History of the League: The early years.
Bowling had been a popular activity in County Durham for many years but clubs tended to restrict competition to their own members. Spoons was played regularly. Any inter-club matches were restricted to friendlies. In the years immediately following the Great War, interest in forming an association grew and a number of clubs agreed to hold a meeting to try and progress the matter. This was held on 3rd June 1922 at the Half Moon Hotel in the heart of Durham City. This hostelry still exists today under the same name and is a popular yet virtually unmodernised pub.
This first meeting was held under the title of the West Durham Bowling League primarily because the clubs were from this part of the County. However, this name was not adopted. It was called the Durham & District Bowling League, probably in recognition of Durham City being the approximate geographical centre of the area covered.
Bowling had been a popular activity in County Durham for many years but clubs tended to restrict competition to their own members. Spoons was played regularly. Any inter-club matches were restricted to friendlies.>In the years immediately following the Great War, interest in forming an association grew and a number of clubs agreed to hold a meeting to try and progress the matter. This was held on 3rd June 1922 at the Half Moon Hotel, Durham City. This hostelry still exists today under the same name and is a well patronised watering hole.
This first meeting was held under the title of the West Durham Bowling League primarily because the clubs were from this part of the County. However, this name was not adopted. It was called the Durham & District Bowling League, probably in recognition of Durham City being the approximate geographical centre of the area covered.
Let us not forget that in the early part of the last century the world was a much smaller place. People tended to live and work within their own communities and personal transport was for the majority non-existent. Travelling to an away match, even if the club was situated only a few miles away, would be an event requiring the co-ordination of all available ponies and traps, other horse drawn vehicles and the occasional charabanc.
Four clubs attended this first meeting. These were Langley Park, Ushaw Moor, Durham Public and Malton. Langley Park is the only one which is still a member of the League. At that meeting, it was moved by a Mr Foster of Ushaw Moor and seconded by Mr Corker of Malton that a League be formed.At a second meeting, at the same venue, it was decided that the
Half Moon Hotel, Durham City would become the headquarters of the League.
On 19th July 1922, six clubs met for a third meeting. This gathering was entered in the Minute Book under the title of the "Durham & District Bowls League". In addition to the original four clubs both Esh Winning and Waterhouses also attended. The outcome was the formation of a League which would start the following Summer.
The League commenced in 1923 and consisted of 7 clubs. In the first 10 years membership numbers fluctuated from a minimum of 7 to a maximum of 12 teams as clubs experienced the real problems of running a team in a League.
