THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS LIFTED FROM THE STAFFORDSHIRE ADVERTISER 1902

OPENING OF THE NEW BOWLING GREEN.

IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED STAFFORD BOWLING GREEN A VERY PLEASING LITTLE CEREMONY WAS PERFORMED BY MRS W EBBERN THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB, ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

THE NEW GREEN HAS BEEN LAID OUT ON A PICTURESQUE SPOT OFF THE NEWPORT ROAD, THE GROUND HAVING BEEN TAKEN ON A 21 YEARS LEASE FROM LORD STAFFORD.

THE SITE IS AN EXCELLENT ONE AND THE GREEN, WHICH IS WELL TURFED, IS OF LARGE DIMENSIONS.

IT IS SURROUNDED BY PATHS AND TERRACES, AND AT ONE END HAS BEEN ERECTED, FROM PLANS PREPARED BY MR R A GLASS, HON SECRETARY OF THE CLUB.

AN EXCEEDINGLY WELL APPOINTED AND HANDSOME PAVILION BUILT OF WOOD.

A LARGE NUMBER OF MEMBERS AND FRIENDS ASSEMBLED OUTSIDE THE GROUND FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY, AND MRS EBBERN HAVING BEEN PRESENTED WITH A GOLD KEY, UNLOCKED THE DOOR, WITH A FEW GRACIOUS WORDS WISHING THE CLUB EVERY SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY.

ASSEMBLED INSIDE THE GROUND, MR C H WRIGHT MOVED A HEARTY VOTE OF THANKS TO MRS EBBERN FOR HER PRESENCE THAT AFTERNOON AND FOR THE VERY GRACEFUL WAY IN WHICH SHE HAD OPENED THE GREEN. THE MOTION WAS CARRIED WITH CORDIAL ACCLAMATION MR EBBERN IN RESPONDING ON BEHALF OF HIS WIFE, EXPLAINED HOW THROUGH THE GOOD OFFICES OF THE LATE MR SANDY THEY HAD BEEN ENABLED TO OBTAIN THE SITE, WHICH HAD BEEN SPLENDIDLY LAID OUT UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE, TO WHOM THE THANKS OF ALL THE BOWLERS WERE DUE, FOR THEY HAD DONE THEIR WORK THOROUGHLY WELL MR EBBERN WAS THEN PRESENTED WITH A SILVER KEY. WITH WHICH HE PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE PAVILION.

AFTERWARDS THE MAYOR (ALDERMAN W C T MYNORS) PROPOSED A VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT NOT ONLY FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE FOR THEM THAT DAY BUT FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE IN THE PAST AND WHAT THEY ALL KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE HAD GIVEN HIM GREAT PLEASURE TO BE PRESENT THAT AFTERNOON, AND HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE GROUND THEY HAD GOT. MR EBBERN THANKING THE COMPANY FOR A VERY HEARTY EXPRESSION OF THANKS REMARKED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHY HE HAD BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT UNLESS IT HAD BEEN THAT HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE OLD JUNCTION CLUB. HOWEVER HE WAS VERY PLEASED TO ACCEPT THE OFFICE, WHICH HE HOPED TO BE ABLE TO HOLD FOR MANY YEARS, AND HE WOULD ALWAYS DO HIS BEST FOR THE CLUB.

AFTER THE GROUND AND THE MEMBERS HAD BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED, SIDES WERE CHOSEN BY MR EBBERN AS PRESIDENT AND MR JOHNSON AS CAPTAIN, AND THE FIRST GAME ON THE GREEN WAS PLAYED, THE FIRST JACK BEING BOWLED BY Miss GLASS. IT WAS VERY CLOSELY CONTESTED, AND RESULTED IN A VICTORY FOR THE PRESIDENT’S TEAM.

DURING THE AFTERNOON, TEA WAS SERVED IN A TENT ERECTED AT ONE END OF THE GROUND. -IN THE EVENING, THE FIRST ANNUAL DINNER WAS HELD AT THE NORTH WESTERN HOTEL, WHEN ABOUT 60 SAT DOWN TO AN ENJOYABLE REPAST, THE PRESIDENT TAKING THE CHAIR AND MR GOODCHILD THE VICE­CHAIR. THE LATTER, PROPOSING THE TOAST OF THE EVENING,”SUCCESS TO THE STAFFORD BOWLING CLUB,” SAID THAT AFTERNOON’S LITTLE CEREMONY AUGURED WELL FOR THE FUTURE GOOD AND HEALTHY STATE OF THE CLUB. HE WAS GLAD THAT SO MANY MEMBERS HAD TAKEN THEIR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS ON TO THE GROUND, AND HE HOPED THAT AS LONG AS THE CLUB REMAINED LADIES WOULD ALWAYS TAKE PLEASURE IN WATCHING THE GAMES. THE CLUB WOULD ASSUREDLY BE A SUCCESS IF THEY KEPT IT SELECT: EVERY MEMBER SHOULD BE A GENTLEMAN. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR GREAT INDEBTEDNESS TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE ADMIRABLE WAY IN WHICH THEY HAD CARRIED OUT THEIR DUTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE LAYING OUT OF THE GROUND.

THE TOAST WAS RESPONDED TO BY MR JOHNSON.

THE CAPTAIN MR POTTS PROPOSED THE HEALTH OF MR GLASS. HE SAID THE PAVILION DID HIM EVERY CREDIT. HE HAD SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME IN SEEING THAT THE GREEN WAS PROPERLY LAID OUT, AND WAS DESERVING OF THE BEST THANKS OF THE CLUB. MR GLASS RESPONDING SAID IT HAD BEEN A SOURCE OF GREAT SATISFACTION TO HIM THAT ALL WHO HAD BEEN ON THE GREEN THAT AFTERNOON HAD EXPRESSED THEMSELVES VERY PLEASED WITH THE GROUND AND THE APPOINTMENTS. H E ACKNOWLEDGED THE HELP HE HAD RECEIVED FROM MESSRS GRATTIDGE, BIRD, COOPER AND JOHNSON, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. IN A FEW YEARS TIME THE GROUND WOULD BE A VERY PRETTY LITTLE PLACE AND A GREAT PLEASURE TO ALL THE MEMBERS. HE HOPED THAT THEY WOULD SOON HAVE A VERY LARGE MEMBERSHIP. MR GREATREX IN PROPOSING THE HEALTH OF THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT WHEREVER MR EBBERN WAS AND WHATEVER HE WAS DOING, HE ALWAYS MADE HIMSELF GENIAL AND PLEASANT. THERE WAS NOT A BETTER GREEN THAN THAT WHICH MR EBBERN HAD OPENED THAT AFTERNOON WITHIN 60 MILES OF STAFFORD . BOWLS WAS A VERY OLD ESTABLISHED GAME, AND HE HOPED IT WOULD BE A VERY LONG TIME BEFORE IT WENT OUT OF FASHION. IN MR EBBERN, WHO WAS A SPLENDID ALL-ROUND SPORTSMAN, THEY HAD THE RIGHT MAN IN THE RIGHT PLACE , AND HE HOPED HE WOULD LONG CONTINUE IN OFFICE.

THE TOAST WAS RECEIVED WITH MUSICAL HONOURS AND BRIEFLY RESPONDED TO. DURING THE EVENING, WHICH WAS OF A MOST CONVIVIAL CHARACTER, SOME EXCELLENT SONGS AND SKETCHES WERE GIVEN BY MR PERCY HONRI, WHO ACCOMPANIED HIMSELF ON A CONCERTINA. HE CAUSED ENDLESS AMUSEMENT, AND WAS CALLED ON AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR ENCORES. SONGS WERE ALSO GIVEN BY THE PRESIDENT AND MR M MITCHELL. AT  THE CONCLUSION, THE TOAST OF “THE HOST AND HOSTESS” (MR AND MRS MARTIN) WAS ENSHUSIASTICALLY DRUNK, AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS SUNG WITH FERVOUR.

THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS WERE COMPILED BY CLUB MEMBER BOB WHITFIELD TO COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF STAFFORD BOWLING CLUB 1902 – 2002

Researched at the Stafford and Stoke on Trent county archives, at the William Salt library and the surviving minute books and other documents of Stafford Bowling Club.  Please excuse any errors and there is certainly more of the story to be told

THE BEGINNING

In the Staffordshire Advertiser of May 3rd 1902 an article appeared headed “New Green Complete”. It stated that a new bowling green had been prepared at Newport Road and it was intended to hold an opening ceremony on June 4th. It also stated that the green’s committee consisted of Messrs D Grattidge, J F Cooper, H Johnson, H Bird and R A Glass. Details of the opening were given in a report in the Advertiser dated the 7th of June 1902. The main items were that the President, Mr W Ebbern, assisted by his wife, had conducted the opening. Using a gold key Mrs Ebbern opened the entrance to the ground and with a silver key Mr Ebbern opened the new pavilion. The President said that his election to the position was probably due to him being president of the old Junction Club. Mr Glass was named as the person responsible for the design of the pavilion and the laying of the new green. After Miss Glass had bowled the first bowl a game was played by two sides, one led by Mr Ebbern and the other led by the club captain Mr H Johnson. During a presentation to mark 21 years with the club Mr D Grattidge recounted that he took up bowling in 1897 at Milford Bowling Club, as there  were no greens in Stafford . With Mr H Johnson they started a search for a venue for a green and eventually settled, after negotiations with Lord Stafford, on the Newport Road site, which was formally garden ground. Mr Robert Glass who was credited with the design of the pavilion was an architect by profession, and he had a daughter Eveline who would have been 18 years old in 1902.

THE PROPERTY

The Bowling Club green is situated behind Castle Terrace ( 121 to 127 Newport Road). In 1902 Lord Stafford agreed to lease this land covering 2829 square yards for a period of 2l years at an annual rent of 5 pounds plus any rates due. The land to be used for no other purpose than as a bowling green but a wooden building for use as a pavilion could be constructed. On the 25th of March 1922 a new lease for a further 21 years, but this time for 4891 square yards, was agreed on basically the same terms. The A G M of 1922 recorded that “The committee obtained on very satisfactory terms a new lease which includes the piece of land as far as the new post office”. The lease allowed for sheds “usual and convenient for the proper use of the premises as a bowling green “. The extra land had been leased by Lord Stafford to a Mr Wright who gave up his tenancy for a compensation payment of 5 pounds. In 1943 the land was purchased from Lord Stafford for the sum of £300. To effect the purchase required the club to borrow £250 from Barclays Bank and they required eight guarantors. The Post Office showed interest in purchasing the whole of the club site in July 1977. For the sale to proceed the club required the price to be acceptable and a new green and clubhouse to be built between Jen Shoes and Stafford Rugby Club. It is known the Post Office approached Lord Stafford to buy the land for the new green but there were no further approaches to the club.

THE FOUNDERS

There were five founder members that signed as lessees in 1902, they were William Ebbern, Paul Bridgwood, Daniel Grattidge, Arthur Phillip Goodchild and Howard Johnson.

Who were these men?

WILLIAM EBBERN: He was born on the 10th of March 1853 in Sandon his father was also William, His education was at Stafford Grammar School , followed by an apprenticeship in the shoe manufacturing trade to a Mr Thomas Turner of Lichfield Road. In 1870 he became a partner with Mr George Kinsey in a shoe-manufacturing firm in Browning Street. In 1878 he purchased the Royal Boot factory in Wright Street a business he operated until l908 when the firm was sold to Edward Lloyd and Son. Mr Ebbern resided in Eccleshall Road (Ashlands) until 1900, then at 4 Rowley Avenue (Sandown) with his wife Mary Ann and four daughters. Involved in civic duties he became a Borough Magistrate in 1892 and a Justice of the Peace in 1893 he was also on the Board of Guardians until 1898. In 1902 Mr Ebbern was president of the Junction Bowling Club and he said because of this his fellow founders appointed him as the first president of the new bowling club in Newport Road . Mr Ebbern presented the Presidents Cup, which is still played for, in 1904. Whilst on a shooting holiday in Dunbar Mr Ebbern died on the 23rd of November 1910.

PAUL McMURTRIE BRIDGWOOD: Born at The Hough 91 Lichfield Road in 1863 he took over the family firm on the death of his father around 1880. The business in Greengate Street traded as “Fellmonger and Wool Merchant”. He was the president of the Fellmongers Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the turn of the century. Mr Bridgwood was installed, as Mayor of Stafford in 1902 in 1904 he became a Justice of the Peace. Moving to the “Hawthorns” at Great Haywood in 1910 he withdrew from the business but continued as both an Alderman and a Borough Magistrate. Married he had two sons, Kenneth and Brian and two daughters. His brother Octavius William married Cecil Mary Ebbern daughter of William Ebbern in June 1900 at St Pauls Stafford. Mr M Bridgwood died 10 February 1921.

DANIEL GRATTIDGE: Born 27th March 1849 in Stafford to Daniel and Matilda Grattidge his father was a railway porter. By 1881 he was living at 10 Eastgate Street with his occupations being given as a licensed victualler at “The Castle” a public house and blacksmith in the Castle Yard. Living with him then was his wife Emmeline, a niece and two servants (1 ostler I general servant). He moved to 13 Eastgate Street (a private reidence) in 1899 and the Castle was taken over by his brother George Grattidge. George became a member of the club after being introduced by Daniel in April 1908. George’s son Harry (Daniel’s nephew) was captain of the troopship Lancastria sunk in 1940 and later he was captain of the RMS Queen Mary. Mr D Grattidge became the first chairman of the Newport Road Bowling Club in 1904 and 1905. In 1906 he took up the office of treasurer and remained in that post until 1935. At a ceremony in September 1923 Mr Grattidge was presented with a chiming clock in recognition of 21 years service to the club. Winner of the Presidents Cup in 1912 he was also a vice-president and was made a life member in 1932. This long serving member moved to Birmingham in 1932 where he died on the l5th February 1939.

ARTHUR PHILLIP GOODCHILD: Born in 1847 at Old Cattin Norfolk he was by profession a commercial traveller. In 1881 he was living in Cheetham Lancashire moving to live at Hazledene Lichfield Road by 1889, and Deans Hill in 1901. He and his wife Mary had two daughters, Mary and Leah.

HOWARD JOHNSON: Son of Howard and Harriet Johnson was born in 1867 at 32 Common Road Stafford . In 1884 his father opened a tailoring business at 10 Goalgate Street which Howard junior worked in for all of his life. The firm moved twice, first to 23a Gaolgate in 1900 and finally in 1928 to 20b Goalgate Street . Married he lived in 1902 at 4 Chapel Terrace and moved to 6 St Mary’s Grove in 1922. He had three sons, Reginald, Howard and Sidney; he also had a daughter Gertrude. At the formation of the club in 1904 Mr Johnson became its first captain and remained in the post until 1928. His first 21 years service to the club was recognised in September 1923 when he was presented with a gold watch. For the next six years to 1934 he was the president (only the third one in thirty years). Howard Johnson played in six Presidents Cup finals, winning the trophy three times. Other bowling appointments he had were as president of the Stafford and District Bowling League from 1928; on the management of the County Bowling Association and captain of the Staffordshire team against Yorkshire in 1920. Outside bowling he was involved as chairman of the Executive Committee of the County Conservative Club, welfare of the Poor Law Institution, St Mary’s Church and Stafford Rangers. On the 30th of March 1934 Howard Johnson was elected president of Stafford Bowling Club for a further term but died the next day the 31″ of March. The wreath from S B C read “In Remembrance of a Worthy President, Founder and True Sportsman”

THE LADIES

On the opening day of the club in 1902 one of the speakers said ” he hoped that as long as the club remained ladies would always take pleasure in watching the games”. Whether they took up the offer is not recorded. Certainly the men took care of refreshments either themselves or by paying for them to be provided. Annual dinners were all male, including any guests.

The next mention of ladies is in February 1953 when Mrs Pickstock, wife of a long serving member, asked if she could hold ladies only whist drives in the club, to raise money for the club which was in financial distress. The committee agreed to the request. In October 1954 Mrs Fisher of Eccleshall requested the use of a room on Thursday afternoons for her and other ladies to play bridge. Again the committee agreed but on condition there was a monthly review. The arrangement, in fact, operated until July 1959 May 1955 saw a step forward – at a management committee meeting a letter was read out from Mr J Hutchinson asking that the club rules be amended to allow for ladies (wives and friends) to attend the club on one evening a week as an experiment. The committee referred this to the AC M and in June agreed “ladies could attend on Saturday evenings but had use only of the committee room”. March 1962 the Saturday only rule was amended, it was then agreed ladies should not be refused on other evenings. So it is confusing why in September 1966 it was proposed that “ladies be invited to attend on all nights of the week except Tuesdays and Fridays”. This was deemed to be “a controversial subject” and to be referred to the next A G M. The outcome was that, “members wishing to bring their wives on nominated nights should pay an additional one shilling per annum entitling the ladies to, participate in the club’s amenity when accompanied by their husbands”. One rule was altered in 1965 when for the first time ladies were included at the annual dinner. That year the annual dinner was held in Birmingham followed by a visit to the theatre to see the play “The Ideal Husband”‘. In December 1970 and again in 1971 special ladies nights in addition to normal attendance were called a great success.

February 1973 provided a radical proposal for the next A C M, “that ladies be encouraged to take a greater part in the activities of the club even to the extent of playing bowls on an equal footing with the men”. This became a proposal at the A G M “that ladies be eligible for full (ordinary) membership”. A final decision was delayed to an extraordinary general meeting after all members had received a letter informing them of the proposition.

The E G M was held on the 4th of May 1973 and a vote was recorded of 15 for and 11 against. During discussions at the meeting it came out that the club rules did not, and never had, denied women membership but that membership was under the control of the committee.

On the 22″d of May 1973 the first five lady members were elected. They were Mrs Lucy Flint, Mrs Edith Marion Clay, Mrs Eunice Rooke, Mrs Cynthia Way and Mrs Mamie Gardner. The next first was at the 1974 A G M when Mrs Gardner and Mrs Rooke attended. At the 1977 A G M Mrs Betteridge became the first lady committee member.

CUPS AND TROPHIES

THE PRESIDENTS CUP was the first cup given for competition in 1904 by William Ebbern who was the first president of Stafford Bowling Club.

The plinths carry the names of winners from 1904 except for 1940 and 1941 and between 1955 and 1976. According to the club records in 1940 Mr E James was the winner and he offered to donate 10/6d in lieu of him entertaining the members; this would appear to have been the tradition. The records also state that in 1956, 1960 and 1963 all competitions were being played, and not until 1970 was it decided to “do away with all competitions”. So it may be some worthy winners are not on the plinths. Prior to the cup competition not taking place it was the tradition that the president gave a “prize” to the winner and three other monetary prizes came from entry fees. The president’s “prize” was not always disclosed, but in 1935 he gave £2.2.Od and the others received 16.Od and two of 7/6d. In January 1951 in common with other club competitions it was agreed that all cup winners should receive a small replica cup and runners up cash. In October 1952 it was decided that winners could choose either cash or a replica to the value of 30 shillings. Originally the competition was played as a handicap. It is recorded that J Barr won the trophy in 1924 from a handicap of “three behind scratch”. For 1930 S Robinson (winner) “owed one”, C Tuckett “owed two”, W Matthew “received one” and .1 Peachey “received six”. E James won the cup 5 times (including 1940), the most recorded.

In 2001 Mrs Betty Pelter became the first lady member to win the trophy.

THE VICE- PRESIDENTS CUP seems to have been presented and the financial prizes funded by the vice-presidents. Probably the second cup presented for competition it was played annually until 1942 when A Read won it for the third time and claimed it to keep. He was allowed to retain it, as that was apparently one of the rules of the competition.

In February 1946 it was agreed that the Howard Johnson cup should be known as the Vice-Presidents cup and that year was presented as such. Strangely in 1951 it was again proposed and agreed that the Howard Johnson cup became the Vice-Presidents cup. By 1955 the presentation was as the Johnson Cup and no further mention is made of the V­P Cup.

It was considered as an honour to be proposed and elected to one of the 16 vice-president positions, even though they appear to have paid extra subscriptions. Two of the vice­presidents were elected annually to serve on the club management committee. The last recorded election for vice-president was in 1972 when R H Rooke and C H Yeates were proposed and elected. Mr R H Rooke appears to have been the last vice president. Following the A G M of 1981, when it was agreed that the committee should be three office holders and eight others, there is no further reference to vice presidents.

In 1920 a cup was “Presented by the Vice President” to Stafford Bowling Club but there is no indication on the cup regarding its use until it was engraved as the Captain’s Cup, probably in 1983. Since that year winners of the competition have been recorded on the plinth but whether the cup was originally the Vice President’s Cup is unclear.

THE NOVICES CUP was, prior to 1934, one of three annual cup competitions with the Presidents and Vice-Presidents. The cup was given for competition by Alderman W T Richardson at the A G M in March 1926, and was for “competition among members who had not won a premier prize”. W T Richardson was a club member and Mayor of Stafford in 1927 and 1928. In his time as Mayor he gave to the town the pavilion that stands by Victoria Park bowling green backing on to the river.

1955 appears to be the final time the competition was played and Mr Richardson carried out the presentation. The trophy is still existing being renamed in 1980 as the Ladies Cup.

THE ROBINSON CUP was presented in 1934 by Mr S Robinson a club member who was Mayor of Stafford in 1934. First played for in 1935 and up to 1957 as a singles trophy. It was not competed for between 1958 and 1981. From 1982 on it has been awarded as the Doubles Cup.

THE HOWARD JOHNSON CUP left no record of who actually presented the Howard Johnson Cup in memory of a founder member who died in 1934 after being club captain for 26 years and president for 7 years. In 1935 the first winner was W Blackburn . In 1937 the rule for this competition was given as “to be played for in doubles the winning couple to play off for the winner”. Although it became the Vice-Presidents Cup in 1946 and 1951 it was played for most (but not every) year until 1956. It was reinstated in 2001 as a fitting recognition of a long serving and influential past member. Since the Centenary of the club in 2002 the cup has been presented annually to the winner of a doubles match between teams led by the Captain and the President.

THE VICTORY CUP was given to the club in June 1946 by Mr W H Smethurst in memory of Mr W H B Smethurst, the competition to be a singles knockout played for annually as near as possible to the 8th of June. Being one year after the end of the second world war leaves little doubt as to why it was given that name. In 1967 Mr W H Smethurst’s son presented a clock to the club in his memory. The cup was not played for from 1959 to 1982. The Victory Cup was renamed the May Day Cup in 1983 and is competed for as an American doubles.

From around 1955 the competitions being played were very erratic. Some years all were played, then some years one or another failed to be completed. It became so erratic that one year it was suggested entry fees were given to charity because the competitions had not been completed by the end of the season.

The reasons for the problems appear to be multiple. All competitions were played on handicaps and over the season; once the draw had been made opponents sorted out when they would play (somewhat similar to the present winter indoor games). Playing on Sunday was not popular. Weather certainly affected them, and it is doubtful if they ever played in rain, quickly retiring to the whist table.

At the A G M in February 1962 members questioned whether or not to continue with competitions at all. It was decided to continue, the captain being offered help with the running of the games. Things did not improve, and in March 1966 it was decided that competitions be “held in abeyance”. In April 1970 a proposal was put forward that ” all cup competitions be done away with for good and not considered again”. An attempt to hold just one club competition in 1971 was abandoned partly played. The A G M for 1977 was held in December 1976 and there it was proposed “that competitions for the club trophies be organised for the 1977 season”. Certainly the Presidents Cup was played for in that year.

The decision to hold the 1977 A G M in December 1976 had a bearing on future trophies. The meeting was called early to discuss a proposal to enter a team in a league for the first time in the club’s history.

From then on some of the older trophies were re­named. The Victory Cup for singles became the May Day Cup as an American doubles, and the Robinson Cup became the Doubles Cup.

New trophies were gradually added as well as more club teams playing in local bowls leagues. Merit awards, usually in the form of shields, were presented to average winners in most of the club’s teams.

Currently the club enters teams in six local leagues:

Stafford Ladies League (Monday night)
Stafford Veterans League (Wednesday afternoon)
Stafford 55 League (Thursday afternoon)
Cannock League (Thursday evening)
Stafford and District League (Friday night)
Hyundai League (previously Moss Pit League) (Saturday afternoon)

1982 Stafford League A team Merit

1983 The Border Cup presented by Border Breweries – awarded to the Runner Up in the President’s Cup

1983 Ladies Captain’s Cup (American Singles) – not held since 2003 due to lack of entries

1984 “Man of the Season” presented by “The Ladies” – known as the Men’s Cup

1984 Stafford and Stone Challenge shield presented to the winning team in the annual match between Stafford and Stone Bowling Clubs

1984 Stafford League B team Merit

1985 Ladies Average A and B teams Singles Merits followed later by Doubles Merits

1985 Moss Pit League A team Merit

1986 Moss Pit League B team Merit

1986 Phil Perry Cup (Veterans Singles) presented by his wife and family

1992 Rooke Double (Veterans) presented by the  Rooke family in memory of Eunice and Ron Rooke – Ron was the club treasurer 1960 to 1971 and Captain 1973 – 1974

1993 Madge Lane Cup presented by husband Ken in her memory – Ken was club Captain 1984-1985 and President 1994 to 2000. The cup became the Ken and Madge Lane Cup in 2007 following Ken’s death

1994 Madge Lane Runner Up shield presented by Ken’s brother Gerald and his wife Mary

1993 Round Peg Trophy presented by Peter Atkin – club Captain 1996 – 1997

1993 Fred Maskery Cup presented by member Fred Maskery to the winner of an annual challenge match between the Stafford League A and B teams

1994 Cannock League team Merit

1996 Pat Craig Memorial Cup presented by his brother Paul – Pat three times winner of the President’s Cup and Paul four times – Paul club Secretary 1986 – 1995

2005 Stafford 55 League A and B teams Merits

2007 Captain’s Cup open to both ladies and men – previously men only

2008 Non-Winner’s Cup introduced for members, who have not won a singles competition in the previous five years – Philip Perry Cup renamed

2010 Stafford Veterans League C team Merit presented by Jack Ellsmore – club President 2001 – 2009

In 2007 the use of handicaps in competitions (Phil Perry Cup, Madge Lane Cup, Madge Lane Cup, Pat Craig Doubles and Rooke Doubles) to encourage entries and competition between members was discontinued – judged no longer effective

Away from the green the Don Bunting Winter Trophy was presented by member Don Bunting in 1985. Each winter it brings members into the club house to compete in five indoor games (crib, darts, dominoes, snooker and table skittles) in keeping with earlier days when crib and whist competitions were held

The annual Club Presentation Evening and Buffet is held each January to celebrate the achievements of members in both club and league competition

FROM CLUB MINUTES

The following two items are from. 1963 club minutes.

May –  The committee agreed to Staffordshire Police having use of the green and clubhouse on condition that a committee member was present to ensure that licensing laws were adhered to.
November — a member proposed “that new snooker balls be purchased as he had difficulty potting the present set “.