ASHCOMBE PARK BOWLING CLUB
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Day Tour to ISLAND BOHEMIAN B.C.
On Saturday 26th June, members and guests of our Club visited The Island Bohemian Bowling Club, situated on an island in the river Thames, near Reading. Here is a photo album of the day, together with some background information. New Photo Gallery provided below.
Situated in the River Thames, between the bridges of Reading and Caversham, De Montfort Island, sometimes known as Fry’s island, is the unique home of The Island Bohemian Bowls and Social Club. The Club owns half of the Island, and boasts a fine 6 rink bowling green, a spacious clubhouse and a pavilion in a setting that would be hard to equal. All of this can only be accessed by a short river crossing in the club's own ferry. Although now a tranquil retreat just moments from the bustle of Reading town centre, the club badge depicts two knights in combat recalling the island's more violent link with the past.
De Montfort Island derives its name from one of the combatants in a duel actually fought on the island in 1163. The duel was between Robert de Montfort and Henry, Earl of Essex, hereditary standard bearer to the Kings of England. Some years before when King Henry the Second was fighting the Welsh, part of his army fell into panic because, it was said, Henry de Essex dropped the Royal Standard and called out falsely that the King had been slain. Robert de Montfort, his kinsman, declared that he did do it and was therefore both a coward and a traitor. Essex denied these charges, so the King decreed that they must settle their dispute by single combat and that the fight should take place at Reading on the island in the River Thames below Caversham Bridge.
Here, in April 1163, a great concourse of people assembled, the King himself being present. Essex and Montfort were ferried over to the island and were bidden to fight out their quarrel. Let God judge between them! After a furious fight during which Robert de Montfort "thundered on him manfully with hard and frequent strokes" Henry de Essex fell wounded, as was thought, to death.
The King turned to the monks of Reading and bade them carry away the body of the traitor and bury it. However, the monks found that Henry de Essex was not dead and, under their care he at length recovered from his wounds. Having lost the duel, the name of Henry, Earl of Essex was that of a coward and a traitor and his estates were confiscated by the Crown. Unable to face the outside world Essex remained with the monks, eventually joining their order, and ended his life as a monk within the walls of Reading Abbey. © Island Bohemian Bowling Club
ASHCOMBE Park had to use an unusual form of transport to get to an away match. A six-rink mixed team had arranged a fixture with the quaintly-named Island Bohemian bowls club, based near Reading on an island on the River Thames.
The 24 players, plus 12 supporters, discovered on arrival that they had to board motor launches, and were then ferried to the island for the match. The "invasion" went smoothly, and the visitors were warmly welcomed to the ‘Bohemians’ comfortable clubhouse.
The club has been active since the early 1900s, celebrating its centenary last year. It has been proposed to invite the Club back to Ashcombe Park again for our Centenary, next year.
On a hot afternoon, the ‘Bohemians’ shaded the match, winning by 16 shots. Afterwards, both teams enjoyed an excellent meal, and some traditional socialising, before the visitors returned to the mainland and boarded their coach to return home.
Ashcombe Park 100 : ISLAND BOHEMIAN 116
(Mixed Friendly)
(Mixed Friendly)
[11-28] R. Counsell, D. Little, P. Smith, E. Hopkins
[16-19] N. Urch, R. Williams, S. Ford, D. Carr
[16-21] B. Alden, L. Owens, S. Hopkins, A. Little
[13-25] A. Lewis, B. MacGregor, N. Counsell, R. Kibble
[18-15] P. Sheppard, A. Bryant, J. Main, S. Weaden
[26-08] M. Main, M. Parry, R. Ford, J. McInally
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PHOTO GALLERY = Move your ‘mouse’ over ‘thumbnail image’ to reveal a larger photograph.
