BALERNO BOWLING CLUB

The Green will open for play on Saturday, 19th April, weather permitting. Let us hope for a fine summer with good bowling.

The perennial cry at this time of year is that we must attract new young members. We have not had a thriving junior section for several years. They used to meet on a Saturday morning under the guidance of David Martin and the late Stuart Hebson. In due course David and Stuart were succeeded by Alan Rankin. The section flourished for some years and were quite succesful in competition with other Clubs. However, for any number of reasons, it crumbled and was never revived. Perhaps the Committee might take a fresh look at reforming it. Willing organisers might be found among the newer members. We should certainly look at an attractive uniform that will attract youngsters. How about coloured Polo shirts in the Club colours, Yellow and Green.

At the start of a new season thoughts turn to absent friends. So far as I know, Joe McBeath, Francis Eddinton and George Smith never bowled and therefore might not be known to a number of members. However, through the years they were excellent Social members and great supporters of the Club. Now, all three have gone.

Each year Joe paid a Bowling subscription so that he could legitimately vote at an AGM but whether he actually did I don’t know. He was always of immaculate appearance and was particularly proud of his mane of white hair. It is said that he combed it 100 times every morning and I could believe it.

Francis was also always of smart appearance. He had bandy legs, a legacy, so I am told of childhood rickets. Towards the end of his life he had them surgically straightened and grew 2 inches taller. It is said that he tried to claim the cost of lengthening his trousers on the NHS but perhaps it was just talk.

I don’t think that even his Mother ever called George Smith elegant. George wasn’t the type. He was big and friendly and generous. He had led a varied life full of incidents and had a fund of stories to illustrate it. He said that five doctors had told him to give up drinking. Of the five, three were now dead and the other two were alcoholics!

Three good men. They will be sadly missed.

F.D.H.King