Fife bowling club celebrates centenary at its ’new’ home

Crail Bowling Club hosted two events at the end of May to mark the milestone.

Clubs from Cupar, St Andrews, Lundin Links, Pittenweem, St Monans and Anstruther took part in a 100th anniversary lawn bowls tournament. Club members also competed in an celebration of the current green’s landmark.

However, Crail Bowling Club is older than 100 years. It was the first lawn bowls club in East Fife, established in 1891, and officially opened for play on July 13, 1892. The original green sat on the location of the village’s swing park, and was in two separate sections with three rinks each.

Proving to be a very popular addition to the community, in 1924 it was decided to find a new location that would accommodate six rinks, side by side. An offer was made for land on Kirkmay Road, where the green is to this day. Construction work started in January 1925 and took just six weeks. Although the new bowling green was officially opened on July 9, bowling continued opposite the school to allow the new turf to establish, and the first game on it was on May 26.

An article in the East Fife Observer reported that bowlers from various parts of the Kingdom gathered to play with the prizes for the two highest up rinks were four clocks, two walking sticks, a pipe and tobacco pouch, and a silver cigarette case.

The club’s minute books have been preserved, dating back to 1891.

In November of that year, a meeting was held in Crail Town Hall to discuss a proposal to establish a bowling green. Present were many prominent local businessmen, farmers and Provost Peattie.

The proposal was agreed and a committee elected to identify a site and generate money through extensive fundraising, and a small bank loan. The total cost, including a pavilion (£100), would eventually be £300. The land rental per annum was £5, with the first two years free of charge.

There were three rinks on the lower level and three on the upper level. An iron fence around the green cost £43 and 15 shillings. The slope to the burn was planted with trees and shrubs. A pavilion with dressing rooms completed the new bowling club.

The first bowling green in the East of Fife opened on July 13, 1892. An article in the ‘East of Fife Record’ newspaper reported that the opening ceremony attracted several hundred people who congregated around the two greens.

The first game was played by locals and invited bowlers from Dundee and Carnoustie, followed by a dinner in the Town Hall for 40 prominent guests, purveyed by Mr Cawthorn of the East Neuk Hotel.

Hundreds of people joined as members, and the initial yearly subscription was ten shillings and sixpence.