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In the late 1950’s, a suggestion that a bowls facility be provided adjacent to the Claremont Golf Club gained lot of interest and support. The purpose was to give golfers an alternative recreation to golf during the summer months and also to add to the sporting amenities provided for Cadbury employees.
With the support of the Cadbury organization an investigative committee was formed to consider the proposal and ultimately the go ahead was given.
The inaugural meeting was held on 27th June 1960, at which there were present four persons who were golf members and also employees of Cadburys, nine golfers and four Cadbury employees. Also in attendance by invitation were the president and three other senior executives of the Southern Tasmanian Bowls Association, all of whom were not only top administrators but also top bowlers.
It was pointed out that the first steps required were to appoint a committee and draw up rules for the new club. This was done immediately with Mr. A Rothwell appointed president and an examination of the golf club rules indicated that these were suitable for the following by the bowls club. A few minor amendments only were needed. To ensure that an experienced person be available to interpret these rules it was decided that future bowls club committees would be represented by at least one registered golfer. Whilst fixing the rules to incorporate this requirement the opportunity was taken to also include a proviso that at least two Cadbury employees form part of the committee.
The president of the STBA mentioned that in the majority of cases in the formation of a new bowls club, it was usual for the first year to be spent in learning the game before playing competitively. In the case of Claremont however, a few of those persons active in getting the club started had some bowls experience and were anxious to become competitive to maintain interest. Despite being in the minority their views were accepted, an application was prepared for submission to the STBA for a side to be entered in the “C” Grade and this was granted despite some opposition from
established clubs.
One of the executives present offered to bring sets of bowls from the manufacturer in Melbourne and sell to the first 50 members at wholesale price. This offer was accepted.
The STBA president offered to give tuition to recruits and this of course covered the majority of the membership. This course took the form of two evenings at the golf club using indoor mats. It is interesting to note that of these raw recruits, four of them went on to ultimately represent Tasmania.
Whilst this was going on, the formation of the green was steadily progressing. The area had been leveled involving a considerable number of loads of ashes from the Cadbury factory mainly because the land sloped sharply to the river. The site had been considered the most suitable because of its proximity to the golf club pavilion and amenities. This is currently referred to as the ‘top green’.
Both clubs were to operate as separate entities, responsible for their own administration and financial dealings. Cadburys advanced the bowls club £600 to assist in the purchase of equipment. The two major items were a 30” mower costing £250 and a triple roller costing £237.10.0 Labour was supplied by the golf club and charged to the bowls club.
The green was ready for use for the 1960/61 bowls season which was a commendable achievement. The club’s first pennant was against Kingborough and the Claremont side won by 9 shots, this being the first of many successes.
The club initially started with 57 members (43 golfers and 14 Cadbury employees).
The club was officially opened by the patron Mr. JPD Lloyd on 3rd December 1960. Mrs. Lloyd threw the first kitty and the wife of the president Mrs. M Rothwell the first bowl.
Entrance fee was set at £2.2.0 and the first season’s subscriptions were as follows:-
Cadbury/Golf member £6.6.0
Golf only member £6.16.6
Cadbury Employee only member £8.8.0
Others £9.9.0
In September 1960 associate golf club members formed a holding committee to submit an application for membership to the bowls club. Supporting this application was a list of 23 names of ladies desirous of playing. The committee requested that a set of rules be drawn up for its consideration. These were tabled and approved in January 1961 together with the above mentioned 23 ladies plus 6 others. The associates affiliated with the Southern Tasmanian Women’s Bowling Association, and a side accepted in the “B” Grade pennant competition for the 1961/62 season.
In March 1961 the club was host to a visiting party from New Zealand.
As mentioned earlier in this report, the bowls club paid the golf club for labour supplied. On payments made this averaged out at about 22 hours per week. Catering for afternoon teas was handled by the golf club caterers and the cost of which was paid by bowls club members participating. As far as the bar was concerned the arrangement was for the bowlers and their visitors to use the golf club facilities for which the bowls club received £200 annually. The additional turnover was welcomed by the golf club during the summer months when bar activity needed a boost.
The first annual general meeting was held on 22nd August, 1961. The only item worthy of comment was agreement to increase subscription and to add a new category for social members. The new rates were-.
Cadbury/Golf Member £7.15.0
Golf only Member £8.5.0
Cadbury Employee only Member £9.15.0
Associates £3.3.0
Social Members £6.6.0
Registered members not golfers were accepted as non-playing members of the golf club.
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The main social activity in the early years of the club was the regular barbecue/bowls function on Sundays. This was so popular that it was essential members placed their name on the list early to ensure a game.
Probably the reason for its popularity stemmed from the fact that there was a predominance of husband/wife numbers in the clubs membership.
Claremont approached the Derwent club by suggesting that they play a mid-week competition between the two clubs, each side to consist of 8 players. This series commenced on 17th January, 1962.
Despite the fact that the golf club pavilion was available it was considered desirable that the bowls club have its own pavilion for convenience. To avoid the cost of a new building Cadburys had just replaced an old library building with a new one and offered the old one to the club, this offer was accepted, plans drawn up, foundations prepared and the building transported wholly in its existing form and placed on the foundations. A closed-in verandah was added and provision made for storing green equipment. In the transfer to the site, fences had to be removed and then re-aligned.
The total cost was £2700, paid by Cadburys and repayable at an annual rental of £162 over a period of 40 years. The move took place on 19th March 1962.
In January 1962 the associates establishment was increased to 32 in anticipation of applying for a side in both the “A” Grade and “B” Grade 1962/63 pennant competition. This application was accepted by the STWBA.
The men also made application to the STBA for a side to be accepted in each of the “A” Grade, “B” Grade and “C” Grade pennant competitions for 1962/63. This application was accepted. This gives an indication of the advancement achieved on the green. In fact a year later i.e. the 1963/64 season, Claremont won the “A” Grade Pennant.
After a few years the stage was reached when the arrangements with the golf club for the use of its facilities was proving unsatisfactory. This was due mainly to the restrictions imposed on bowlers requiring bar service at the close of pennant games on Saturdays. As an example, access to the bar was denied because of golf presentations and this was embarrassing for bowlers with their visiting players. There also developed a certain amount of tension between the two committees and the earlier co-operation regarding use of the golf club labour and sundry equipment deteriorated. As a result of this, the bowls club committee, supported by members, decided to apply for its own liquor licence and thus operate independently of the golf club. On application and after many visits by inspectors from the licensing branch and health department, the licence was conditionally granted. An extension to the pavilion was necessary, alterations were needed in the kitchen area to meet catering standards, and improved toilet facilities were needed, all with the view of coping with the increased membership on which the licence application was based. The constitution and rules had to be re-written to meet the requirements of the Associations Act. The club received its “Certificate of Incorporation of an Association on 31st May, 1973.
It was about this time that the next major step in the history of the club occurred with the amalgamation of Cadburys with Schweppes. The new company decided to dispose of all non income-earning assets within the Commonwealth and this included properties on the estate thus involving the land occupied by the golf and bowls clubs. The valuations placed on these were ridiculously low and obviously accepted by the clubs. The whole of the area was valued at $150,000 of which $129,000 was apportioned to the golf club and $21,000 to the bowls club. The bowls club figure seemed high when compared with the golf club and when this was mentioned to Cadbury management it agreed that there appeared to be an anomaly in the apportionment. To rectify this the company decided to include in the $21,000 the land behind the houses in Bourneville Crescent. This was a tremendous acquisition as it provided the facility for an ultimate 2nd and then a 3rd green.
Plans were drawn up to cover title to the new property. It should be pointed out that the title provides the following three rights-of-way to the bowls club property:-
1. 20’ width of the road leading from Bourneville Crescent to give access to the rear of houses facing Bournville Crescent. Under the new title these residents continue to have right-of-way as they did in the past.
2. 20’ width strip from the fence of the house bordering on the golf club car park. This strip extends from Bournville Crescent to the club’s property. It has not been necessary for the bowls club to make use of this strip but it is a safeguard should the present arrangements with the golf club regarding the bowls club use of its car park fall through.
3. 12’ wide right-of-way from the golf club car park to the eastern end of the top green.
Soon after the acquisition of the additional land, the area proposed for a second green was bull-dozed level and left to consolidate for some time.
It was early in the 1980’s when it became apparent that the green was not sufficient to meet the requirements of members. It was always a worry that the wear and tear would have an adverse effect on the surface of the green and there were times when the use of it for a full season was touch and go. The decision was made to form a second green for use in the 1982/83 pennant season. Thanks to the many days spent on the spreading of the ashes, 2” metal and half-inch metal by retired members, commonly referred to as “Dads Army” the time-table was met.
Over the period a number of additions and alterations have taken place to give members added comfort and facilities. The outlook from the pavilion would be the envy of most clubs throughout the Commonwealth. More recently alterations were made to take advantage of this delightful asset. There is now an unobstructed view from the pavilion of the Derwent River, the more northerly suburbs and distant hills and mountains.
In the first 40 years of the club there have been many outstanding achievements by individuals and sides. One that stands out is the winning of the Division 1 State Pennant title in 1991-92.
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