| Date |
|
Event |
| Pre 1919 |
|
Bowling first commenced (as far as is known) in Sawbridgeworth on the
lawn of the garden of Mr A. E. Rix the founder member of the Club |
| 1919 |
|
Sawbridgeworth Bowling Club was formed on 15th November at a special meeting of the Sawbridgeworth and District Allotment Holders, resulting in a five rink green being constructed
by the members on an area of Town Fields previously used as allotments |
| 1924 |
 |
The first clubhouse, built by the members, remained in use as the
Gentlemen's changing rooms until 2005 |
| 1924 |
 |
Club Members in front of the Clubhouse. During the year a Cup was presented by the then President, Mr A.E. Cutforth for a singles competition |
| 1925 |
|
Club affiliated to the Hertfordshire Bowls Association |
| 1926 |
|
Club joined the East Herts Bowling League which consisted of ten clubs. Sawbridgeworth won both the Singles and the Fours Competitions. |
| 1926 |
|
Nockolds presented the club with a cup for the men's pair competition |
| 1930 |
|
Membership fee raised from 7 shillings & 6 pence to 10 shillings per
year due to the Club's flagging bank balance which was £3.15s.7p |
| 1931 |
|
Concern was expressed at the unevenness of the green and professional
advice and help was sought for the green and the ditches at a cost of
£80 |
| 1933 |
|
The club provided a team to play in a match at Havers Park B.C. in honour
of the visit of the Duchess of York (later to become the Queen Mother)
who was visiting Bishop's Stortford to open a new wing of the local hospital |
| 1936 |
|
The club's committee expressed concern over the introduction of composite
bowls and the secretary was instructed to write to the English Bowling
Association requesting composite bowls be banned from competition bowling . No reply
was received. The Henselite bowls then cost £5.8s.6p. per set |
| 1937 |
|
Ladies were allowed to join the bowling ranks and a ladies section was
formed |
| 1938 |
|
The question of Sunday play at Sawbridgeworth was heavily out voted |
| 1939-1945 |
|
During the second world war the bowling activities were severly restricted. All matches were cancelled but club competitions went ahead |
| 1946 |
|
Club reached record of 80 members. 60 men and 20 ladies |
| 1947 |
|
1000 new turfs laid to improve the state of the green |
| 1950 |
|
Miss M Morris elected President of the Hertfordshire County Womens Bowling Association |
| 1950 |
|
A Cup was presented to the club by Mrs Rix in memory
of her late husband, Mr A.E Rix, the Club Founder The cup was awarded initally for a fixed jack competition |
| 1952 |
|
Barclay Perkins Cup was instituted for a Triples Competition |
| 1954 |
|
Club agreed to allow play on Sunday but not to commence before 3 p.m. |
| 1958 |
|
First club dinner was held at the "Cosy Cafe", London Road,
at a cost of 9shillings & 6 pence per person |
| 1960 |
|
Bar erected in the club but the licence rejected as club rules did not
conform |
| 1961 |
|
Club Rules changed to conform to the Licencing Laws. Bar opened in the old club house |
| 1963 |
|
New machine store erected beside the original clubhouse |
| 1965 |
|
Bert Riches presented a shield for the annual match against Havers Park B. C. |
| 1965 |
|
Reg Goulding presented a cup for a competition for married couples |
| 1966 |
|
Sub committee formed to develop proposals for a new clubhouse. The new club house was built by members to plans drawn up by Jack Edwards with an estimated cost of £650, funded initally by loans from Walter May and Bert Riches |
| 1967 |
 |
New clubhouse was officially opened by the then President Air- Commodore
J. E Allen-Jones .CBE with over 100 members present |
| 1967 |
|
Electricity was laid into the club buildings |
| 1967 |
|
Mr W. E. May elected President of the East Hertfordshire Bowling Association |
| 1968 |
|
Mrs Olive Cockes elected President of the Hertfordshire County Women's Bowling Association |
| 1969 |
|
Golden Jubilee year of the club |
| 1972 |
|
Green extended to include a sixth rink by members of the club thus halving
the contractors estimate of costs. Play in all four directions was now possible |
| 1974 |
|
Clubhouse extention was undertaken by members to plans drawn up by Charlie Norris at an estimated cost of £1200-00 |
| 1975 |
|
Club toilets were connected into the main sewer |
| 1975 |
|
Cup presented by Mrs Austin, in memory of her late husband, which became the Victor Ladorum Cup. |
| 1991 |
|
Mr J Baddeley elected President of the East Hertfordshire Bowling Association |
| 1991 |
|
Mrs D May elected President of the East Hertfordshire Womens Bowling Association |
| 1993 |
|
New Club House extended and refurbished to plans drawn up by John Baddeley to a cost of £8500-00 |
| 1995 |
 |
On the 27th August the club were honored by a visit of members from The Royal Hospital, Chelsea, Bowls Club |
| 1995 |
 |
Finals Day wipe out by torrential rain which due to the poor drainage
left us with a lake. As a result a sub committee was set up to consider
the possibility of inserting land drains. Following discussion with a
number of greens contractors it was decided that a new green and irrigation
was needed |
| 1996 |
 |
At a specially convened EGM in April 1996 the motion was passed that
provided the finances could be put in place then a contractor could be
engaged which resulted in a New Green and automatic irrigation system
being installed. Picture of commencement of Green being dug up |
| 1997 |
 |
New Green and irrigation system installed and ready for bowling |
| 1997 |
|
Club's Diamond Jubilee year. |
| 2004/5 |
 |
The old original clubhouse had reached a point where it was not economic
to undertake repairs so plans were drawn up, by a sub committee, for New Changing Rooms which
were build by sub contractors and club members under the direction of Robin Williams and Bernard Jones. The new changing rooms were officially opened by the Town Mayor, Mrs Joyce Vincent, on
7 May 2005 |
| 2008 |
 |
New Kitchen designed and installed, on time & with in budget, by club members |