Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 14th September, 2012)

Crown Green bowls…a short history of

The game of Crown Green Bowls originated in Lancashire and is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional lawn bowls. It is still most popular in the north of England and the West Midlands but is also played in North Wales, Scotland and Isle of Man and is spreading to other counties in England as well. In 1893 inter county matches started to take place but it was considered an amateur sport only and there was no prize money allowed. The British Crown Green Bowling Association was later founded in 1908. Crown Green Bowling teams are often affiliated to pubs and the county associations have in recent years increased from 10 – 16.
The above is an extract from :-
http://www.worldbowler.com/crown-green-bowls/
Janice, when does your outdoor bowling finish this season? Do you play indoor bowls in winter?
Did you know that they play nine-pin bowls in Austria? The bowling ball is half size of that used in ten-pin bowls !!
Tom, was this photo taken a short time ago?

Tom, do you know that there are professional crown green bowlers?
Refer ;-
http://www.panelbowls.co.uk/history.htm

I always wonder what Bowlers do in winter.

Wheres health & safety,no toe protection? Never played bowls watched many a game thou.A nice relaxing game.

Does anyone know where the largest crown green is? The Guinness Book of Records website doesn`t help.
The largest crown green I`ve seen is in Queen`s Park, Heywood. They rope half of it off for a junior match !!

Nice to see Crown Green featured. Well done Thomas. The outdoor summer season has just ended - last match played yesterday. I play for 3 teams in local leagues and also for the Manchester Ladies Inter-town team. The indoor season will start around the first week in October and I will play for 2 teams at Leigh Sports Village. And, Nothing stops a game of bowls, we also have a small winter league for the hardy few. I have played in rain, hail fog and even on a frozen green. It is a sport for all ages and in the Leigh area at least there are clubs who hold special coaching sessions for any youngster who can hold a bowl. Great to see.

my husband is off to play just hjow - being here in the South, they play lawn green bowls, though his club does have a crown green day annually. I do not play for 2 reasons, the first, I am useless at any sport, least of all bowls, and the second, I flatly refuse to wear the uniform - women's skirts even have to be the right length! Nice to see these players wearing what they wish.

Answer to Mick's question - most bowlers play indoor bowls (Carpet bowls) during the Winter months. It requires just as much skill, and is just as enjoyable. I know, because I am one of these bowlers!

Peterp I often wonder why some men of the age of 60+ or so go to great lengths to stick out like a sore thumb and thats putting it lightly .

Janice, when I played bowls in the forties, fifties and sixties, came the slightest rain and we were off ! There was no light waterproof clothing like you have now.
The professionals play all the year round outdoors on flooded greens and ice and snow.

By the way where is JOE S,s second bowl

To see a photo of me refer:- Album, Places, old bowler from scholes. This photo # 8971 was taken at the Springfield Hotel in August 1956.
I`m also on photo # 8974 in Album, Places, john grindley again.

bill7, there are 8 bowls in the photo.

Ernest spotted one behind the jeans

By the way where is JOE S,s second bowl

Correction to my comment at 17:02, for Places read People.

By the way where is JOE S,s second bowl

My dad, James Callaghan used to bowl for the post office in the sixties/seventies. He is 85 now and hasn't bowled for years but still bemoans the demise of the bowling greens. Anyone out there in WW remember him? Oh I still have his old woods (real Woods)

remember your dad well Derek,I worked with him at at Wigan office until he retired also Duggie Fishwick,hope he,s keeping well