Welcome to Wishaw Bowling Club.
Club History.
Our club was inaugurated in 1860:- 5 years after Wishaw was constituted as a Burgh,
Which, at that time was regarded as a thriving, active town with a population of 6112,
The main source of employment in the district was centered on the Mineral industries of Coal, Ironstone and FireClay. At this time the Burgh boasted Eight Churches, Three Banking companies, a Building Society, a Funeral Society and a newly constructed Public Library.
Other significant World Wide events occurring around the time the club was formed Were : -
1859 : Ground breaking ceremony for the Suez Canal.
Charles Darwin published - The Origin of Species.
1860 : Britain produced 20% of the entire worlds output of industrial goods.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the U.S.A.
The Pony Express began its first run between St. Joseph Mo.- Sacremento Cal.
The inaugural British Open golf Championship was held at Prestwick.
1861 : Start of the American Civil War.
Queen victoria’s husband died.
In 1859, a Subscription List was opened to raise funds to inaugurate a bowling club and the following year Wishaw Bowling Club was established.
The inauguration year had a membership of 57 with an annual subscription of
10/-(50p). By 1861 the membership had swollen to 103 and the subscription for that
Year was £1 .
The first green was a section of the public park, rented from the Burgh for an annual rent of £1. In 1864 the club directors resolved to obtain a long term lease of the ground occupied by the club from the Belhaven Estate.
During 1868 offers were tendered for the construction of a new bowls house and the following tenders were accepted:-
(1) Masonry work .........................£43. 10/-. (£43.50p)
(2) Joinery work............................ £27. 10/-. (£27.50p)
(3) Roofing / Plaster work ......£12. 12/-. (£12.(60p)
In 1877 a grand bowling tournament was held, with prizes valued at:
1st. - £40, 2nd - £20, 3rd - £10 and 4th - £5. A princely sum in those days.
By the turn of the century, the steady development of the club reached a climax in May 1902 when it was proposed that a deputation be appointed to contact the Coltness estate, owned by Mr J Hamilton Houldsworth to ascertain upon what terms, land adjoining the original green could be obtained
In August of that year, the club agreed to proceed with the construction of another green, and to this end, it was proposed to hold a Bazaar and Subscription sale during the months of April and September respectively.
The prizes for the Subscription sale were as follow:
1st prize....................Pony and trap________ value £35
2nd.prize..................Gold Watch_________ value £20
3rd. Prize.................Lady’s or gents Bicycle __value £12
Plus 22 lesser value prizes.
The outstanding success of this venture culminated in raising the full cost of the
new green (£915) with a small balance remaining. The new green opened in the season of 1904