Bowls Clubs

Hi Steve Not in connection with New Buildings itself, but I do remember your grandfather, Albert Ballance as a member of Three Spires Bowling & Sports Club - he was a colleague of my grandfather. In fact, together they won both the Warwickshire County Triples and Fours Championships in 1943 (I do have a photo somewhere!). I've had a quick look at the British Newspaper Archive and come across this photo from 1939. Post copied from topic Albert T Ballance on 21st Jun 2021 8:50 pm

There are many 'trees' on Ancestry for Mr Albert Tooth BALLANCE. Here's a couple of images, also from Ancestry. Post copied from topic Albert T Ballance on 21st Jun 2021 8:50 pm

Heathite! Albert Ballance on the left, my grandad in the middle. Not seen that one before

Dream, I was in the Co-op mens' department with Mr Roberts in the vacations from Bristol during the summers, Christmas and I think Easter vacations. As you say he was a very nice person. Mostly the staff with him were ladies but I also worked on the first floor tailoring and school uniforms, and would occasionally be sent downstairs when they were busy. The boss in my time there was a Mr Dunford who was a keen bowls player, and a bigger, taller man upstairs was a Mr Brown. Post copied from topic Coventry's Co-operative Societies on 21st Jun 2021 8:43 pm

Prof. That would be Harry Dunford, a member of Avenue (Coventry) BC at Gaveston Road. He was a prominent figure in the Warwickshire bowls fraternity, becoming County President in 1974.

Now Mr Dunford rings a bell. Cyril was an avid bowls player too. We must have bumped into Mr D a few times. My two offspring were fitted out with uniforms for St John's school from the Co. Most likely met Mr Brown too as Cyril was given a wonderful send off at his retirement dinner. Post copied from topic Coventry's Co-operative Societies on 21st Jun 2021 8:44 pm

I don't think Mr Dunford knew, MR but my grandad Kendall was a founder member of the Avenue Bowls Club. He and my elder brother worked on clearing the rough ground before the greens were laid. I do remember some of the names: Jimmy Banham, Dennis Drane, James Taylor, who played with HWK. Our family holidays had to team up with a bowls tournament, often at a seaside town.

Avenue Bowling Club matches: (portrait) Bournemouth 23 Aug 1937 HWK L group third from R. (landscape) Wolvey Aug 1936 HWK front 2nd L.

Thanks, Prof. I'm particularly interested to read the names of the players. My grandad, Len Williamson, is shown as lead for the Three Spires rink for the EBA President's team, with Oscar Grunau, Frank Edge and Howard Beard, all of whom I knew when I was a proud kid following his grandad around the bowling greens. Grandad was a member of Avenue BC before the war, and won the Singles Championship there, before moving to Three Spires. Also interesting is the name of Joseph Horace Hackney, Wolvey BC, who lived in the house featured in the 1936 photo of Avenue bowlers you posted the other day. When I was a member of Wolvey in the 1990s, I used to see him watching the bowling from an upstairs room in his house which overlooked the green - your photo predates the installation of a window in the back wall of the house! He was County President in 1937 and 1938.

MR, it seems evident our grandfathers knew each other at ABC. Do I remember a tall man with fair wavy hair around the time the club opened? I have a photo of the preparation work prior to the greens at Gaveston Road. At the moment I've mislaid it but will upload as soon as it comes to light.

Avenue (Coventry) Bowls Club opened in 1935 on a green in Moseley Avenue. The Evening Telegraph reported on 6 April 1945 that work had commenced on the construction of a new club and green in Gaveston Road, on a piece of land that the paper reported the club had purchased for £900! Harry Weston was President, and the committee included one H W Kendall. On 10 April 1945 the Telegraph published this photo: The buildings in the background are very recognisable to me as being on Hollyfast Road