Grosvenor Bowls Club

It was in 1911 that there was first mention of a bowling green in the Grosvenor Recreation Ground, and in the local newspaper at that time it was mentioned that there was a possibility for the working men of the East Ward of Tunbridge Wells to 'practise the grand old game'. At the main Tunbridge Wells Club situated in the St John's Recreation Ground there were rumours of some of the members being unhappy and were looking for another club to join. A petition was received by the Railway & Parks Committee of the Council in 1911, asking this committee to provide a bowling green. It was agreed to go ahead with the project and the cost not to exceed £100 (it eventually cost £160-170).  It was at a specially called meeting in December 1911 that the East Ward residents formed the bowling club. Some of the initial critics of the bowling green had now changed their minds and joined the club!

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The green was opened in May 1912 by the Deputy Mayor, Mr R V Gower, and there was a picture of the opening in the local newspaper. A match was played between the Corporation owning the land and the Club, which the latter won by 20 shots. Afterwards, in a speech, Mr Gower hoped as many of the working class as possible would join in the healthy recreation of bowls. The initial fee was fixed at four shillings (20p) a season and membership of the Grosvenor Club was 90 men. In the first season, the Grosvenor won seven and lost six matches, and with a membership of over a hundred, only twenty of them had played bowls before.

In the season of 1917, members won the first Kent County title for the club when a team won the county fours competition.

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At the annual meeting in January 1922, it was proposed that the club admit lady members, but this was a very contentious issue and ladies were finally to be admitted as associate members in 1930. At the annual meeting in 1930 it was stated that the ladies section had been a success. 1936 saw the first county success for the Grosvenor Ladies when their team beat a team from Hilly Fields in the Kent triples final. This result was even more remarkable because it was the first time these ladies had entered that competition.

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In 1937, the Grosvenor Club celebrated their Silver Jubilee, with Sir Robert Gower as President as he had been for the entire 25 years of the club's existence. Many county honours were being won at this time, and various members were being awarded their county badges. The Grosvenor were certainly a force to be reckoned with, and success did not necessarily endear them to other clubs in the area! 

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The early 1950s saw the emergence of another batch of very good bowlers, and additionally, the accidental formation of 'The Grosvenor Juniors'. Some youngsters who played in the Grosvenor Recreation Ground became interested in the playing of bowls. They initially played on a patch of grass between the bowling green and the gardener's hut. Once they became a bit proficient and noisy, they were frowned upon by the 'proper' Grosvenor members. However, these cheeky youngsters wrote a letter to the club, challenging the Grosvenor to a two rink 'match', which the club only won by one or two shots. This must have impressed the senior bowlers as the 'juniors' were then allowed to use the club pavilion and eventually join the Grosvenor Bowling Club! Amongst these young ones were David Jenner, Derek Cole, Gerald Baldock, Lionel Hanmore, Alan Still and others. Most of these went on to a very successful bowling career, eventually winning their county badges, and with David Jenner and Derek Cole even having England trials.

In August 1955, the Grosvenor's Derek Cole and David Jenner caused a sensation in the Tunbridge Wells Bowling Tournament (which is still running) when they won the pairs competition. Quite a few older bowlers took exception to this, so that the following year the age limit was raised to stop the very young bowlers from entering the tournament.