The early years

"These men laboured with unremitting zeal until the goal of their ambitions was realised, and, gentlemen, you and I are enjoying the results of their efforts"

The dedication of our earliest members, the men, and later the women, and their commitment to the Jubilee Bowls Club has made it what it is today.

If it had not been for the foresight of Gordon Smith and Bill Norrie, the popular acceptance of their idea for a new bowls club, the extraordinary effort put in by the first members to build their club, and the determination of later members to make it bigger and better, we would not be here today.

"They will not be quickly forgotten"

It is impossible to pay tribute to every individual, both man and woman, who has contributed significantly to the life of the Jubilee Bowls Club. However, from the annals of our history, some names stand out.

Alan Pollock - our first president

Alan was our first president, foundation member, patron, secretary for many years and life member. Alan and his wife, Glad, were wonderful stalwarts who did so much to make our club what it is today. Alan was Mr Jubilee. Always an active member of the club, he became partron in 1976. He was a great administrator with a knowledge of bowls sadly missed today. Alan was still playing bowls until only a few months before his death at the age of 90 in 1991.

Frank Lancashire - master bowler

Our most honoured master bowler, and we do not have room to record his outstanding performances in club championships, the Dunn Cup, Townsville and district competitions, inaugural Benson and Hedges Champion of Champions events in 1977. This was an Australia-wide championship. Frank was also man of the series in his State performance against NSW. He was indeed the little Master.

Les Newman - top skip

Les was one of the North's top bowlers during the halcyon days of bowls in the area. He played lead in Jubilee's fifth victory in the Dunn Cup in 1966. When we won it again in 1969 he played third, and eventually skipped the team in the years 1973, 1975, 1976 and in 1977.

Hollis Parker - club stalwart

Hollis was a foundation member, the construction supervisor of the clubhouse, bowler, club and NQ adminsitrator.

A number of people just missed out on becoming foundation members. Among them was Ron Lowrey and also past patron, Jim Jackson. Jim told us on many occasions that he was considered far too young and far too wild - by some.

Bill Norrie - hardworking member

Most people will remember Bill Norrie, a longstanding and hard working member. He was also a life member.

Albie and Phyllis Symes - humour and generosity

Then who will forget Albie Symes and his wife Phyllis, who were good workers for the club. They put on sponsored days, made baby cots for the Christmas raffle, as well as having socials at their home to support the club. When playing in a social game, if the skip requested Alby to change his hand, he did, changing it from his right hand to his left hand. We cannot print the stories regarding his false teeth!

Hughie Wyper - greenkeeper and club champion

Hughie Wyper was one of our early greenkeepers, club champion again and again, and an outstanding Queensland bowler. He led in our first Dunn Cup win in the year of 1957.

Stan McCarthy, Roger Cannon and Col Palmer

At AGM's for nigh on 50 years, Stan McCarthy and Roger Cannon moved motions for pensioners rates without success. Col Palmer, on the closing of AGM's, always said: "Mr Chairman, I have something to raise."

Foundation members

"Two men saw a need for new bowls club"

The Jubilee Bowls Club started way back in 1951 when two men of considerable vision saw the need for another bowls club in the expanding western suburbs. At the time there was already clubs in Townsville, North Ward, Cutheringa and Suburban in Hermit Park. But it quickly became apparent that their was great interest in a new club, and in October of 1952, the Jubilee Bowls Club officially opened.

Foundation Members of the Jubilee Bowls Club:

Setting up the Jubilee Greens

Using earthmoving plant on loan from the Council, donated plant and volunteer labour, the first green and ancillary works were all completed in 10 months.

The first green was officially openend on 11th October 1952.

In 1979 Jubilee decided to install a Twif Dwarf blows green to replace the existing infested cooch on No 2 Green.

The first Twif green in North Queensland was installed at Mackay's Suburban Club, followed by Cardwell, the new Thuringowa club and then Jubilee.

Jubilee's green was planted using the same method as Thuringowa with 1 1/2 inches of the infested existing grass surface being cut off and replaced with top soil which was rolled in.

The work on this green was done by Don McAskill's Sewerage Contracting Company at no cost to the club, and his men and machinery were maingly used to do the work with the assistance of a few club members.

Once again Ted Smith was virtually in charge of the operation and did an excellent job levelling the green, planting the cuttings, holding down the grass with plastic mesh obtained from Mackay Suburban Club, as was the grass cuttings, and his care and attention was paramount in the quality of the green produced.

We had learned by experience and this time the soil was fumigated. Flick installed a tent five feet over the green, attaching to the ditch and pumping it full of gas to prevent any weeds from growing. The green as kept wet and six weeks later was played on.

Don McAskill also sucessfully negotiated with the Townsville City Council to obtain a small area of neighbouring parkland to construct a bar to service Number 2 green. The green was officially opened by Mayor Perc Tucker on 25th March 1979.

The Jubilee Ladies

"The ladies have been playing bowls at Jubilee Bowls Club for almost as long as the men, and they are a completely integral part of the club"

Indeed, there are many who would say the club would not be the success it is today were it not for the ladies.

At the first annual meeting of the mens club on the 21st July 1952, Bill Norrie moved that ladies be accepted as Associates and charged one guinea annual subscription and 10/6d entrance fee.

Alan Pollock has chaired an initial interest meeting of 29 ladies held a few days earlier at Mundingburra State School on Thursday 17th July, 1952. A motion was carried that "an associate club to the Jubilee Bowling Club under the name of the Jubilee Bowling Club Associates be formed".

The ladies formed the Jubilee Associates under the leadership of the late Mary Morris. As foundation president, she capably guided the women during the first years.

The first positions filled were: