ONE of Greenock’s oldest sporting clubs is bowling along in fine style towards its centenary next year.

Lady Alice Bowling Club is planning a series of events to mark 100 years on the greens and plans are in place to publish a booklet of achievements since the first jack was thrown way back in 1915.

Club committee members are drawing up a programme which will include a special opening day in April, challenge matches, hosting Scottish finals in June and staging a centenary dinner in August.

Lady Alice has a thriving membership of 57 men, 38 women, 41 social members and 25 juniors — and more would be welcomed with open arms.

The club is named after Lady Alice Shaw Stewart, whose husband, Sir Michael Hugh Shaw Stewart, gave six acres of ground on Inverkip Road to Greenock Corporation in 1908 to create a recreation facility for local children, and, at the same time, provide relief work during high unemployment.

Work began in October, and at times employed up to 128 men on the site.

The Lady Alice Park was opened on 27 May 1910 by Lady Alice.

Club historian Jim McGhee said Sir Hugh would be particularly pleased to know there are so many youngsters still involved in the life of the club.

Jim said: “The original intention when the park opened was that the first section would be set aside for children’s recreation, and provision would be made later for a six-rink bowling green.

“But, as it turned out, two bowling greens were laid out, and extra ground was granted for a children’s play area.” The Greenock Telegraph reported on 18 July 1915 that the 20 July opening of the greens had been postponed for a month because the bowlhouse could not be completed by that date.

The Tele said: “The opening will take place early next month, when it is expected everything will be in readiness for patrons.

“The formation of the greens has effected a considerable improvement, and the seating at various points will add to the convenience of visitors, particularly the women folk who spend an hour or two at the park in the afternoons.” The first competition on 19 August was described by the Tele as ‘an interesting wapenshaw’ involving all six rinks.

The winners — D. Morrison, W. McEwan, M. Smith and J. Holmes — were presented with walking sticks!

The Tele noted: “The members adjourned to the bowlhouse and formed themselves into Lady Alice Bowling club. A committee was formed, with Councillor McCallum as president and Councillor Robinson as vice-president.” No less than a hundred ticket holders were registered for the greens which, the Tele added, ‘augurs well for the promotion of a most successful club’.

The club’s 75th anniversary dinner was held in Greenock Town Hall on 23 March 1990, when president Tom Ferdinand said many changes had taken place since the 1965 jubilee year, including the formation of a ladies section in 1970.

He said: “The other main change was obtaining a licence and subsequent building of our extension, which was refurbished to a high standard three years later.

“The main lounge is now one of the best in the district, as befits a club such as ours.

“Since the jubilee, many honours have again been won by the club.

“The most outstanding achievement of any member must still be the winning of the Scottish Singles Championship by Matt Hannah in 1919. He went on to represent Scotland in 1925, 1926, 1927 and 1928.” The club has won Scottish, Renfrewshire and Greenock and District honours over the years, and current champion, Hugh McKellar, qualified to play at this year’s Scottish Championships in Ayr, and made it through to the second day of competition.

Anyone interested in joining the club or sponsoring it for the centenary celebrations is asked to contact secretary Joe Carruthers on 07864 866396 or email j.carruthers499@btinternet.com