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The club was formed
as a Men's Outdoor Bowls Club in 1908 and in its first season, played on
a temporary two or three rink green at the edge of the town's Cricket
Ground in West Hendford. A new green was laid the next year in the Huish/West
Hendford area and this was used for nearly twenty years. By 1926,
however, it was decided that the green, which was not full size, was
unsatisfactory and was inadequate for the growing membership of the
Club. During that year, land was being sold at Higher Kingston for the
erection of private houses and a plot became available at a cost of
£339. By November, the Club had become a Limited Company and the new
land purchased. It was part of an orchard and sloped considerably to the
south so the plans (and budgets) for a bowling green, hard tennis courts
and a putting green were ambitious. The bowling green and tennis courts
were successfully opened by the President of the Somerset County Bowling
Association on 12th May, 1928 with the putting green being opened soon
after. In that same year a pavilion with a verandah, was built and it
says much for the original construction that, with some alterations,
that it is still in use today. Conveniences, looking rather too much
like a potting shed, were installed near the entrance.
Over the years, the ladies were granted one permission after another.
The formation of the new club saw them progress from providing teas, to
having their own green in 1935 and then, in 1973, to having use of the
main green until 6.30 - but only on three weekdays! The latter
concession no doubt came about because the Club wanted to build over the
ladies' green.
Lack of finance and members were a constant source of anxiety, but in
1970 the Club began to realise that if it built a new pavilion, with a
bar, indoor bowls rink and two courts for the very popular game of
squash, it might just be able to move into better times. For two years,
members argued and worried over sacrificing the ladies' green,
introducing indoor bowls and squash - with loud, perhaps brash -
youngsters, but in 1973 work commenced and the new facilities were
opened in the following year. Over the next five years, indoor bowls and
squash developed at such a rate that by 1980, a third court was being
requested together with at least two extra indoor rinks. After another
anguished decision-making process, the third court and a new three-rink
green were opened in October, 1981.
Later, an extended bar, refurbished kitchen, new watering systems and an
additional lounge were completed. There seems little room for expansion
now that car parking is such a problem everywhere, but there will always
be room for improvement.
A much more detailed History of the Club can be purchased from the club
bar at a charge of £1.50. It is full of reports from editions of 'The
Western Gazette' carefully researched by a much respected life member,
Dennis Taylor dec'd. Dennis himself knew much of the Club's history,
from personal experience and from listening to the older members when he
first joined - and was able to write a very interesting and amusing
booklet.
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