The First Hundred Years

The earliest record of a bowling match involving Keswick is before the opening of the park. On the 5th August 1876 Keswick St. John's played at Workington beating them by nine shots, the first time they had been beaten on there home green. Three weeks earlier Keswick had won at home by Forty Three shots, drawing a comment from one of the Workington players that the green was more suitable for catching eels than bowling.

Fitz Park was opened in 1882 and although it is assumed that two bowling greens were laid there is no documentary evidence of this. The Greta side green is the original and is now the public green; whilst the number one green was re-laid in 1929. There were two separate clubs in the park, Fitz Park No.1 Club and the Greta Side, both being admitted to the Cumberland Bowling Association in 1930.

During the post war years the two clubs carried on separately, playing in the Penrith and District League, and each had a membership of over Fifty during the 1950's. Rivalry between them was highlighted when the No.1 Club won the County Cup in 1959, only the second year of that competition. Not to be outdone, Greta Side were victorious the following year.

By the late 1960's the membership of both clubs had dwindled to around Twenty Five each. A sign of the times, the AGM of No.1 Club in 1970 was attended by seven members. In 1972 a single club was formed, the Fitz Park Bowling Club, with a newly drawn up constitution in 1973.

About fifty years ago, H. Towers rink of W.L. Martin, T,R, Hodgson, and K. Martin had considerable success in the National and Northern Counties Fours. In 1947 Sir Edward Hodgson was President of the English Bowling Association and in the period up to 1960 club members had considerable success in County and National Championships, particularly G. Robinson. About a dozen were regular County players and the club won the Penrith and District League eight years in succession and nine times in all.

The success occurred in spite of the condition of the green and in 1955 it was described as being in a poor 'state' and a green fund was proposed to try and remedy this. Also the Bower was extended increasing the size by 16'6" at a cost of £37. 7s 4d. In 1958 electricity was installed at cost of £8. 15s 0d.

With the decline in membership in the 1960's there was no league programme, only internal club competitions and a few friendlies against touring sides. In 1968 the Club had too few members to enter the County Cup Competition. However with the amalgamation of the two clubs membership was improved and in 1974 the club joined the West Cumbria Bowls League at it's inception and has remained in it ever since. Re-entry to the County Cup was made in 1973 and there were occasional successes in the County Competitions thereafter. Again the Bower was extended and re-opened in 1980, with the new toilet accommodation being added in 1982 ready for the Centenary celebrations in that year. Also in 1982 the Club joined the Eden Valley League, giving additional competitive play.

Workington Vs. St John's Keswick

On Tuesday last the return match between the above clubs was played on the Workington green, the weather being favorable, and the playing excellent. The Keswick team were the victors in the previous match, which was played at Keswick some three weeks ago by 43 points, and, as will be seen from the return appended, they again beat their opponents by 9 points on their own green, making a total of 52 points on the match. This result was anything but welcome to the Workington players, as we understand that it is the only time that they have been beaten on their own ground. Our correspondent adds that a prominent player on the Workington side when playing at Keswick, feeling anything but in a pleasant mood at the result of the game, made use of the expression that on a particular green at Keswick he understood at times they were in the habit of catching eels, insinuating that it was a swamp and not a green. Whatever his opinion may be now we have no means of knowing. We would, however, recommend him in future to moderate his language, and remember that, there are more places than Workington where the scientific game of bowling is played, and, as a natural consequence, equally good players.- NIL DESPERANDUM.