The Shannon Bowling Club

In 1904 the Shannon Bowling Club was built, but was originally opened on the 23rd October 1907. The address for the Shannon Bowling Club is 29 Stout Street, Shannon. When it was built it was only a shed. The Shannon Bowling Club was the only club that owned their land in the Manawatu district.
On the 10th of October 1905 it was proposed that a club be formed and be called The Shannon Bowling and Lawn Tennis Club and it was passed at the meeting on the 17th of July.
In the 1900s you had a strict dress code when you went for a competition, your dress got measured, it had to be three inches below your knees exactly, and no jewelry was allowed to be worn, but now a days you don’t have a strict dress code and your allowed to wear jewelry.
The oldest shield they have is one hundred and seven years old and its named The Green Keeper’s Corer.
Kitty vs Jack is Woman vs Men, Kitty vs Jack is a shield that the woman and men play for, so far the men have been winning.
“Some people in the Shannon Bowling Club forgot what the woman looked like because the men have been winning too much” Peter Bracken.
“To be a Life member you have to do a lot of hard work” said Robin Metcalfe.
You can be a social member, life member or just a playing member.
There are four Life members, six Playing members and thirty four Playing members.
The Bowling balls now a days are a lot lighter than the older ones, the heaviest bowling ball they have is five heavy but they are getting a size six heavy, inside the bowling ball it is rough and hard, when you first hold the bowling ball it feels really light, but when you bowl with it, it’s hard to make it turn and heavy to bowl with.

The difference between an inside ball and an outside ball is that the inside ball is lighter and faster and an outside ball is heavier.
When you're bowling with an outside ball, on the large patch of grass you have to make sure you don’t get it into the ditch and interfere with game next to you because there are no ranks like Ten pin bowling, but the inside bowling is a different type of experience you have to bowl lightly and soft.
The Shannon Bowling Clubs uniform used to be just a white T-shirt and pants, but now they have their own uniform and it has the Huia bird on it, they have had this uniform for twenty years, the colors of the uniforms are White and Maroon.
“Some people joined bowling because their family joined the Shannon Bowling Club” said Gran.
We wish to pay a tribute to all those hard workers for the Shannon Bowling Club from past to present, to build the club into what it is today.
The grounds are very attractive with their fine greens shelters, gardens, while the club house is all that could be envied by a small club and is indeed envied by members of larger clubs.

Acknowledgements
The Shannon Bowling Club By Dulcie L.Viles 1992
The Shannon Bowling Club (INC) Women’s Section By Dulcie L.Viles 1991
The Shannon Bowling Women’s Section By: Dulcie L.Viles

Interviewees:
Robin Metcalfe, Whae Donna, Whae Hui, Gran and Peter Bracken.

Internet:
Bowls Manawatu

Team effort by Pera (Year 8) and Miracle (Year 8).