The Melbourne Bowling Club, nicknamed the Demons, and affiliated with Bowls Victoria (BV), is the oldest lawn bowling club in Australia.Minutes of the Melbourne Bowling Club 11 March 1864 Founded in 1864, the club has been based at Union Street, Windsor, Victoria, Australia on a continuous basis since formation.

Melbourne's uniform consists of a shirt displaying a Red and white devil, on a blue background, and blue pants/shorts with "Melbourne" prominently displayed along their length.

Historically the club has had many successes going back to 1892, and since the formation of the Premier League in 1997 Melbourne has won eight premierships having played in 17 grand finals in 21 years.

The club also currently fields a team in Divisions 2, 4 and 8 in the Bowls Victoria Saturday Metropolitan Pennant competitions.

History Early years

On 11 March 1864 The Melbourne Bowling Club was founded by John Campbell, obtaining a lease of land at “Chapel” Street (facing Union Street), as recorded as the first entry in the records of the club in the handwriting of John Campbell.Bowls Australia History The club has continuously occupied this same parcel of land ever since. This record makes Melbourne Bowling Club the oldest bowling club in Australia. By October that year, the bowls greens were in full operation, as was a temporary structure for entertaining, as well as facilities for quoits and croquet.

In 1865 a breakaway group formed the Prahran Bowling club, and this remained so until the 1980s, when Prahran’s greens were closed and the members rejoined Melbourne.

In 1867, the painter S. T. Gill visited the Melbourne Bowling Club and painted two water-colours of a bowls match in progress, one of the summer green and one of the winter green. The paintings were purchased by members, and were presented to the club as a gift in 1892.

In 1887, the original Georgian style double story brick clubhouse was opened, which still stands today. The original building had upper and lower verandas with ornate iron-lace work, which were removed during renovations over the intervening years. Gas lighting was added in later years.

In addition to bowls, the club catered for a wide variety of activities during this period, including skittles and tennis. Remnants of the skittles alley were rediscovered in the foundations during renovations in the 1900s.

During this time also saw the formation of the Victorian Bowling Association (1880), and the number of inter-club competitions grew, with the first premiership “pennant” trophy being awarded to Melbourne in 1892The Melbourne Bowling Association Presentation of the first pennant trophies, The Argus, 27 July 1892, p. 10

In 1899, Melbourne Bowling Club player, Major B.J. Wardill, in England to watch the Australian Cricket team under the captaincy of Joe Darling, met with him and English bowler Mr S.E. Yelland. As a result of the meeting, Major Wardill arranged for the Victorian and NSW Association Presidents, also travelling to England, to meet with Mr Yelland, resulting in the formation of the Imperial Bowling Association, becoming the International Bowling Board, now World Bowls Ltd, the governing body for bowls worldwide.International Bowling Board, p. 164, Bowls Encyclopedia by J.P. Monro, Wilke & Co, 1951

1900–1950s The early 1900s was a successful period for Melbourne Bowling club on the field when it won many championships as a team, as well as numerous members winning state and Australian titles. In the 1920s the club saw a number of extensions built, including a long single storey building added to the side in 1923, and which is still in use today. The club was very fortunate to have a number of patrons, who supported the club in many ways, including R.G. Watson, who left a legacy to the club in the form of the R.G. Watson Trust, and R.G. Watson Trophy tournament, which still runs today to honour his name and contribution.

1950s–1990s The 1950s also saw a great deal of on-field success, and the club extended its Windsor site by acquiring surrounding properties with the view to future extensions.

The club throughout the 1900s was a hub of social activity as well, with large member gatherings for social as well as bowls based functions. In particular the Thursday member night formal dinners were high sought after events to attend. These events were regularly reported in The Argus, The Malvern Standard and Malvern Times, excerpts of which can be found on the club website today(ref).

1990s–present

Neighbouring houses were incorporated into the clubhouse to provide a gaming room, which has now been converted into a meeting room “The Demons Den”. In 1997, Bowls Victoria (formerly the Royal Victorian Bowls Association) formed the Premier League pennant competition, to represent the highest level of competition in metropolitan Melbourne. Melbourne Bowling Club has been represented in Premier league every year since inception, and to date has appeared in the final x times, winning x times, also capturing 3 State Pennant titles as well. The current player group include a number of region, state and Australian representatives, and the honour boards are testament to success at region, state, national and international levels. In 2014, the club celebrates its 150th anniversary.

Club symbols and identity Uniform

One of the early adopters of coloured uniforms, Melbourne distinctive Blue, Red, and White Uniform features a stylised “M” on the front of the shirt, together with a cartoon style Devil.

Song The club song is sung to the tune of “You're a Grand Old Flag”, George Cohen, 1906

It’s a grand old flag It’s a high flying flag It’s the emblem for me and for you It’s the emblem of the team we love The team of the Red and the Blue Ev’ry heart beats true For the Red and the Blue And we sing this song to you (What do we sing!) Should old acquaintance be forgot Keep your eye on the Red and the Blue

Committees Club Committee President: Rick Lawler Secretary: Sean Ingram Treasurer: Ewen Wilson Members: Ben Fearn, Jacinta Murray, Janine Rischin & Jimmy Whitehead

Match Committee Chairman: Sean Ingram Selectors: Gordon Lowing, Janine Rischin, Kevin Lehane, Paul Titcombe

Membership Size Club membership in 2021 is approximately 250, and the club fields teams in 4 competitions in the Bowls Victoria Saturday Pennant Competition, 1 team in the Bowls Victoria Midweek Pennant Competition as well as a team in the Southern District Electric Light Bowls Association.

Demographics The club attracts a broad range of members across the metropolitan region. Largely due to the ongoing success of the Premier League side, close to 60% of the membership comes from outside the local Stonnington Council area.

Club Honours Premierships Victorian Bowling Association/RVBA 1892, 1896 (Prahran), 1899 (Prahran), 1925, 1927, 1929,1957,1959,1960, Bowls Victoria Premier League Premiers 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2021, 2022 Runners Up 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018 Champions of State Pennant 1997, 2003, 2012, 2017, 2021 Other Division Pennants A Reserve 1969, 1972 B/B1 Pennant 1935, 1939, 1951, 1969, 1970, 1971 B5 Pennant 1956 Division 2 Pennant 2015 Division 4 Pennant 1990, 2000 Division 9 Pennant 2000

Individual honours Australian representatives 1998–99 – P.D. Arthur (O60s) 2004–05 – R. Green Jnr 2005–06 – B. Lester 2006–07 – B. McCallum (U25s) 2011–12 – D. Fisher 2015–16 – Curtis Hanley (U18s)

Commonwealth Games 2004 – Bronze Medal - B Lester (Pairs)

World Championships 1976 – South Africa R. Middleton Singles Silver Medal, Pairs Bronze Medal

Victorian Representatives Dennis Arthur Ben Fearn (U18) Russell Green Jnr Grant Hopwood Brett Leighton John McCarron Craig McCarron Tayla Morison (U18) Scott Mortimer Arnold O'Brien Brian Richards Todd Simmons Michael Vesikko Curtis Hanley Bryce Young Shane Fordham Matt Ellul

Australian Titles Australian Singles 1898 - G. W. Sims 1902 – G. W. Sims 1903 – E. M. Pascoe 1994 – G. Bridge Australian Champion of Champion Singles 2012 – D. Fisher Australian Pairs 2013 – R. Green (Jnr) and D. Fisher

Victorian Titles State Singles 1882 – E. J. Lewis 1893 – C. Wood 1897 – G. W. Sims 1930 – W. Trumble 1975 – R. Middleton (Prahran) 2001 - G. Cridge 2006 - B. Lester 2008 - R. Green Jnr Champion of Champions Singles 1901 – S. Fry (Prahran) 1903 – A. Wartman 1908 – J. Doig (Prahran) 1909 – E.M. Pascoe 1911 – E.M. Pascoe 1915 – E.M. Pascoe 1916 – E.M. Pascoe 1917 – E.M. Pascoe 1918 – E.M. Pascoe 1921 – E.M. Pascoe 1927 – W. Trumble 1968 – R. Middleton (Prahran) 2001 – G. Maskell 2007 – R. Green Jnr 2012 - D. Fisher State Pairs 1922 – J. E. White, T. M. Vains 1928 – C. Johnson, W. C. Dempster 1995 – B.J. Richards, B. Hoey 1996 – E. B. Close (Mixed) 1999 – E.B. Close, G.J. Hopwood State Fours 1953 – D. McClymont, A. Fehring, B. Tully, L. Phillips 1966 – M. Connellan, H, R, Ashworth, G. Davies, L. Lehman 1974 – B.K. Samuel, M.J. Donnellan, G. Davies, G. De C. Bosisto 2008 – S Jeffery, P Williamson, J McCarron, R. Green Jnr State U35 Singles 2003 – R. Green Jnr State U18/19 Singles 1999 – R. Green Jnr State U18/19 Triples 1999 – R. Green Jnr 2003 – J. McCarron

Life Members J Blyth* R J Cowie* D McDougall* G Lewis* S Elliott* W Small* S B Hunt* E J Lewis* T F Morkham* G Thompson* H A A Embling* G W Sims* C Andrews* H J Westbrook* W Thomson* F C Jeffery* J L Doeg* A J Conquest* H J Petrie* H A Lay* L R McIlroy* A H Orchard* W E Trumble* W H McPherson* W H Stock* F Bacash* W M Ward* R G Watson* A E Wallis* H R Ashworth* E K O'Donnell* J W Morris* N W Woody* H D Chandler* A D Kearton JP* G J Hewett* E Folks* C R Morrell* R F Cross* C W Sinclair* J G (Ted) Took* Colin W. Gorman Peter Curwen-Walker Barry McGregor

(*Deceased)

In popular culture Crackerjack Melbourne Bowling Club was the major location site for the Australian movie Crackerjack, one of Australia’s highest grossing feature films.

See also World Bowls Events Bowls Australia Bowls Victoria

Footnotes

External links Official website of the Melbourne Bowling Club