A Century of Bowling - Royal County of Berkshire Bowling Association

GREAT HOLLANDS BOWLS CLUB
• Founded 1983
• Recreation Ground, South Road, Wokingham
• Affliated 1985
Bracknell Council had started laying a bowling green at Great Hollands Playing
Fields off South Road in 1981. In the early days of the Club we had no clubhouse
and were allowed to use the sports club house for teas after the game.
Next we had erected, a shed with no front to it, which soon became known as “the bus
shelter”. This acted as the changing rooms; yes it was rather drafty, to say the least.
Next, one of our members had as his barber shop, a portakabin, which was given to the
Club when he opened a proper shop. The Club was now really growing from bus shelter to a
portakabin; but we had to wait many years for the Club house we have today, to be built.
The membership limit was originally 100, but had to be raised to 150 with the opening of
the new Club house in 1991. The year 2000 was the first year of the Berkshire Conference
League and Great Hollands won it.
The Ladies Section went from strength to strength winning many County Competitions,
winning the T.V.L. four times and the last being in 2008.
The 21st Century saw the Club membership fall well below the 150, but with the closing
of local bowling clubs, we welcomed new members. In 2007 the Club won a Bannerette
Match against the President’s Team and a year later The R.C.B.B.A. came back to the Club
to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Today we have only two founding members who have
stayed the course, Bob and Vi Hales Owen.
Members enjoy many social events throughout the year, often ending with a marvellous
B.B.Q. Hog Roast Supper.
Our Club has tried very hard to be a friendly mixed Club, and like all families we have had
“our problems”, never I might add over the subject of bowling. To all Berkshire County
Bowling Members, we send our Club’s Greetings.
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