Barrington United Club History
Barrington Bowling Club started as a club at Barrington Park Spreydon in 1925. It was registered as an Incorporated Society in 1927.
This was a male only club until around 1950s when a women section was started and this also very successful. It numbers were very low by 1998 and went into recess until 2010 when the section started again.
The club has developed and maintained good membership numbers over the years and in 1975 celebrated it’s 50th jubilee then in 1985 it’s 60th jubilee. The club has one full sized green and over the years has been a good standard of bowling surface. Originally of grass but in 1960s transferred to a weed surface.
The club did operate lighted green from 1950s to 1980s but with daylight saving these were removed.
The club has produced several winners of Bowls Canterbury titles over the years and numerous photos grace our pavilion. Arthur Tall was a Bowls Canterbury gold star holder for five centre titles as our most successful.
The women section also have won many Canterbury Women centre titles and these also grace our main hall walls.
The administration side of bowls has produced one women member, Evelyn Warren, who was active in Canterbury Women Centre for many seasons and was Centre President on two occasions then progressed to Women Bowls New Zealand to be their President and other roles for New Zealand and then World Bowls executive. Eve’s contribution to bowls administration was exceptional.
Merv Robinson was Bowls Canterbury Centre President in 1975 also and held numerous roles within the Centre for several seasons.
There have been many additions to the club with pavilion and locker rooms initially built as the club developed and by 1987 the new pavilion we have today was built and this provides members with a bar lounge, main dining hall and kitchen along with women and men locker rooms. Other building for equipment have been developed from the original pavilion or this club at the other end of our green. Also there was a soil shed and green keepers shed built 1980s to provide extra storage.
The club in 2010 mergered with another long established club, United Bowling Club, that played at Hagley Park from 1916 and through lack of membership were forced to look at merging and Barrington started this discussion process with them. The merger went very well and both clubs play under Barrington United Bowling Club Inc and have a good active women and men section again with many mixed bowling events also.
This was a male only club until around 1950s when a women section was started and this also very successful. It numbers were very low by 1998 and went into recess until 2010 when the section started again.
The club has developed and maintained good membership numbers over the years and in 1975 celebrated it’s 50th jubilee then in 1985 it’s 60th jubilee. The club has one full sized green and over the years has been a good standard of bowling surface. Originally of grass but in 1960s transferred to a weed surface.
The club did operate lighted green from 1950s to 1980s but with daylight saving these were removed.
The club has produced several winners of Bowls Canterbury titles over the years and numerous photos grace our pavilion. Arthur Tall was a Bowls Canterbury gold star holder for five centre titles as our most successful.
The women section also have won many Canterbury Women centre titles and these also grace our main hall walls.
The administration side of bowls has produced one women member, Evelyn Warren, who was active in Canterbury Women Centre for many seasons and was Centre President on two occasions then progressed to Women Bowls New Zealand to be their President and other roles for New Zealand and then World Bowls executive. Eve’s contribution to bowls administration was exceptional.
Merv Robinson was Bowls Canterbury Centre President in 1975 also and held numerous roles within the Centre for several seasons.
There have been many additions to the club with pavilion and locker rooms initially built as the club developed and by 1987 the new pavilion we have today was built and this provides members with a bar lounge, main dining hall and kitchen along with women and men locker rooms. Other building for equipment have been developed from the original pavilion or this club at the other end of our green. Also there was a soil shed and green keepers shed built 1980s to provide extra storage.
The club in 2010 mergered with another long established club, United Bowling Club, that played at Hagley Park from 1916 and through lack of membership were forced to look at merging and Barrington started this discussion process with them. The merger went very well and both clubs play under Barrington United Bowling Club Inc and have a good active women and men section again with many mixed bowling events also.