Wellingborough bowls club to celebrate 100 years

The club played their first game at the green in 1922
Believed to be the very first home match on Saturday, June 10, 1922Believed to be the very first home match on Saturday, June 10, 1922
Believed to be the very first home match on Saturday, June 10, 1922

Wellingborough’s Swanspool Bowls Club is celebrating its centenary this month with a match set to be played on Saturday, July 30.

The match will be played at 1pm before club members will adjourn to Church of St Mary the Virgin in Knox Road, where the vicar has provided them with a hall so that they can have a meal.

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New shirts have been made for the 100 year anniversary match to mark the special day.

Swanspool trophy tableSwanspool trophy table
Swanspool trophy table

Swanspool’s captain and secretary, Eileen Fairbairn, who has been with the club since 1999 and been a captain since 2006, said: “We’re all excited to go down there and play.

“Some of the old players who can no longer play because, bless them, they’re a bit too old and frail now, they’re going to hopefully be there to watch. There’s a lot of history there.

“It is nice that they still come, it’s keeping the club alive.”

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Their Swanspool Gardens home green was planned and designed in 1920, first laid in 1921 and first played on in 1922.

Eileen said: “Swanspool Gardens is a beautiful place, with beautiful trees that could tell a few stories.”

Only men played until 1981 when ladies were allowed to join. Swanspool has been a mixed players club since and has enjoyed many years of playing games both home and away.

Both Gordon and Beryl Dring held the club together for nearly 25 years as captain, players and tea lady for the club until their retirement in 2017.

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