Winston Churchill was in 10 Downing Street and beer was 1s 3d a pint when one of Oswestry's most respected companies David Davies and Sons built the Oswestry Church Bowling Club a new "home".

  And to celebrate the occasion the company has now presented the club, one of the oldest sporting organisation's in the town, with another gift that will be cherished by members for many years to come-an honours board.

The Church Bowling Club, whose green is situated in the Broad Walk, off Church Street , was formed in 1926 and for the next 25 years members"stood out in the rain or crowded under old umbrellas" as they battled the inclement weather to enjoy their summer pastime!

 

Then in 1951 the committee decided that the time had come when they could afford to purchase something a little more permanent than a temporary shelter with a tarpaulin roof. They came to an arrangement with David Davies for them to build the club pavilion.

 

But even then there were still problems. The minutes of the March 17th meeting of the club's committee noted "The Secretary reported the difficulty he had experienced in arranging for the clearing of the site for the Pavilion and the he had been able to obtain the services of Messrs J Hassell and J Allison to do the work for £5. The Secretary's action was endorsed on the motion of Mr WJ Parsons ans seconded by Mr N Jones".

 

Then later in the report under the heading "Opening of the Green and Pavilion" the minute state "After a lengthy discussion and depending on the weather for the preparation of the green and for the erection of the pavilion, it was decided that the green be opened on Saturday April 14th, and the Pavilion on Saturday April 21st. And to say the club's new addition proved to be a big success would be an understatement to say the least. The Secretary's report to the 1952 annual meeting informs members: "1952 has seen the fruition of our aims and desires. The Pavilion, which we opened 12 months ago has been paid for and is our very own-lock stock and barrel. This result has not been achieved without a great deal of hard work, and it is most gratifying to be able to say that both sections-the Gentlemen and the Ladies-have worked with a will and with the closest harmony in this, what we may term a labour of love.

 

"After experiencing the convenienceand the comfort of our new pavilion one can hardly credit that for years we have stood out in the rain or crowded under the old umbrellas. We have thought so highly of our new home that your committee have thought fit to insure it and its contents to the tune of £600." And 60 years on the present members of the Church Bowling Club still cherish their "home." It has undergone many alterations and additions since, and last year it was given a new £3000 roof thanks to Oswestry Rotary Club and the Mary Hignett fund. The clud bought its green from the Parish Church of St Oswald's in 1987 and puts out ten teams each week competing in the Oswestry and Shrewsbury leagues, and as well as providing a much-used sporting facility for almost 100 members, it regularly plays host to members of the public strolling in the Broad Walk on a Spring or Summer evening.

It is also the venue for Oswestry and District Bowling League competitions which bring large numbers of people into the town. Tonight (November 8th)members of the Church Bowling Club will be celebrating one of their best ever seasons at their presentation evening at the Oswestry Conservative Club. The Club has won the Corwen Shield, the AWM Oswestry and District League Floodlight Trophy and the "B" Team won the League's Division Two title. In addition the "A" team reached the final's night of the Leagues Doubles Trophy and the Mervyn Weaver (Division 2) and Natalie Guilar (Veterans) topped their League Division averages.

 

Club President Alan Johnson will present the prizes and he spoke for all the members when he thanked David Davies and Sons for their most generous gift. He said "The firms gift of a new Honour's Board to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the construction of our pavilion is the crowning point of a very successful season for the Church Bowling Club." "The present committee, as did the one that looked after the club 60 years ago, appreciates that David Davies and Sons, like the Tizer, are one of a small group of companies who provide the backbone of Oswestry

  and make it one of the great places in which to live and play sport. Our thanks go out to the firm and its present directors who, like their predecessors, have enhanced the facilities of our club." "On a personal note and by strange coincidence my mother, the late Mrs Eva Johnson, was an active member of the committeeof the Ladies Section which worked so hard to raise funds for the building of the pavilion way back in 1951."