Bowling at the Bay

# 9 April 2013

Who’s Who in 2013...

President Doug Hunter - Life

Chairman Jim Wraight

Vice - Chairman Alan Pierce

Secretary Julie Baker

Treasurer Geoff Fisher

Captain - Ladies Sandra Tutt

Vice - Captain - Ladies Kathy Rudman

Captain - Men Ken Watkin

Vice - Captain - Men Colin Blake

Junior Vice - Captain - Men

Men’s Match Secretary Peter Fagg

Maintenance Co-ordinator Jim Quaife

Bar Steward Ken WatkinMagazine Editor Mike Burn

Social Members’ Representative To be appointed

Additional Committee MembersAdditional Committee MembersAdditional Committee MembersAdditional Committee MembersAdditional Committee Members

Roy TuttRoy Tutt Mick KearneyMick Kearney

Wendy GreeleyWendy Greeley Kate WatkinKate Watkin

Sandra Tutt takes over the ladies’ captaincy from Val Murton, Colin Blake takes the mens’ Vice Captain’s position from Bob Baker. The Junior vice Captain’s position, vacated by Mike Burn, has yet to be appointed. Mick Kearney and Roy Tutt replace Tony Brough and Peter Caton. The club is very grateful to the retiring members for their contributions. Colin Blake is the new auditor.

Bowling at the Bay

From our Chairman... Jim Wraight This is the time of year when we emerge from hibernation and venture forth into the great outdoor world of bowls at ‘The Bay’. It will be nice to feel the sun on our backs with the occasional gust of wind to cool us when we need it! The AGM was well attended. I was heartened to hear from Barbara Mill’s report the latest ‘taster’ idea to encourage youngsters to play bowls. So far, it has been a successful venture indoors which will continue on to the outdoor greens. Let’s hope they enjoy our green when they come to try it out. Barbara also reported that the amalgamation men and ladies is now complete. I can only see that this will only effect Wear Bay in a positive way. Wednesday evenings Whist Drives are going well. Support is improving. Our social members are a hardy lot, with all the awful weather we’ve been having, they still make it to the clubhouse, and at last I have been able to work out my directional problem! Congratulations to Sandra Tutt on reaching the Indoor County Bowls final. By the time this goes to press we will know if she has achieved her County badge. Whatever the result, it is a great achievement. Finally, a warm welcome to our new members, I trust you’ll enjoy your time with us. Happy bowling

Jim Wraight!   [[[[[[[ Contents: Issue #9 April 2013

3. Captain Ken 4. Editor’s Blog5. The First fixtures6. Our Lady Bowlers - or, In the Doll’s House7. “Evening All”8. The History of Darts9. June Fixtures10. The Yanks Play Bowls,Too !11. Jottings12. All aboard the Bluebell Line !15. Annual General Meeting16. More jottings17. It’s The Way We Tell’em !

Notes from Captain Ken

Well, here we go again, I hope that you all had a good and healthy winter. I am looking forward to the new season, as I expect you are, we do have a few new faces on the committee, bringing a lot of valuable experience to the club.

I hope that I can again count upon your support, which you gave me last season, and made life so much easier, and again I will reiterate that if you have any ideas or suggestions that you think would improve the running of the club, please don’t hesitate to contact myself, or any committee member. If anything gives you cause for concern, don’t just complain to your fellow members, tell me.

Most importantly of all, please enjoy yourselves this summer, and let us hope the weather is kind to us.

Ken [[[[[[[[

New Members We welcome Pat and Roger Jones, and Frank Barraclough to our ranks for this coming season, and hope that they have an enjoyable time with us.

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A Night to Remember!The Darts and Social section are holding their annual dinner and presentation evening at the Indoor Bowling Centre on Thursday 25 April. All Wear Bay members are eligible to attend, and there is still time to book if you are interested.

Contact Julie if you are interested, the cost is £15 per member.

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New AuditorColin Blake has been formally adopted at the AGM as the club’s auditor, due to Tony Brough’s resignation.

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Editor’s Blog

As Captain Ken writes ’Here we go again’ - another new season, although at the time of writing, we are going to need our warm winter woolies before venturing out on to the green!Hopefully, the sun will be shining again soon, and the long winter we have experienced will be forgotten. Many of us have kept in trim by playing indoors over the winter months, I have never failed to find a good number of ‘Wear Bayers’ present whenever I have played, both the ladies and the men. Sandra Tutt, Barbara Mills and Maureen Richards are particularly active on the ladies’ side, being Captain, Hon. Secretary and Match

Secretary respectively.

Whilst on the subject of the ladies, my apologies to Kathy Rudman, whom I failed to list in the last issue as the new ladies’ Vice-Captain. I am also very grateful to her for her offer to help to include the ladies’ match results in these pages, which will greatly improve the coverage of the club’s bowling activities. Hopefully we shall read of great successes!

There is a full fixture list once again, thanks to the efforts of the match secretaries, and it is hoped that you will all give your support to putting out full teams for all the matches - if we fail to meet our match obligations, fixtures will be lost, income will suffer, and ultimately your club also. So please make the effort to play, not only the roll-ups, but the friendlies and league games. There is only so much the officers and committee can do to make our club a success, we must all help where we can.

This issue of the magazine is fairly light on bowling matters, unsurprisingly, as the season hasn’t yet started, but I hope that you will find the mixed content interesting. It is important to maintain contact and continuity throughout the year, and “Bowling at the Bay” is probably as good a way as any, together of course, with the social activities at the clubhouse. How many of you supported the Thursday evening socials, the Wednesday Whist Drives, the monthly fish’nchips Bingo evenings this winter? Do try them next winter. Ken, Alan, Julie and Bob in particular work hard to provide the social element to club life.

You may be interested to know that we are now ‘on line’. http://issuu.com/bowlingatthebay should find it, and there is also a link provided in the “Bowls Shepway” website http://www.bowlsshepway.org/ The presentation is quite attractive, and has the advantage of showing photographs in far clearer detail than on these paper pages.. Take a peek !

As always, any contributions to the content of “BATB” are most welcome. I am grateful to Ron Butcher and ‘Captain Bill’ Baxter for their contributions this time, and due to the lack of bowling topics, I have had the opportunity to write about another of my own interests, the steam heritage railways of Britain.

Enjoy your bowling - See you on the green ! Mike You can contact me on 01303 251693, or by e-mail michael.burn2@btopenworld.com

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Ron Butcher and Don Peerless indoors

VenueAPRIL/MAY 2013APRIL/MAY 2013APRIL/MAY 2013

DressVenue DressDate

VenueFixtures Time Rinks

Dress

APRILAPRILAPRILSa 27 H Lyminge 2.30 M6T WSu 28 H Captain v Vice Capt 2.30 Mxd WMo 29Tu 30 A Hythe 2.30 L3T W

MAYMAYMAYWe 1Th 2Fr 3 H Hew Romney 2.30 L3T WSa 4 A New Romney 2.30 Mx6T WSu 5 H Bowls Drive 2.30 Mxd WMo 6 Bank Holiday (No league)Bank Holiday (No league)Tu 7 A Cheriton 2.30 L3T WTu 7 H Cheriton ML 6.00 M4T GWe 8 H Lyminge LL 6.00 L2T GTh 9Fr 10Sa 11 A Cheriton 2.30 Mx6T WSu 12 H Hythe 2.30 M6T WMo 13 A Folkestone ML 6.00 M4T GTu 14 A Betteshanger 2.30 L3T WWe 15 H Ashford Town LL 6.00 L2T GTh 16Fr 17Sa 18 A Kearsney 2.30 M6T WSu 19 H Impact Trophy 2.30 Mxd WMo 20 H Hythe ML 6.00 M4T GTu 21 A Lyminge 2.30 L3T WWe 22 A Folkestone 6.00 L2T GWe 22 H Royal Oak (WB) 2.30 Mxd GTh 23Fr 24 A Barham 2.30 L3T WSa 25 H Barham 2.30 Mxd6T WSu 26Mo 27 A New Romney ML 6.00 M4T GTu 28 A Folkestone 2.30 L3T WWe 29 H Cheriton LL 6.00 L2T GTh 30 H Chris Butler Trophy 6.00 Mxd GFr 31

Friendlies

Internal Club game / competition

Mens League

Match list colour coding

( The selection and team sheets will posted in these colours)

(Mens and Mixed)

The Ladies games are posted separately.

Please make sure that you have entered your name for selection in good time on the sheets posted in the clubhouse and the changing rooms

The first Fixtures

Our Lady Bowlers (Or, In the Dolls’ House )

By the time you read this you will all have polished your woods and dusted off your whites ready for the season to begin. Sandra and I would like to welcome old and new members and wish you all a happy and successful bowls season. We hope you will support the club by putting your names down for mid and weekend games. If there is anything you want to know please ask Sandra or myself. Ken Watkin is our official coach he will always be happy to help old and new members with bowling questions. Finally, a poem we found in an old edition of “Jacks and Jills” produced by Maureen Richards many years ago. “Let it be a dry bowling season”.

Captain Sandra Vice Captain Kath OUTDOOR BOWLING

Oh to be outdoor bowling Now that Summers here It’s the cry you hear from bowlers In May of every year We can stand outside in sunshine Dressed in our smart white gear With polished bowls at the ready Now that summers here. Oh to be outdoor bowling Is Summer really here? We’ve worn our woolly jumpers And all our winter gear Our scarves and hats and woolly mitts To try to give us cheer Yet still we stand and shiver Is Summer really here?

Oh to be outdoor bowling Is Summer really here The rain pours down in torrents Dress of the day, wet gear We try to stop the trickles Even umbrellas appear We must be really stupid Is Summer really here ? Oh to be outdoor bowling Now that Summers here Oh joy, the wind and rain has stopped The sun starts to appear All earlier trials forgotten As we bowl in the balmy air Bowling is really a wonderful game Yes; Summer is really here.

Evening All ...

Reminiscences of a retired copper - Our very own Ron Butcher

Night Shift

Another night shift - I always seemed to be on nights… 10pm until 6am, parade at 2145 hours, and walk out of the door at 10pm., and two evenings before Christmas. I am teamed up with Danny. Danny was 21stone, 6’3”, I was a mere 15stone, 5’11”, but neither of us to be messed with, so we set off to do the first sweep of our beat, walking of course. Victoria Street, Victoria Stations, both train and bus, Vauxhall Bridge , Wilton and Buckingham Palace Roads. Move along all the known layabouts, pickpockets, break up the drinks party, what is the tipple tonight, boys and girls? Milk mixed with methylated spirit, Don’t strike a match !

Here we go - “Excuse me, officers, but what would you do if I put a brick through that window?” The window in question is a small one in an adjacent tobacco kiosk. I ask “Why would you want to do that?”. He responds with “Cos I want to, What will you do if I put the brick through the window ?”

Dann, my mate, is full of understanding. “Butch, get the other side of him, you, come with us”. We then escort him to the outside of the Wilton Road Woolworths store, to face the biggest plate glass window you have ever seen.

Danny tells me to go and find something heavy, like a brick. It so happens that some building work is taking place nearby, and I go over and select a good sized half brick, and return with it to Danny and our lag. Danny takes charge and tells me to give the brick to our now fidgety companion.”Now, if you want to give us all the writing and form filling we will have to complete, just put the brick through the window and make it worth our while…”

Our companion looks at the brick, and then at the huge glass window. “It’s a bit big for me”, and tries to hand the brick back. Danny persists -”No, keep the brick if you want to saddle us with all that writing and form filling and have to lodge you for the night and hang about to appear at Horseferry Magistrates’ Court with you in the morning, come on, make it worth our while.”

Our companion once again refuses, “It’s a bit too big for me”, and hands me the brick which I later dispose of. I then instruct him ‘to take a hike, clear off over the the other side (of the Thames) get on their beat and find a window to break there.’

The night passes with the usual minor crimes and at 0530 hours we are back in the office, making up our books and completing the paperwork, when the phone rings. “Butcher, Boon, you bast...s, a lag has just put a brick through an office window, to get put inside for Christmas - He says that it was two coppers over the river told him, thanks !”

The guilty party got what he wanted, a week in Brixton at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, with Christmas Board and lodging...

Bill Baxter, one of our Social member stalwarts, reveals a little of the history of the game of darts that many of us struggle to come to grips with in the clubhouse on a Thursday evening! 

  The origins of the game of darts in England can never be firmly established, but it dates back to at least the middle age. It is thought that bored soldiers took to hurling arrows at the upturned covers of wine barrels, to see who could come closest to the cork bung which later became known as the bull.

As the past time grew in popularity it was decided that a cross section of a tree would offer a better

target. The natural growth rings of the tree provided a built in means of determining who was closest to the centre, and as the tree dried out the cracks provided radial divisions within the target (the current system of numbers was standardised in 1900)

When winter came and the soldiers spent more time inside, they couldn't throw a full sized arrow, so a shortened version was used which became known as a dart. Henry VIII ruled that all adult men should practice archery on a Sunday. So on Sundays after church service , the men would go to the transepts of the church and drink ale brewed by the monks and throw arrows to conform to the law. So popular did the game become that in 1530 Anne Boleyn presented Henry VIII with a set of ornamental darts.

The game maintained a strong military appeal and as the Empire grew the game was taken to all corners of the world.

Employees at the brewery of Hockey & Sons established the standard throwing distance. The brewers placed 3 beer crates end to end, drew a line and threw from there. Each crate was 3 foot long so the line was set at 9 foot. The standard crate was later reduced to 2 foot, so 4 crates were used, setting the line at 8 feet.This is still the standard distance, although there are regional and International variations.Therefore the throwing distance line was called the Hockey after the company, later shortened to "Oche"

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It’s the way we tell’em!

Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. Unfortunately, all the Swiss league records were destroyed in a fire, ....and so we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

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VenueJUNE 2013JUNE 2013JUNE 2013

DressVenue DressDate

VenueFixtures Time Rinks

Dress

Sa 1 H Chislet 2.30 Mxd6T WSu 2 A St Margarets 2.30 M4T WMo 3 M L - Stand-downTu 4 A Gateway 2.30 L3T WWe 5 A New Romney LL 6.00 L2T GTh 6 H Hythe 2.30 L3T WSTh 6 H Chris Butler Trophy 6.00 Mxd GFr 7Sa 8 H Bowls; F&C; Bingo 4.00 TBA GSu 9 H Deal 2.30 Mxd5T WMo 10 H Ashford Rail ML 6.00 M4T GTu 11 H Cheriton 2.30 L3T WWe 12 A Sellindge LL 6.00 L2T GTh 13 H Kearsney 2.30 L3T WTh 13 H Chris Butler Trophy 6.00 Mxd GFr 14Sa 15 H Cheriton 2.30 Mxd6T WSu 16 H Gateway 2.30 M6T WMo 17 A Sellindge ML 6.00 M4T GTu 18 A Deal 2.30 L3T WWe 19 A Folkestone Park 6.00 L2T GWe 19 H Royal Oak (RO) 2.30 MxdTh 20 H St Margarets 2.30 L3T WTh 20 H Chris Butler Trophy 6.00 Mxd GFr 21Sa 22 H Folkestone Park 2.30 Mxd6T WSu 23 A Charing 2.30 M5T WMo 24 H Lyminge ML 6.00 M4T GTu 25 H Sellindge 2.30 L2T WWe 26 A Hythe LL 6.00 L2T GTh 27 A River 2.30 L3T WTh 27 H Chris Butler Trophy 6.00 Mxd GFr 28 Easton Cup 6.15 L2T GSa 29 H Sellindge 2.30 M6T WSu 30 H River 2.30 M6T W

Friendlies Club only games Mens League

Royal Oak

The Royal Oak games are essentially friendly social events which after an informal game terminate with a ‘get together’ and buffet, either at our clubhouse or the Royal Oak Pub at Capel and played on a Wednesday afternoon. Make sure you put your name down for these games !

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The Yanks play bowls too !

Trawling through the net for bowling related items to include (yes, it was that desperate this issue !) I came across bowling in the USA. The photo shown is of a game in progress at the Cincinnatti Bowling club. I was intrigued by the long mats - in use on an obviously sunny day. There are several photos, all of which show the long mat in use, so presumably it is standard practice, whatever the weather and green conditions.

The club’s websbite also included a version of the game’s history - it is interesting to note that the Americans give us credit for something ! Also, they agree with Captain Bill Baxter’s version published in December!

‘The exact history of lawn bowling is not completely known, but it is thought to have roots as far back as 3,000-4,000 years ago. The Romans introduced the game to Europe and in 1209 the Southampton Old Bowling Green Club was established in England. More recently, the sport has been and still is very popular in places around the World where the British have had an influence.

Some places where lawn bowling is very popular today include the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Australia. Here in the U.S.A., lawn bowling is especially popular in California, Arizona, Florida, New York, and New England.’

Their competitive games appear to consist of occasional area competitions involving several clubs rather than matches played on a regular weekly basis against local clubs as played here, which is probably due to the fact that the clubs there are relatively distant from one another, and do not normally have a group of clubs in one town or city, as we have here. Has any BATB reader experienced bowling in the States? If so, we would like to hear from you. [[[[[[[[[

News from the Dolls House :

Kate Watkin had to be taken suddenly to hospital recently, but readers will be pleased to hear that after some initial concern, Kate was given a stent, and was discharged to recover at home, where she is doing very well. Our best wishes for a speedy return to full health, Kate. Garage SafariThe ladies are organising a “Garage Safari” on Saturday18 May at Sandraʼs home, who asks for members help by donating items for the sale, which is for club funds. Please contact her on 223739 if you can help, or want further information.

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Not so wellSeveral members have been unwell since the last issue, Kate Watkin, who is mentioned above, Bob Baker has been in the William Harvey having a hip replaced, and several members have suffered bad colds and coughs. Bob will be up and about by the start of the season, but probably not quite fit enough for bowling. We look forward to seeing him out on the green again - but wait for the sun to come out Bob !

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Bye-ByeWe have unfortunately had to say Bye- Bye to Tony Brough, who has decided to play with Folkestone next year. He will be missed, not least for the amusing League games reports he sent in for publication in the local paper, and of course which were also reproduced in these pages.

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Happy Birthday !Another of our members makes it to the great ‘Eight O’ - Ron Butcher, he of last year’s giant slaying fame !

Happy Birthday, Ron, and many more of them. Knowing Ron, the foundations of St. Clements Court will surely be rocking on the day…

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The Social Club

Unfortunately, we do not have a Co-opted Social member on the committee at the moment, but we can report that it has been another successful winter season, with Whist

Drives, Bingo and Fish’n Chips, and Darts evenings enjoyed by many members.

All Aboard the Bluebell Line ! Mike Burn

With the bowling season not yet underway, and with no match results to report, I have looked further afield for something to fill the empty pages with, rather than reduce the size of the magazine.

Many of we older members still have fond memories of the railways in the days of steam - who can recall the smoke filled carriages and the packed carriages of the wartime years? I can still remember as a child an overnight trip from Kings Cross to South Shields, with the dim blue lights, grinning soldiers and sailors filling nearly every available space and the clouds of cigarette smoke everywhere. That trip was perhaps one that illustrated the worst of railway travel - there were many much pleasanter trips, however, that I recall in the Sussex countryside in the summers of 1943 and 44, and of course later on up to the fifties, when electricity and diesel became the providers of motive power.

With the advent of the availability of cars to the public generally, and Dr. Beeching’s demolition of the local branch lines in the sixties, train travel became an occasional and less exciting experience, or was it that we had grown up by then?

Fortunately, all over the country there were bands of enthusiastic volunteers determined to salvage the past, and formed steam preservation groups and societies. Old steam locos and rolling stock were rescued from the ‘knackers yards’, predominantly at Barry, many tracks of land on which the scrapped branch lines ran were purchased from British Rail, and the rebirth of steam gathered pace. Our railway heritage was not to be lost after all.

Today, there are over one hundred steam heritage lines in Britain, providing interest and living history for tourists and locals alike, and here in east Kent we have reasonably easy access to two of the most interesting restored lines, the Kent and East Sussex Railway, running from Tenterden to Northiam, and the Bluebell Line, running from Sheffield Park in East Sussex to East Grinstead, an extension of the line from Kingscote which has opened in March this year.

An early Southern loco.

            This article (which may be the first of several, unless there are more contributions from members!) is concerned with the latter, the Bluebell line, which I have visited several times, and most recently a couple of weeks after the opening of the East Grinstead extension opening.

Reopened in 1960, the line is the oldest to be saved. Starting at Sheffield Park, 15 miles north of Brighton, the station is adjacent to the National trust garden of Sheffield Park, an attraction in its own right. The engine sheds and workshops are located at this end of the line, where one of the largest collection of locomotives from early days. The first section of the line to be opened in 1960 ran five miles to Horsted Keynes. The line was extended in stages to Kingscote in 1994, and finally to day to East Grinstead, after many problems and much expense with clearance of the landfill site where the track was to be laid. The total cost of the site preparation was in excess of three and a half million pounds, mainly raised by donations.

There are over thirty five locomotives on the line, the oldest from the original London, Brighton and South Coast Railway being built in1872. A second “Terrier” class loco built three years later, “Stepney” was the inspiration for “Thomas the Tank Engine”, the creation of the Rev. W. Awdry, and is still running occasionally today. The youngest locomotive is number 92212 Standard Class 9, a 2-10 -0 engine that pulled trains in the British Railways era, and was built in 1959.

The most attractive locomotives for the majority of us are the old Southern main line passenger hauling examples which are represented by 928 “Stowe”, built in 1934, a “Schools” class 4-4-0 locomotive that many of us will have seen steaming through the Folkestone stations in our youth, together with 21C123 “Blackmoor Vale” a 4-6-2 “West Country“ locomotive, for much of its life recognised by the slab sided streamlining, as was also the slightly more powerful “Battle of Britain” class engine “Sir Archibald Sinclair”, another forties built 4-6-2, of the type which would have pulled many of the prestigious Southern trains, including the “Golden Arrow”. At the time of writing, two of these locos are on static display only, awaiting major overhaul work. See them at Sheffield Park.

The passenger carrying rolling stock consists of carriages from across the years, lovingly restored by the volunteer workforce. From the Metropolitan carriage of 1900, to the fifties, Seven “Pullman” coaches from the twenties, thirties, and a kitchen car from 1951 are in use, on ʻspecialʼ trains, and if not in use can be seen at the carriage works and shed at Horsted Keynes.

Approaching Horsted Keynes

It is possible to write much more about this railway that runs through the heart of the beautiful east Sussex countryside (in May, the woods along side the line are one mass of bluebells, hence the railway name), but ideally, you should try and make the effort to visit for a day out with an all day ticket that enables you to hop on and off trains as many times as you like, and even take a quick walk into the town of East Grinstead. Horsted Keynes station is some way from the town, which is perhaps not viable for a visit. There is a small museum at the Sheffield Park station, with much of historic interest, and of course, for any of your party not interested in trains, the attractive Sheffield Park itself.

The drive from Folkestone to Sheffield Park is probably nearly two hours. I prefer to book a few days at an Eastbourne hotel, which is only a forty minute drive away. Try it, but go on a weekday, and not in the school holidays !

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It’s the way we tell’em!Whilst on the subject of trains…

After a busy day he settled down in his train from Waterloo for a nap as far as his destination at Folkestone when the chap sitting near him hauled out his mobile and started up:

"Hi darling it's Peter, I'm on the train - yes, I know it's the 6.30 not the 4.30 but I had a long meeting. No, not with that floozy from the typing pool, with the boss. No darling you're the only one in my life - yes, I'm sure, cross my heart" etc, etc..........

This was still going on at Orpington, when the young woman opposite, driven beyond endurance, yelled at the top of her voice, "Hey, Peter, turn that bl**dy phone off and come back to bed!!" ! ! [[[[[[[

The wife has been missing a week now. Police said to prepare for the worst. So I have been to the charity shop to get all her clothes back.

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The new extension from Kingscote to East Grinstead

Annual General Meeting - A brief summary

Twenty four members attended the Annual General meeting on the 25th of March, which turned out to be one of the shortest on record - just an hour. A few of the salient points made: Secretary Julie Baker reported that the membership last year consisted of 43 men, 15 ladies and 37 social members. The council have raised the green fees, which will mean your ‘season ticket’ this year will cost £67.30, and a total playing members subscription of £87.30. Julie further reported that president Doug Hunter was again going to fund the Vera’s Day event with £150 worth of prizes. She mentioned that the clubhouse was always available for private functions, parties, etc. Anybody interested in organising an event should contact Ken Watkin.

Barbara Mills reported on local action to interest juniors in bowling, which may result in our welcoming young people to our green.

An amended Constitution is to be issued shortly.

Captains Sandra Tutt and Ken Watkin both thanked members for their support during the past year. Ken told members that Tovil would not be visiting us this year, but other than that, we had a full season to look forward to. He welcomed the new Vice Captain, Colin Blake, and new members who would be joining this season.

Wear Bay are hosting the Shepway finals this year, on Saturday 24 August. The Easton and Hudson Cup finals would also be held on this day. The ladies are to take care of the catering. Ken hopes that other members will be available to help on the day.

Match teas this year will normally be £2 per head, £1 if only tea and biscuits.

Ken further mentioned that the car park is to have spaces marked out, but the area by the greenkeeper’s store shed to be marked “No Parking” will be available for members at weekends. Wear Bay members are reminded that on weekend match days, they should park in that area in front of the shed.The green ditches are also to be improved.

Ken is to take up duty as the club coach for which he is qualified at Level 2. Sessions will be held on Wednesday mornings for those interested.

The green is to be opened on Monday 22 April. Help required, please!

Geoff Fisher reported a loss on the balance sheet over the year, (which all members should by now have a copy of) but that overall the club was still in a healthy financial position, and that funds would probably outlast the present members!

The open forum resulted in Bob Baker volunteering for the mens’ roll up tea duties, relieving Roy Tutt, who had run things successfully for many years.

In The Mens Room...

Our ancient facilities in the mens’ changing room are succumbing to the elements, and to this end, it has become necessary to find a replacement for two of the kitchen units. To this end:

WANTED...A 1000mm and a 500mm cupboard or cupboard drawer units. Colour is not important.

If you are changing your kitchen, and are wondering what do with the old units, please contact our Maintenance Co-ordinator Jim Quaife on 254064, or at the club. He will be delighted to hear from you.

Don’t forget these pages are open for all members to advertise on free of charge. Anything decent and legal accepted! It is your magazine, so use it...

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Captain Sandra

Sandra is not only Ladies’ Captain of Wear Bay, she holds the same position for the Folkestone Ladies Indoor Bowling Club team, and shortly will be leading them against a Bromley Ladies team in the County Finals at Mote Park. Congratulations on getting so far, Sandra, and the very best of luck from us all in the final !

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Opening the GreenAs mentioned elsewhere, we open the green for bowling on Monday 22 April, and to this end… Volunteers are wanted to get things organised. The pay isn’t very good, but you do get a free cup of tea. Our new Roll-Up Catering Manager, Bob Baker, might even throw in a couple of biscuits, as well ! We start at 10am.

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I was stuck in a traffic jam on the M25. Nothing was moving.

Suddenly, a man knocks on the window.

I rolled down the window and asked "What's going on?"

"Terrorists have kidnapped all of our MP’s during a sitting of parliament, and they're asking for a £100 million ransom. Otherwise, they are going to douse them all in petrol and set them on fire.

We are going from car to car collecting donations."

"How much is everyone giving, on average?" I asked.

"Roughly a gallon..."

Its the Way We Tell’em !

Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.

"Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer." said his mother.

"I don't need to," the boy replied.

"Of course, you do "his mother insisted. "We always say a prayer before eating at our house."

"That's at our house." Johnny explained. "But this is Grandma's house and she cooks good”.

Johnny was a smart lad, but unfortunately grew up to be a little too smart.

I once knew his Dad, who lived alone. One year, he wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His son John, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to John and described his predicament:

Dear SonI am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.Love,Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Dad,Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.Love,John

At 4 a.m. the next morning, The Armed Response Unit, CID and local police descended on his home and dug up the entire garden, but found no bodies. They apologised to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad,Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now.That's the best I could do under the circumstances.LoveJohn

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Sty l p r Bowlswear Specialist

In Action Bowlswear stocks a large range of stylish & professional bowls wear for men

and women of all ages, you'll be sure to find just what you want.

From Bowls to Bags, Mats, Markers and all the other Bowling equipment you could ever need, visit us in Hythe and see our huge range of accessories.

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Designed, Edited, printed and Compiled by Mike Burn, on behalf of the Wear Bay Bowls Club, for the benefit of all members, and with much assistance from Julie Baker providing facts and photos. Contact details : 01303 251693, e-mail michael.burn2@btopenworld.com