History of Bowling (in brief)

ASHCOMBE PARK BOWLING CLUB
CLUB HISTORY

Brief History of Bowling

The game of bowling is thought to have evolved many centuries ago, but its true origins are buried in the mists of time’. It is not really known when the lawn bowling game was first played in a form of rinks (strips of lawn over a flat green), or when bowls with a built-in bias were first used.

Much of the ‘folklore’ of bowling suggests that its origins grew from games like skittles, boules, and similar pursuits. Archaeologists have postulated that certain games in the Stone Age involved ‘bowling’ rounded rocks to a peg, and there are links with the Egyptian practice of skittles (which used round stones) through artifacts found in tombs dating back to 5000BC. Furthermore, there is proof that the Italian variation of Bocci was played by the Romans, as well as similar Aztec, Indigenous American and Ancient Chinese practices.

The earliest recorded history of the game is typically associated with 13th century England. This conforms with all extant evidence such as the oldest surviving bowling green still in use, found in Southampton and dating back to 1299, and a drawing of two participants in Windsor, Berkshire.

A 14th century Book of Prayers gives a sense of what the early forms of the game were like, with possibly another bowl used as a jack, both players delivering just one ball (made of wood and without any bias) and no set technique laid down on how to bowl properly.

The game gained popularity, so much so that there was fear for the possible ramifications for archery, which was then vital to the military. Consequently, many statutes were made ordering its prohibition - firstly in 1361 under Edward III, and then in 1388 under Richard II and in 1409 under Henry IV.

The first mention of the term ‘bowls’ is found in a subsequent statute of 1511 during the reign of Henry VIII, although this contained concessions, most notably in an order which lasted from 1541 to 1845 which permitted the lower orders to play at Christmas and tolerated private greens if a license was purchased for the grand sum of £100.

In games such as skittles, ‘spin’, ‘side’, and ‘screw’ are used to create bend of the aiming ball, but the game of bowls is the only one which uses a built-in bias in the aiming ball (bowl), to create this bend, a feature that is fundamental in the game. The bias in the bowl was supposedly introduced in 1522 courtesy of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who, whilst playing a form of bowls at Goole, broke his bowl broke in half. He sawed the knob off his host’s balustrade, and stuck it on one half of his broken ball. This replacement was subsequently one part flat, and the result, the story goes, was a ‘crazy’ ball, which bent around ‘blockers’ and found the ‘jack’, even when it was hidden from view.

The Jack was a development of the early 17th century, the name meaning a smaller version of something else (hence ‘Jack-bowl’).

The most famous historical story involving the game of bowling, is that concerning Sir Francis Drake. On July 18th 1588, he was enjoying a game at Plymouth Hoe when he was alerted to the Spanish Armada’s approach. Rather than rush off though, Drake made the famous remark that ‘we still have time to finish the game and thrash the Spaniards too!’. Although he (somewhat humorously) lost the bowls match, the Spaniards did indeed suffer a beating, with Drake as the second-in-command. He would then, almost certainly be using biased woods. Shakespeare, writing at the similar time, made several references to bias in conjunction with the playing of bowls, in particular Richard II, Act III, Scene IV

Charles I, back in the early seventeenth century, was a keen player of the game, and built his own green, it is believed, near the site of Charring Cross railway station. A frequent playing partner was Richard Chute of Barking, who also built a fine green in his grounds at Barking Hall. It is rumoured that, one one occasion, they played for £1000, a massive amount at that time. Charles lost, but when Chute proposed another game with a similar wager, Charles refused thinking about the consequences of loosing another fortune.

His son Charles II was just as enthusiastic about the game, and, in 1670, he drew up the first ‘Rules’ of the game of Bowls, which involved play on rinks. But, lawn bowling, as we know it today, did not take shape until the Laws were codified by W.W.Mitchell, a Scottish lawyer, in 1849.

Before that time, Bowling Clubs that existed, more or less, played to their own rules, and as a result there was a great deal of conflict. It was realised that a national organisation was required, and a meeting was held in Glasgow in 1848, with representatives of about 200 clubs from across Britain. Unfortunately, at the inaugural meeting, the move to form a national body fell through, but the meeting did realise that there was a need for the adoption of laws for the game which might be common to all. A small committee was formed, which met in 1849 with William W. Mitchell as Secretary. Mr. Mitchell, a member and twice President of The Willow Bank Bowling Club, Glasgow, agreed to draw up a complete code of laws, which were adopted by clubs in the West of Scotland and were adhered to for many years.

This Manual of Laws was published in 1864.and came about as a result of developments in Scotland. The Scottish Bowling Association, formed in 1892, took on board these laws a year later, as did the English Bowling Association, founded in 1903 under the Presidency of a certain Dr. W.G. Grace.

Codifying a set of Laws was pivotal to spreading bowls worldwide. This was achieved two years later with the creation of the International Bowling Board. Initially composed of just Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, the Board quickly increased its membership thanks to the entry of Australia, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa in 1928. With a list of rules in place and an international community developing, the idea of bowls as a genuine competitive sport became a reality, laying the foundations for further developments.

Further information can be obtained from

Scottish Bowling Association: www.scottish-bowling.co.uk

‘Talk Bowls’ Web-site: www.talkbowls.co.uk

Information provided here is taken from several sources. Its complete accuracy should neither be completely relied upon, nor be considered to be representative of the Club or its Members.