Some of our members in 2011 photo: courtesy of Exmouth Journal
Phear Park’s centenary season was opened last Sunday by club President
Harry Wilkes with the traditional President’s drive.
One hundred years ago Exmouth UDC decided to lay a bowling green in
Phear Park, land gifted to the people of Exmouth by the family of Sir
John Phear.
On 3 July, 1911, men – no ladies in those days – using the new green
were invited to a meeting to form a bowls club, and Phear Park Bowling
Club was born. In the first season the new club played five games
winning the last one against Heavitree.
Within ten years of its formation Phear Park won the County Trophy, in
effect becoming county champions. One of their members, Harry Taylor,
was county singles champion.
Probably the highlight of the last hundred years occurred in 1971 when
Phear Park bowler Mrs. Christine Frost astounded the bowling world by
winning the national ladies singles championship. Mrs Frost was a
relative novice but she outplayed far more experienced opponents to win
the title. In 1972 she represented England in the inaugural UK
championships.
The centenary will be celebrated with a number of special events. On
12th
May a side representing Bowls England, the ruling body for bowls, will
send a representative side to play against the Club.
Bowls England chief executive Tony Alcock, an internationally renowned
bowler in the 1980s, visited Phear Park in 1986, by arrangements with a
promotions company, to play in a special pairs match to celebrate the
golden wedding of Park members Betty and Tom Tuttun
On 12th May the mayor of Harrow will present the Club with a new flag to
mark the centenary.
A team representing Bowls Devon will visit Phear Park on 1 July to take
on the home club.
A special game has also been arranged with three clubs who celebrate
their centenary this year. These are Bovey Tracey, Tiverton West End
and Newton Abbot.
Phear Park ladies will take on the men of the club on 5 July in a game
where both teams will wear fancy dress.
Altogether a very busy season to look forward to.
Officers elected for the 2012 season are:
Our President
HARRY WILKES – BOWLER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Harry
Wilkes is the oldest bowling member at Phear Park and we suspect
probably the oldest regular bowler in the county. Harry was born
in the Midlands in 1915. He joined the RAF just before the
second world war and in 1939 along with a group of other RAF
technicians he was posted to Singapore.
At the
last minute Harry’s posting was changed and he was sent to a
naval air station in Sussex. All of his colleagues arrived
in Singapore to be captured or killed by the Japanese.
During the course of the war Harry saw service in Malta,
Sardinia and Italy. Harry is the proud possessor of the
Malta Medal awarded by the Maltese government to all servicemen
serving in Malta in 1942-43.
In 1938 he
met his wife Mona while doing technical training at St. Athans
in south Wales. Harry and Mona were married in Barry in
1940.
Harry
returned to Barry after being demobbed in 1945. The RAF
was recruiting former service personnel and Harry returned to
work at St Athans as a civilian. He worked for the RAF
until he retired in 1976 and helped Mona run a
confectioners/gift shop in Llantwit Major. Harry’s
connection with the RAF earned him the Imperial Services Medal
an honour unique to civilians
In 1976
Harry discovered bowls. Visiting his daughter in Devon,
his son-in-law’s father then captain of City of Exeter Bowling
club invited Harry to a “roll up”. Harry took to it
immediately and on his return to Barry he joined the local
Romilly Park club.
Harry
played there until 2003 when his wife’s poor health led to Harry
deciding to move to Lympstone to live with his daughter,
Maureen, well known locally for her work in the local
surgery. Then came a piece of good fortune for Phear Park
Bowling Club as Harry decided to join the oldest club in
Exmouth.
“Harry
from Barry” as he is popularly known soon made an impact both
off and on the green. No more so than on his 94th
birthday when he supplied a glass of wine for all participants
in the Axon cup competition. The best Axon Cup afternoon
most of us can remember!
One of the
fascinating things about bowls is anyone of any age can play.
This season Harry has bowled with, and against, a 10 year old
and a 14 year old. What other sport allows that? Harry has
also turned out for Phear Park’s over-60s “A” team.
Harry is a
gentleman; always good natured, courteous; always immaculately
turned out he looks to have stepped out of a catalogue selling
bowls clothing! We look forward to 2015 as Harry
plants another wood on the jack and a telegram boy comes rushing
on to the green crying “Telegram for Mr Wilkes!”
