Headwell Bowling Club

A short history

The opening ceremony was performed by Provost Norval of Dunfermline on 6th of September 1924 and the first jack was thrown by a Mrs Inglis.

The club takes its name from the fact that it was situated on the site of one of Dunfermline's ancient community wells.

The Club AGM on March 10th 1926 was informed that the Club were members of the Scottish and Fifeshire Bowling Associations.

The new West green was opened on May 5th 1928 by President R. Lawson.

At the AGM of March 15th 1934 it was proposed that unemployed members be allowed free membership and competition entries and this was carried.

A letter sent to the Committee on July 9th 1939 from a Mrs A. Williamson proposed the formation of a Ladies Section.

A special meeting of members in July 1960 agreed that the Club could go ahead with a bar and licence. This meant changes to the constitution. Payment of the feu duty up till then was the responsibility of the Carnegie Trust but would now fall to the Club. An offer from the United Brewers to erect a cellar and supply furnishings for the sum of £250 which would be loaned at an interest rate of 5% with no fixed date to repay was accepted by the committee. The bar was duly completed and at the opening ceremony the President G. Cameron thanked W.S.Wilson, J.Murray, G.Carruthers, S.Hunter and W.Russell. The price of a nip was 2/- (Two shillings).

Complaints from the Shamrock Street residents in 1963 regarding car parking resulted in the committee declaring that the ground to the south east of the club be given over to car parking. Members John McLaughlin, Danny Malpas, Angus McKinnon, Willie Tracey, Willie Wilson, Bert Lister and Dave Brown completed this work.

At the 1963 AGM the question of Sunday bowling was raised and a vote of 26 - 26 was taken. The Chairman having the casting vote decided against the motion remarking that the greens needed a day of rest as well.

The fees for membership in 1964 were increased to male £2, ladies £1-12-6 and veterans £1.

Headwell were honoured in 1967 to be chosen to host a match between a select team from Fife, Stirling, Perth, Kinross and Clackmannan playing against a touring team from the American Lawn Bowls Association. Jack Gardiner was at that time President of the Fife Bowling Association and was instrumental in the choice of venue. Prior to the match a civic reception was held in the City Chambers in honour of our guests who were introduced to the Provost and civic dignataries. On arrival at Headwell the tourists were piped into the Club by Piper Nellies. The visitors were resplendent in their dress of maroon blazers, white trousers and ski caps. President John McLaughlin welcomed them and handed the green over to Jack Gardiner. After the game a reception was held in the City Hotel.

This visit showed that the facilities at Headwell were not good enough for the big occasions and a building committee was set up to recommend ways of extending the original clubhouse. This committee consisted of John McLaughlin, Dave McQueen, Danny Malpas, Willie Russell, Arthur Russell and Bert Vernolini.

An offer of second hand roof trusses from a firm tasked with the demolition of the living quarters at H.M.S. Caledonia training establishment at Rosyth was taken up and the sum of £100 paid to the firm.

George Wright drew up plans for a building to be erected between the East and West greens to adjoin the existing clubhouse.

The total assets at that time were £450. Carnegie Trust offered a no interest loan of £1500 to be paid back over 10 years.

An offer of £2500 with the proviso the Club raised a similar sum was made by the Playing Fields Association.

These two grants aside the Club was still short of the total needed for the project and the Town Council were approached and they reluctantly gave £350.

An approach was made to the brewers for £1000 which was approved provided we sell their product. The total of these came to £5750.

Members were asked if they could pay three year subscription in advance and if any member wished to make a private loan the lender would be repaid over three years and the lenders name held in confidence.

The contract was placed with Brown and Templeman for the main structure and roofwork with volunteers from the membership completing the remainder of the work.

The new lounge was furnished with fittings from the liner Mauritania which was being scrapped at Whites of Inverkeithing.

The task was completed and officially opened on Sunday June 30th 1970 by Mr. Douglas Buist of Ladybank Bowling Club who was the S.B.A. President at the time.

The new facility was of such a size that the Club was able to have two full rinks of indoor bowls during the winter months and as East Fife I.B.C. were renewing their carpet at the time the Club purchased their old carpet and underfelt for £100.

Whilst the members continued to enjoy their indoor bowls the seeds were sown of an indoor stadium of full size and a committee headed by Bill Barn was formed. After many meetings with the members it was agreed to build a new stadium and Cheiftain Contracts were awarded the work of demolishing the old hall and erecting the shell of the new stadium for the sum of £26161. The estimated cost of the total building work was in the region of £50000.

Dunfermline Building Society were willing to advance a loan of £30000 over 5 years and the Carnegie Trust a loan of £5000 over 10 years and Scottish and Newcastle were willing to lend this sum but it meant that we would be tied to their product only. In March 1977 the structure was completed with the internal work being completed over that summer.

S.I.B.A. officials inspected the facility to ensure that the requirements were to their specification and the indoor stadium was opened by Provost Les Wood on 10th September 1977 with a game against the President and officials of the S.I.B.A.

In order to overcome a cash flow shortage members were asked to make an interest free loan of £100 over a two year period with repayment being made late 1980.

Annual fees at that time were Male £21, Veterans £10.50 and Ladies £15.75.

As money became available it was decided to construct an office of suitable size for committee meetings which was fitted with the jury table from the old Sheriffs office which was bought for the sum of £100.

Ladies were granted full membership at the 1997 AGM and the following year President Alistair Smith welcomed the first lady members of the Board of Management who were Elsie Wilton, Jane Smart, Joan Lawrence and Jean Paterson.

Membership of Headwell was 250 male and 125 ladies throughout the 1970's and 1980's but come the turn of the new millenium began to dwindle to round about 100 for both sexes.

With this in mind and the cost of the upkeep of two greens as well as the indoor stadium it was reluctantly agreed to mothball one green and so Headwell now uses the original East green as its outdoor playing surface.

With costs of heating and lighting escalating and the need for the renewal of the indoor carpet the Board of Management in 2015 led by President Graham Bratcher decided to renew the Club heating, lower the indoor ceiling, insulate the ceiling and external indoor stadium walls and renew the indoor carpet.

The Club is on a sound financial footing and it is hoped that numbers of members can increase to enjoy this established facility.

 

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