Five decades of bowls tradition is at an end, This year marked the end of an era for one Leicester bowls club. After 50 years playing at Raw Dykes Road, Leicester Electricity Bowls Green has closed.
To mark this sad event, Keith Miller, of Birstall, has sent me some details about the early days of the club, Keith said the club closed its gates on September 30 this year after a long battle to save its ground, which is going to be redeveloped.
Keith has sent me some photos of the club's early days.
One shows former members, Messrs Keogh, Able, Freer and others, at the opening ceremony of the clubhouse.
He writes: "As 1959 drew to a close and the 1960s beckoned, a few members of the former Leicester Electricity Sports and Social Club decided to form an outside bowls facility. This was to be sited on wasteland adjacent to the old cooling towers close to the corner of Raw Dykes Road and Aylestone Road – virtually opposite the former cattle market on Freemans Common."
"A bowling green and clubhouse were eventually established in or about 1961."
For many years the club played its matches in the shadow of the great cooling towers in Raw Dykes Road.
Keith said: "Our final game took place on Sunday, September 27.
"It was the final game despite many protests, developers will be moving in this coming winter to build flats on that hallowed turf.
"So yet another sports ground and green area in the city will be lost for ever.
"Blame does not lie with the developer – it has given us much help and assistance in our endeavours to remain together as a club, albeit in another location. Our thanks to the developer for that.
"Blame, if blame can be levelled at anyone, goes to the Leicester City Council planners for allowing central city green playing fields and green spaces to be built upon.
"Fortunately, Brookfield Bowls Club, in Kimberly Road, came to our rescue and has agreed to our moving en bloc, leasing a spare green and sharing its facilities, thus ensuring we maintain our status as the Leicester Electricity Bowls Club. Our thanks for that."
"We look forward with anticipation to 2010, to make new friends and to continue to renew old friendships after almost 50 years at Raw Dykes Road."
One shows former members, Messrs Keogh, Able, Freer and others, at the opening ceremony of the clubhouse.
For many years the club played its matches in the shadow of the great cooling towers in Raw Dykes Road.
"It was the final game despite many protests, developers will be moving in this coming winter to build flats on that hallowed turf.