Bowling club to celebrate centenary
Springswood Bowling Club will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary.
The history of the club extends as far back as the beginning of the mining company Springs Mines Limited, which closed down in 1961.
The Springs Mines Bowling club was established in 1916, but there are no records of the exact date the club was officially launched.
The mine was known to be very involved in the bowling club.
Ex-president of the bowling club Vic Henry, says according to the club’s history, the members made a representation to the Rand Selection Corporation, owned by Springs Mines, to purchase the grounds from them.
“The negotiations were successful,” he says.
When the members officially owned the club in 1961, they renamed the club Springswood Bowling Club.
The large club membership of 110 allowed two greens, called the Dudley Taylor green, which were built in October 1920, and Frank Ludwig green were built in honour of Dudley who was the life president at the time.
Springswood produced numerous excellent bowlers, and also produced a Springbok bowler, the late Doug Watson, who won the SA Masters five years in succession.
“We won the 1974 World Bowls tournament,” says Vic.
Four strong bowlers, Doug, Vic, Joe Hershowitz and John Fulton, won the All Transvaal Fours three years in a row.
Due to the drop in the club’s membership they decided to sell a portion of the club in 2010.
The membership has since dropped to 16 members who still play weekly social bowls.
Brian Johnson is the current president of the club, who was nominated in 2013. The club also has three honourary life members, Carol Zeeman, Eileen Frame and Patricia Henry.
Vic says they plan on hosting a birthday celebration soon.
