The written memories of Phyl Hurst, recorded in the 1980s.
I joined W.P.B.C. in 1958. At that time Des Done was chairman. Rita Jackson, Joan Field, Kath Wilkes, Joyce Buchnall, Muriel Snowden, Netty Colley, & I think Kath Sweeney comprised the Ladies. Our fee was £1.50 per year and we were not welcomed by all the male members. We were only associate members, allowed to attend A.G.M but not allowed to vote.
The tennis club was flourishing & occupied most of the pavilion. They provided cups of tea & profits were supposed to be for pavilion improvements, however, it appeared any profits were probably used for tennis equipment with the result that after much argument (mostly by Rita & Hetty with tennis folks), we ladies made tea & kept accounts. This happened in 1959 & the ladies section of W.P.B.C. was growing rapidly. I think Rita was our first Captain and we were strong enough to start playing marches with the ladies section of Weoley Hill & Moorpool.
Three or four years later George Middleton joined our club. He was a great character, became very keen on bowls & the W.P.B.C. & it did not take long for him to be elected chairman. Things then really began to take off – ladies were made full members. Douglas Hurst became Social Secretary; Bowls Drives, outings, whist drives in Woodlands Park Hall during closed season & presentation suppers all happened. (In the early days, before the Ladies Cup appeared, I had seen the men’s shield & cup handed over wrapped in newspaper!) Albert Wilkes donated the Ladies Cup in 1959 or 60. The Mixed Doubles Trophy, Ladies Doubles Trophy & Men’s Doubles Trophy were all donated by D. Done, K. Sweeney & G. Middleton. The senior members trophies were both made by Jack Quiney.
Jack Quiney, being a retired wood-work teacher, did a great deal of work for W.P.B.C.. He replaced the pavilion floor, made all the honors [sic] Boards, name cards, hand rail on green, & many other improvements.
Eventually ill-health overcame George Middleton, & Douglas Hurst became chairman. That was in 198[?] I believe. By this time, the tennis club was on the decline & the Bowls had a membership of 90 & a waiting list.
Tea was still made using an old gas-stove top, calor gas & two old kettles. We then purchased the [Man] which was a great improvement but took ages to boil! New crockery (the white and yellow ones) had been purchased, paid for out of profits on tea. The [Man] was used until this year, 1998, when Bournville Tenants provided the Club Pavilion with electricity.
I have seen many improvements made during my membership – pavilion re-roofed, new water (metered) supply to ease the task of watering the green, veranda added to Pavilion, to name just a few. I made all the cushions for the benches & the Club Flag. A new large shed provided by the Bowls Club for the Tennis Club so freeing the Pavilion of all the storage of nets & equipment for tennis. New benches donated by members in memory of deceased members, new tables & chairs, replacing old heavy ones.
The club today owes much to the constant endeavours of Roland Harrison, George Middleton, Douglas Hurst, Jack Quiney and the keenness and devotion of many past members. The club always has been a happy club, & still is under the present management team & members. Long may it continue.
During dry weather Douglas & Roland used to water the green. Douglas would be on the green at 6am to set the traveling spray going & Roland would attend to it at the end of its run about 3 hours later. Other men members, who lived nearby, would give a hand but often the green would be very brown & even crack during drought. At the end of [the] season the men used to tyre the green with garden forks then cover with fertiliser. This was very hard work indeed. Eventually a professional green keeper was found & he came with machinery & know-how in October & the Spring resulting in our lovely green today.
Of course, years ago we had not the funds to pay for professional care. In the very [missing section]
[missing section] public raffle to purchase a much needed new mower! We also had several jumble sales!
Looking back over the years – we have had, & indeed now have, several outstanding characters. To me, George Middleton stands out & he was an excellent speaker, always spoke his mind, & could ‘insult’ anyone & get away with it! Full of fun, very practical & straight forward. I remember one example. Gwen Wakeman, Daisy – George’s wife, myself & Muriel Snowden were sitting enjoying a cup of tea when along comes George. “What a lovely bunch of old Broilers” was his greeting, said with a smile & no-one took offence. Muriel Snowden, known as ‘Blodwen’ on the green, always stuck out [?] left leg as she delivered her wood. Gwen Wakeman, who almost always bowled “googlies”, which somehow nearly always found the jack. Have you noticed how many men deliver their bowl then stand & watch it with their arms tightly folded across their chest? Rita Jackson always bent sideways the way she wanted the wood to go.
W.P.B.C. has always been meant fun, friends & happy times to me – may it always be so. Also may we always remember the ground belongs to Bournville Tenants Ltd whose management committee keep us in many ways. We are, indeed, very lucky.
P.S. Woodlands Bowling’s Social Club was discovered by Gordon Jackson at least 20 years ago, we have remained friends ever since.
P. Hurst
NB: Woodlands Park Bowls Club is still flourishing and is keen to welcome new members. Contact Rosemary Shutt (Sec.) on 0121 458 2547.
Notes
Phyllis Hurst was married to Doug Hurst, and they lived at 59 Kingsley Road from the early 1950s.
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