade ago, Steve states: “Once it was a fantastic green, maintained to a high standard and a credit to town. Lovely pavilion and bags of history all lost now to corporate greed, broken promises and a council that couldn’t care less. So sad.”

It is unclear exactly when Strouden Park Bowling Club was formed, and little is documented about its existence. It was located next to the magnificent Strouden Park Hotel, which was built and opened in 1932, so it’s possible the green commenced from that date too.

In 1938, the Association’s Management Committee considered an application from Strouden Park Bowling Club to join the B&DBA. The offer was regretfully declined, however, due to a number of members being Council-employed professional groundsmen. This contravened EBA Rule 14, which prohibited clubs that were not wholly amateur from being affiliated.

Having never actually joined the B&DBA in the three decades they were active, the club disbanded in the late 1950’s, with most of its members joining the nearby Bournemouth Electric club.

Shortly afterwards, the site was sold off for housing, creating Brendon Close. Remarkably, the close was short lived, and in 2001 was bulldozed, along with the hotel to make way for the modern shops that are at the location today, all within the Castlepoint Shopping Centre umbrella. At the time, one of the conditions of the hotel closing was that it would be rebuilt in a new location - something which over 20 years later seems to have been long forgotten, just like the bowling club.

Initially called Poors Common, and then for 100 years known as “Common 60”, before being named Queens Park in 1902, Queen’s Park Club was established, consisting of an 18-hole golf course with club house, tennis courts and a bowling green. Only the golf course was allowed on the newly named Queen’s Park, due to the council’s commitment made to the Earl Lord Malmesbury in 1904, which was not wishing to have other sports at Queen’s Park. The tennis and bowls were therefore on the other side of what is now Queen’s Park South Drive, just outside of the common area boundary, and could be accessed from Holdenhurst Road. The Earl’s vision was for a peaceful location, and only after his death in 1950 were other sporting uses considered in the park. In 1965 there were plans for tennis courts and further bowling greens at the site of the current main car park, but this never came to fruition.

The bowling side of the club, known as Queen’s Park BC, was not able to be considered one of the founding clubs of the B&DBA, due to only the golf club’s clubhouse and a small part of the golf course located in the Bournemouth Borough, a stipulation at the time. Only in 1914 did the bowling green come into the Borough boundary.

In 1916, Queen’s Park BC hosted a tournament for the Association, despite not being in the B&DBA at the time, however, for reasons believed to be an oversight, Bournemouth BC were left out. This produced a bitterness between the clubs, and one that led to Bournemouth BC leaving the B&DBA at the time, due to the club being left incensed and not satisfied with the outcome of the Delegates’ meeting held after the event. The Association thought about approaching Queen’s Park BC to take the place of Bournemouth BC within the Association, however, it was decided to wait for Queens Park BC to apply for affiliation first. This took over a decade, as it was not until 1928 that Queen’s Park was accepted into the B&DBA.

The club decided not to participate in the league, despite its affiliation. It was seen as more of a private club - one that preferred to socialise rather than play competitive bowls. It remained that way throughout its existence, never entering the league. This resulted in some members joining an additional club within Bournemouth so they could play league games.

Queen’s Park BC were a forward-thinking club however, because no sooner had they affiliated, the Committee received an offer from Queen’s Park member, George Wright, to provide a trophy for a new competition to support local hospitals. It was agreed, and the following year in 1929 the competition took place over two stages - a singles handicap tournament. The Hospital Cup generated £76 10S 6D. The Association sponsored the Bowlers’ Cot for children at Boscombe Hospital, £10 went to Wimborne Cottage Hospital and £30 went to Cornelia Hospital in Poole.

The winner of the Association’s singles championship came from members of the Queen’s Park club on three occasions, and also the B&DBA President was represented by the club in 1951, 1960 and 1966.

The club continued to exist until its demise following Dorset County Council compulsorily purchased land around Holdenhurst Road in the late 1960s for the construction of the Wessex Way. The work caused part of the club to close in 1970. Queen’s Park Bowls Club was forced to disband the following year when the roadworks finally engulfed the site.

The bowling green did not disappear with the Wessex Way build, which would be to the side of the green, and the Association hoped the club would reform and rejoin, but sadly, this did not happen.

Today, nothing remains of the Queen’s Park green, and the club is a distant memory to only a few, having disappeared over 50 years ago, with the majority of the current bowlers completely unaware of its existence.

Queens Park Club still owned the site, and in the late 1970s at the exact location the bowling green occupied, a futuristic complex for sporting activities was built, which is still standing today. In 1993 the site was sold off to a new fitness company, Fitness First, which was the first of more than 360 sites at its peak, as the company became a global success. BH Live took over the building in 2016, keeping it a fitness centre.

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Alum Chine Bowling Club was the second founder club in the area. The particular location is now called Spyglass Point. Alumhurst Road that connects to the site, was built by around 1870, with the plot of land originally laid out by around 1902 as Alumhurst Gardens with an ornamental garden, fountain and informal walks. Shortly after, a bowling green and a small clubhouse were built.

The Alum Chine green was perched on the top of the West Cliff in Alumhurst Gardens and was opened in 1903. The club was certainly a founder member of the Association and played the first competitive Association match against Bournemouth. Bournemouth Council records that a pavilion was erected for the club in 1910. It appears that the original Alum Chine green may have had only 3 rinks, being extended to full size before the Association formed. Because of its position near the cliff edge, the green required regular and expensive work to prevent it becoming a victim of cliff erosion.

The club formed soon after the Bournemouth club as the first inter-club bowls match was arranged to take place early in the 1904 season at Alum Chine between the two clubs. But on the appointed day, the weather was wet and stormy. It is believed that Bournemouth club secretary and captain both walked along the beach from Bath Road to Alum Chine to ascertain whether the match would take place. When they arrived at the Alum Chine clubhouse, there was no one there. So they pinned a note to the door to show they had turned out and walked back to Bournemouth in the rain. The match was eventually played later in the season.

It appears that the Alum Chine club left the Association in about 1913 for reasons unknown, before rejoining in 1934, probably to seek the Association's help to stave off closure. Apparently, in 1928 there was a tennis court present too, which possibly replaced the bowling green at the time as it was not in the association at that point.

During the I930s, its existence had become so precarious that part of the green was actually over the cliff edge. By that time, the Borough Engineer had had enough of fighting what he saw as a losing battle and was willing to let the sea win. Although the engineer was keen to see the green close, the Parks Department won the day, arguing that the green was in an ideal spot for the visitors. Around this time - Argyll Bowls Club at the top of the cliff to the east - had a second green fitted. The relatively close proximity of the Argyll green, being able to cater for higher numbers, and not worry about their green falling off the edge of the cliff, meant that the engineer eventually got his way in 1940 when the green closed as a war economy measure, never to reopen. 

Writing for the Association's 75th anniversary in 1981, Harold Broadfield notes that there was evidence that the green's location still existed, together with a small building that the Parks Department thought may have been the pavilion. It is unknown how soon after the pavilion disappeared. In the 1980s, the site was used as a playground, but this was no longer required when the Alum Chine playground was built in the mid 1990s.

In the centenary edition in 2006, it was noted the continued erosion had left only a small strip of the green in evidence and the pavilion' has been demolished. Today, however, apart from the relative flatness of the area compared to elsewhere in the near vicinity, it would be hard to imagine a bowling club ever in existence, and certainly not one that was potentially more than 3-rinks in size. One thing is for sure though, the views would have been incredible!

The B&DBA are saddened to hear of the passing of Graham Drew. Graham was a much loved member of Knyveton Gardens and will be sadly missed. Our thoughts go out to Cathy, family and friends.