In the beginning .... (the first 50 years)

At 8.00pm on Monday 31 July 1951 the Chairman, Mr Jack Stoner opened the first meeting at Northmead Progress Hall at which thirty people attended. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the formation of a Bowling Club in this district.

The minutes were recorded in a standard school exercise book and the following business was transacted:-

With this meeting the Club became a functioning and legal entity and culminated months of planning and canvassing for support by two well known local identities - Real Estate Agent Mr Tom (Pop) Williams and Mr Frank Hayes, district representative on the Blacktown Shire Council. However the battle to have a Club operating with its own premises and greens had just begun.

The first steps....

Frank Hayes, who was later to become a President of the Club and its first life member, proposed that the club acquire a portion of CrownLand in Windsor Road, Northmead opposite Anderson Street as a site for its premises.

At the following meeting on 13 August 1951 the first shot was fired in the form of a letter to the Shire Clerk requesting Council to commence the required negotiations with the Lands Department to procure Portion 37 (approximately 12 acres with a frontage of 600ft to Windsor Road) as a site for a Bowling Green and Recreation area.

This was to be the start of protracted three way negotiations between the Club, the Lands Department and Blacktown Shire Council. These negotiations were not aided by the fact that the legal title to the land was somewhat obscure and there was a seemingly endless series of meetings, interchanges of letters, proposals for site development and draft lease agreements; until three years later in 1954 it was ours!

1954 marked another important step forward for Northmead when affiliation with the Royal N.S.W. Bowling Association was granted in the same year.

 Clearing the site for the original clubhouse in 1954

Working Party - (Standing) Maurie Peck, Laurie Meville, Tom White, Les Roberts, Bill Everingham, Vince Murphy, Alec Diamond, Ken Gundleah, Frank Hayes, Jack Campbell, Pat O’Brien, Bob Whitelow, Bill Paul, Cec Williamson, Harry Garrett, (?).

(Front) Roy (Nick) Nicholls Jnr, Norm Howard, Roy Nicholls Snr, Hayden Murray.A place of our own....

The actual lease signed by the Club defined Portion 37 as six acres of land (excluding the quarry) and specified that :-

(i)         Construction of a bowling green must commence immediately.

(ii)        The clubhouse and outbuildings to be erected concurrently with the laying of the first green and be completed within two years.

As we sit today in our comfortable club surrounded by three first class greens, beautiful gardens and a sealed car park, it is worth reflecting on the task that confronted our founders.In those days Portion 37 was a wild, rugged, uneven scrub covered area which backed onto an abandoned water filled quarry. Its main usage up till that time had been as an illegal rubbish dump and a breeding ground for sundry snakes, rats and bandicoots. The men of Northmead had no equipment and little money but they brought to the task enthusiasm, that good old Australian knack of improvisation and above all, a boundless determination to succeed.Considerable amounts of surplus soil had to be moved to fill a large dip that existed between the present clubhouse and Windsor Road, and levelling and grading was carried out free of charge by Mr Emmott of Northmead. A short history such as this does not permit a detailed name by name description of the enormous amount of individual work carried out by these pioneers. Suffice to say that hour after hour, weekend after weekend, they toiled to prepare the site for number one green and a clubhouse. Foundations were poured, trenches and drains were dug in preparation for the erection of the first clubhouse. This was a “Huts, Sleeping, Personnel, Mk I, troops for the use of” which was a 40ft by 36ft timber/weatherboard building with a fibro roof purchased ex War Surplus Disposals at Bankstown for £590, cut in half and transported by jinker to the site and then assembled. The interior was then fitted out by our volunteers. Under the supervision of George Williams, Laurie Neville and Alex Diamond, the saws, hammers, nails and paint brushes went to work. Packing cases became shelves and the building rapidly became “home” to the club. Finally a bar, purchased from the Bexley Bowling Club, was installed and Northmead was ready for trading. Membership soon passed the century mark and by a series of appeals to members to take up debentures plus the proceeds from trading and social events, the club’s financial position soon became stabilised. The No.1 green was well on the way to completion within the deadline imposed by the lease.

It should be noted that throughout these early years without greens, the Bowls Secretary - at this time (1956) Pat O’Brien - worked ceaselessly to arrange playing space and hospitality at other clubs and we are indebted to The Hills, Wentworthville, Blacktown, Nestles, West Strathfield, Belfields and others for this very valuable help. The No.1 green was finally completed after some delay caused by the collapse of the south eastern corner during construction. After a short “run in” period it was officially opened by the RNSWBA President W.S. (Bill) Kay on the 5th January 1957 and John Stoner, the Club Vice President was there to roll the first official Northmead bowl.

We had now well and truly entered the bowling fraternity with our own green and on this our first Official Day, a large marquee had to be erected to accommodate the crowd.

Our ladies provided a magnificent array of home cooked delicacies for all and it must be recorded that from the outset to the present day Northmead has been ably assisted by the fairer sex, initially by an active Ladies Auxiliary and latterly by our very strong Women’s Bowling Club.

The crowd on opening of No.1 green on the 5th January 1957.

The Ladies Auxiliary with President Frank Hayes outside the original clubhouse.

Opening day of the new clubhouse - July 8th 1961

1968 No.5 Metropolitan Pennant Winners: From left, rear: P.Laycock, R.Holland, J.Anast, J.Goldrick, H.Brown, B.Regan, H.Lloyd, J.Laihiff, R.Fenton.

Front: R.Fressle, A.Creighton, F.Lowe, K.Sims, A.Reid, J.Brien, V.Carroll.

Absent: T.Steele, G.Hudson, A.Cook, W.Milne, S.Mobbs (Manager).

Up and running....

Membership increased steadily and the need for more playing space soon made another green necessary. No.2 green was completed only two years after the first and again RNSWBA President Bill Kay officiated at the opening.The increased membership also made larger clubhouse facilities imperative and planning commenced for the present building in 1960. A design by Parramatta architect Corry B. Wilson was accepted and the contract let to D.E.Webb Pty Ltd in August 1960. Construction commenced in October and the building was completed early in 1961.

On July 8th of that year the club was honoured for the third time in its short history by the presence of RNSWBA President Bill Kay who performed the official opening ceremony.

Further progress was also in train that year for it also saw the commencement of No.3 green. With a foundation containing a high proportion of sand for excellent drainage, the construction of this green again showed that Northmead members were still doing things for themselves - this time demonstrated by a fleet of cars and trucks which descended upon Bill Hemsworth’s property at Freemans Reach on the Hawkesbury River to gather couch grass for the surface of the new green.

The full complement of the three greens became official on June 1st 1962 when RNSWBA Vice President (later President) Doug Braddock officially opened No.3 green and rolled the first bowl.

The decade of the sixties were golden years for Northmead as the Club, under the guiding hand of Presidents such as Herb Magennis, Harold King and Stan Walker, grew in stature and reputation. Many members distinguished themselves in Group, inter-club and other competitions and this culminated in 1968 with our first Pennant success.

The clubhouse and surrounds in 1976.

On Saturday May 4th 1968 our No.5 Pennant Team defeated Nestles in the final at West Strathfield. After winning their section on a countback the Fives battled through the post sectional rounds, to finally bring home the Pennant that flies proudly at our masthead today along with subsequent Pennant flags won.This period also saw Northmead develop its reputation as a first class host and visitor and firm friendships were not only established with neighbouring and Group clubs but with others as far apart as Griffith and Woy Woy.

Into the seventies....

 The 1970’s witnessed first a period of consolidation and then renewed growth.On 29th March 1971 the club entered a terms contract with the Department of Lands to purchase the freehold title to its 3 acre 0 rods 8 perches site (Portion 366) for $43,800 and when this was finalised in 1992 it gave us a valuable asset base for long term development.In the seventies an evaporative cooling system was installed in the clubhouse and, after the wear and tear of many years operation, much special maintenance and replacement of equipment was necessary. This included complete re-draining of two greens and the relaying of the third.

In 1976 our No.2 Pennant Team won their section with the fives and sixes also making a strong showing. In the same year further renovations and extensions to the clubhouse were carried out and were officially opened at our 25th Anniversary celebrations. The fact that they  were funded entirely from within our own resources during a period of unprecedented difficulty for small clubs heralded continued progress for the future.

In 1976, a Novice Singles Championship was introduced to provide competitive experience for new bowlers.

As part of the dynamic approach to the management of the Club’s affairs, a new management plan resulted in a substantial reduction in the number of Directors during 1976/77.

In 1978 the first Easter Carnival was held at Northmead with 102 teams from 32 clubs competing, the beginning of a tradition which  continues today.

Bowling into the eighties....

In 1980 Frank McArdell became the first bowler to win both the Club Minor and Major Singles, albeit not in the same year. Success was also achieved in the Club balance sheet with a profit exceeding $50,000 being realised, a trend which was generally to continue in further years up to 1997.

In 1981 further upgrading of the Club’s facilities were completed with a new cool room, ice making plant, replacement of the water reticulation system plus refurbishment of the main roof and replacement of guttering. Further renovations and extensions were completed in 1982 including a new exterior facade, a games room, new offices and ladies toilet, upgrade of the lounge, bar and auditorium, new ceilings and the stage area at a total cost of $261,000.

The quality of our greens was recognised at this time with the Club being selected for the first time to host the No.5 State Pennant Round Robin Series. A further advancement in putting Northmead on the map.

1983 also saw the start of some difficult years, with the Club Industry reeling under the twin impacts of a major economic recession and the introduction of random breath testing, however we were still able to realise a profit.

Whilst the Club had its foundations as a Bowling Club, pool and darts competitions were introduced in 1983 as a further source of enjoyment and competition for our members and a further utilisation of the Club premises. This also provided the opportunity to attract people to the Club who were not necessarily interested in lawn bowls.

Our greens were once again used for the State Pennant Play Offs, this time for the No.2 Grade.Northmead achieved it’s most successful Pennant results in 1985, winning both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ Grade Parramatta District Pennants, the No.6 Metropolitan Pennant and runner up in the No.5 State Pennant. Further refurbishment of the Club premises was also undertaken with a new roof over the eastern side of the Clubhouse, painting of the remainder of the roof, interior painting and surfacing of the service courtyard area.

Another successful bowling year followed with wins in the ‘B’ and ‘C’ Grade District Pennants and a win in the No.4 State Pennant, a first in the Club’s 35 year history. The auditorium was refurbished and plans for the new bistro were developed, the work completed and the new bistro commenced operation in the following year.

In 1987 the greens were once again used by the RNSWBA for the Pennant Round Robin, this time in  the No.1 Grade, the pinnacle of bowls at that time. The greens were also used for a section of the 35th Australian National Singles Championship. Clubwise, we achieved the only flag in the Parramatta District as runner up in the Metropolitan No.7 Pennant Final.

In line with the Club practice of continuous improvement, the car park was bitumen sealed in 1989 and substantial landscaping was done between the car park and No.1 green by the greens staff. An automatic watering system for the greens was installed at a cost of $20,000 since the water being drawn from the quarry was found to contain too much iron. Indeed, the concreted areas around the seats surrounding the greens were taking on a very rusty (not rustic) appearance.

The front and rear of the clubhouse in the early nineties

Also in 1989 our greens were used for the No.3 State Pennant Round Robin and the District Finals of the State Singles.

Due to the winding up of the Winston Hills Bowling and Recreation Club at this time, Northmead was fortunate to welcome an influx of members to the Club together with their significant contribution of $551,450, an amount which was to be of great assistance in the coming years.

And now for the nineties....

As we entered the nineties our Secretary/Manager Gordon Porter resigned after 10½ years continuous service and Max Kissell, the then Treasurer, provided assistance as Honorary Secretary pending the appointment of Gordon’s replacement.

Further work was done with the replacement of the bar plumbing and some of the general plumbing together with cleaning and painting of the ceilings to improve the Club atmosphere. To provide more room for both the pool and dart players, the dart area was relocated from the pool room.

Another coup was achieved in 1990 when Northmead was chosen to host the No.1 State Pennant Round Robin for the second time.

The highlight of 1991 was the 40th Anniversary celebrations which were an outstanding success. It was also in this year that a group of bowlers with a penchant for travel formed the Northmead Travelling Bowlers to participate in social interaction and bowls against other Bowling Clubs and to host reciprocal visits to Northmead.

As part of the continuous upgrade of the Club’s facilities, new equipment in the form of a new television, telephone system and facsimile machine were purchased. Sun awnings were installed around the greens plus a new electric cellar door, cellar compressor and new floor covering behind the bar.

Despite the recession continuing to eat into the disposable income of the members and a substantial fall in interest rates and consequent decrease in our income from investments, the Club was still able to record a profit in 1991/92.

A couple of leaner years followed, however the Club was still turning a profit and continuing to upgrade facilities. In 1992/93 just over $100,000 was spent on refurbishing the Club which included a new Bowls Secretary’s office and a covered outdoor area facing No.3 green. A further $28,000 was spent in complying with Ordinance 70 (Building Safety Requirements) including the installation of  toilet facilities for the disabled.

It was at this time that the lady bowlers transferred to full membership, the Club’s by-laws were updated and equipment was further upgraded by the purchase of a computer for the office and the further upgrading of the poker machines.

The quality of our greens was once again recognised when we hosted the Parramatta section of the State Pairs, the Zone 9 semi finals and final of the State Fours and the Champion of Club Champions. Also on the greens our Junior Bowler, Kurt Mottek won the Parramatta District Junior Championship, the Club Minor Singles and was selected in the City Junior Side.

In 1993/94 reverse cycle air conditioning was installed at a cost of $77,000, the auditorium was upgraded at a cost of $23,000 and Club Keno was introduced.

Continued  improvements in the Club’s facilities were undertaken at this time with the new barbecue and outdoor area being built. Kurt Mottek won the Major Singles making him the first bowler to win all three singles events, Novice, Minor and Major, and all of this at the ages of 13, 17 and 19.

1985 No.5 State Pennant Runners Up: From left, rear: K.Rodd, J.Dixon, K.Bevan,L.Ackling, R.Randell (President), M.Levick, G.Lafferty, J.Macdonald, R.Bartlett.

Front: R.Murrells, B.Paskin, S.Baines, H.Brown (Manager), I.Ferrier, W.Hay, P.Lacaze, A.Jory, E.Earle. Absent: A.Coleman.

1985 No.6 Metropolitan Pennant Winners: From left, rear: K.L.Brown, C.Smith, C.Rogers, J.Spaans, K.Wake, J.Hanbury, D.Dell, J.Gapes, J.Fowler, K.Robertson. Front: B.Burns, K.Bevan, J.Ferguson, G.Dickens, G.Delaney (Manager), J.Baker, A.Hutchen, P.Lacaze.

Absent: H.Duff, R.Ransome.

1986 No.4 State Pennant Winners: From left, rear: W.Hay, J.Wilson, M.Levick, R.Murrells, L.Ackling, K.Rodd, J.Dixon, R.Randell (President), H.Brown (Manager).

Centre: A.Fraser (RNSWBA), B.Paskin, G.Lafferty, I.Ferrier, J.Hanbury, J.Fowler, S.Baines, T.Schafer. Front: E.Earle, K.Bevan, S.Mobbs (Asst Manager), R.Bartlett, J.Baker.

Absent: J.Spaans, Kevin Brown.

1987 No.7 Metropolitan Pennant Runners Up: From left, rear: J.Campbell, J.Byron, T.Leay, J.Schofield, C.Smith, R.McNair, P.Neal, W.Newell, T.Giblin, Keith Brown, J.Courtney (Manager).  Front: R.Powell, M.Stuart, F.Hopkins, W.Andrews, V.Barker, R.Walker, C.Rogers, L.Neasby, R.Harrison.

1997 No.7 Zone 10 Pennant Winners: From left, rear: P.Hodge, E.Perl, R.Manning, B.Larkin, K.Maloney, A.Mehmet, R.Harrison, B.Rennie, B.Brasier.  Front: T.Ryeland, N.Thomas S.Rochester, J.Edwards, R.Livingstone, R.Copson, J.Hicks.

1999 No.5 Zone 10 Pennant Winners: From left, rear: W.Hay (Manager), D.Swindail E.Perl, A.Cicutto, J.Macdonald, R.Shipp, D.Dell, C.Becker.  Front: S.Rochester, M.Holdsworth, F.James, J.Edwards, R.Freeman.

2000/2001 Executive and Officers

Back Row: K.Noble (Director), G.Wake (Director), B.Waddell (Secretary/Manager),

R.Robinson (Vice President), A.Jamieson (Treasurer).

Front Row: S.Inglis (Director), K.Robertson (Senior Vice President),

G.Lafferty (Vice President), D.Swindail (President), M.Walters (Director).

2000/2001 Officers of  Northmead Women’s Bowling Club

Standing, left to right: Marg. Taylor, Joan Sargeant, Lorna Cowan, Betty Whyte,

Mildred Aitken, Hazel Rudgley, Barbara Joel, Jean Baines. Seated: Betty Alexander (Treasurer), Barbara Anderson (Secretary), Clarice Boulton (President),

Lorraine Rigg (Vice President), Betty Redman (Vice President).

Major changes to the clubhouse and surrounds were undertaken in 1996/97 to improve the internal atmosphere of the Club and also to improve the appearance of the front of the clubhouse.

The building programme involved relocating the beer cellar from the front of the main building to a new annexe built on the northern end of the clubhouse. This freed up a large area to accommodate new toilets, locker rooms and offices allowing the old offices and ladies toilet to be removed resulting in a larger lounge area and a much improved view of the bowling greens. These renovations also provided for a new main entrance and foyer, separate darts and pool room areas and a separate conference room.

As part of the programme, the opportunity was taken to upgrade and improve other areas of the Club which had not received attention for many years. This included such items as the staff room and annexe, the artists room beside the stage and other alterations to provide improved storage.

The final cost of this work was $550,882 and a further $156,489 was spent on other improvements including new lockers, additional furniture, upgraded security, internal and external signage, new carpet and tiles in the lounge area, upgraded public address system, landscaping and pathways, a new flag pole and the installation of “Beer Rites” to improve beer quality.

Another auxiliary club came into existence at this time in the form of the Northmead Bowling Social Golf Club, whilst out on the greens the No.7 Pennant Side won the Zone flag and were unlucky to be beaten in the State Playoffs.

As recognition that we are a bowling, recreation and sporting club and are all integral contributors to the Club operations, auxiliary club reports were included in the Club Annual Report from 1996/97.

The front and rear of the clubhouse after reconstruction in 1997.

Northmead bowler Col Becker won the Parramatta District section of the State President’s Singles and was runner up in the Zone 10 playoffs.

The downturn in trading continued over the next two years, however we were still able to implement a substantial poker machine replacement programme with a view to reversing the financial trend.

A further pennant win was achieved in 1999 with the No.5 Pennant Side bringing home the Zone10 Pennant.

The new millennium....

During 1999/2000, the decision was taken by the Board to contract out the kitchen to Henry Selmann. On the bowling green, Barry Jenkins became the first in the Club’s history to win both the Minor and Major Singles in the one year.

Further renovations, which were commenced in 2000 have now been completed. The TAB has been introduced into the former dart area, the dart players have been relocated to the western side of the main lounge and we now have the facility to hold a function in the auditorium and still operate the bistro/dining area for members and visitors.

The contribution of Arthur Groves to lawn bowls was recognised when he was awarded the Australian Sports medal which was a well deserved honour.

It is pleasing to report that, due to a number of decisions made by the previous Board and the implementation of these decisions by the current Board, the Club is trading well and a record trading profit will be attained in this 50th anniversary year.

To continue as a viable trading operation, the continued support of members and guests is absolutely essential.

On the subject of support for the Club, we have indeed been fortunate over the years to receive sponsorship at varying levels from many sponsors and it would be remiss if their contribution was not recognised. Some have been continuous sponsors for many years whilst others have sponsored individual activities.

The rear of the clubhouse after