Sun Bowls Club
The pavilion and green were opened in May 1928 as a sports pavilion for the use of the staff and friends of The Sun Works and financed by The Overseas Trading Corporation, owners of the Sun Works. The green, which was professionally laid in 1926, all by hand, is maintained by the members, and is still rated as one of the best in the island.
The whole OTC site was purchased by the States of Jersey in 1992 and the pavilion, of which the club is very proud, is now a listed building.
History
From the club website
In 1926, the Overseas Trading Corporation commissioned a design for a clubroom plus other facilities. It was built by Ernest Farley (Builders) in 1927 and opened by the then Bailiff, Sir William Vernon, on 23 May 1928.
The Sun Works Bowling Club flourished until September 1970 when a meeting of Island bowlers was held to discuss the formation of a new club to replace the Sun Works Bowling Club. Fifth members of various bowling clubs were present. The meeting was chaired by Mr Chris Sheehan who outlined reasons for wishing to discontinue looking after the green and he explained the conditions which the OTC was prepared to make to any club taking over the responsibility of the green.
The Sun Bowls Club was formed on 22 October 1970, the first president being Mr L Austin. The following year was the club’s first competitive season. While the OTC was still trading the club had limited access to the various facilities. Club members were allowed to use the pavilion on no more than six days in each year when tournaments were being played.
The Sun Bowls Club installed and paid for an automatic watering system, constructed a water tank and pump house in 1985. The States of Jersey bought all the land owned by the OTC and held Community Planning meetings during May/June 1992.
In 1994 The Sun Bowls Club negotiated a renewable nine-year lease.
During the winter of 1995 a complete refurbishment was undertaken by club members. The clubroom was decorated, and the general notice board room created with carpets fitted throughout. Building permission was granted to turn the caretaker's flat into the committee room, ladies toilet and locker room. The kitchen store room and the original ladies toilet were completely reorganised to form the gents locker room and toilet.
Bowls in the Island was very popular at this time and the committee of the day had to limit the membership to 300, and had a waiting list of up to 30.
Jersey Bowling Club
The Jersey Bowling Club was formed in 1912 and is Jersey's oldest bowling club. The club has, over the years, seen many changes including the construction of a clubhouse, an extended committee room and office, a kitchen, and licensed bar. The club was based at Westmount, with panoramic views across St Aubins Bay within a few steps of the clubhouse, until 2022, when a move to Warwick Farm was forced by the impending construction of a new hospital at Overdale, necessitating road widening on part of the bowling green.
Over the years the Jersey Bowling Club has produced many of the island's top bowlers with several world championship and international medals won.
Les Creux
Les Creux Bowls Club, situated in the tranquil and picturesque Les Creux Country Park in the Parish of St Brelade, is the newest bowls club in Jersey and one which is firmly on the local and international map.
Completed in 1999 to host the men’s British Isles Bowls Championships, the clubhouse is set in a countryside park, which has walks for non-bowlers. It is the only club in the Channel Islands to have two greens.
The club has hosted the men’s British Isles Championships, the European Championships, and in June 2009 the Ladies British Isles Championships.
Sun Bowls Club in 1900
The Lieut-Governor bowls the first wood in 1912
Jersey bowlers competing in the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth
Westmount, 1939, before the war brought bowls to an abrupt halt
Westmount, 1939
Westmount
Westmount
Sun Bowls, First Tower
Sun Bowls, First Tower
Westmount, from a 1960s tourism brochure
Westmount
Westmount in 1910
Westmount in the 1900s
1948
