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Beechwood Bowling Club was founded in 1904 and is one of the oldest bowling clubs in South Wales.
Situated in the beautiful Beechwood Park on the east side of the City of Newport. In the early years the club played an important part in the formation of the South Wales & Monmouthshire Bowling Association, and subsequently competed in that association’s league and competitions.
In 1909 the then Mayor of Newport Councillor Graham White, presented the association with a shield to be competed for annually. This was subsequently won by the Beechwood club in 1910, 1912, and 1915. The competition was not then held until 1919 when a new club St. Julian’s won it for the first time. Beechwood again winning the competition in the years 1920,1921 and 1922.
1926. This year saw a member of the club, Mr. H. Spicer win the Monmouthshire Bowling Association Singles Championship.
1931 Was the year the Club won the Royal Gwent Hospital Shield, beating Bedwelty Park Bowling Club by eleven shots. The match having been played at the Newbridge Welfare Club Green.
The 1936 season saw the Club almost sweep the board in the Newport Bowling League Competitions. The Singles was won by Mr. C. Ramage, who also won the Two Wood, The Championship and The Kings Cup. The Rinks was won by messrs:- E. Williams, W. Hyndham, G. Edwards and C. Ramage who skipped the rink. At the Newport Bowling League A.G.M. that year Mr. E. W. King a Beechwood member was elected President for 1937, the Chairman of the Newport Bowling League Mr. F. Mole, who again was a Beechwood member, was subsequently elected President of The Monmouthshire Bowling Association for 1937.
1939/1945 saw the club continue to play it’s part in the various leagues and competitions that were run by the Newport Bowling League and the Monmouthshire Bowling Association.
1967/68. During both these years the Club won the Monmouthshire County Championship, a feat that sadly, has not been repeated.
1982. This year saw the formation of the Newport Over Sixty League, Beechwood members having played an important part in it’s formation, have continued to support both the league and it’s representative matches.
1989. After many years of representation to the Newport Borough Council, a new Pavilion was built and opened by Her Worship The Mayor of Newport Councillor Mrs. Veronica Brydon on the 5th. June.
1991. This year the club won the Newport Bowling League for the second time in four years. A notable achievement also this year, was the winning by Mr. Ken Binns a Beechwood member, of The City of Bath Open Singles Competition.
1994. This year the club celebrated it’s 90th anniversary with matches against The Welsh and the Monmouthshire Presidents Teams, the Barbarians Bowling Club as well as other representative matches. All together a memorable year.
2000. With the formation of a Junior section the focus of the club is on the future years, and the celebration of the Club Centenary.
2004. Centenary Year. For the past two years preparations have been ongoing to ensure that this year would be one to remember. With the new regalia the club launched into it’s celebratory season with enthusiasm and a certain amount of pride. Celebration matches were played against teams representing the Presidents of The Welsh Bowling Association, The Monmouth Association, The Barbarians Bowling Club and The Chairman of the Newport League, and as the Club held the Chairmanship of the Newport Over Sixty League this year, the final match of their season was against that league.
In the Newport Bowling Association League, the Club finished in 3rd. Position, as was also the position in the Monmouthshire Bowling league. In the Terry Youngson Memorial Competition the Club were runners up, losing the final to Whiteheads Bowling Club in a close fought match.
Individual honours were brought too the club by Mr. Dave Hill by his winning of the Newport Association Four Wood Singles Competition, and by Mr. Mike Poyner who was runner up in the Two Wood final. All things considered, not a bad Centenary Year
2005. For the second year running the club got to the final of The Terry Youngson Memorial Cup only to lose to Newport Athletic Club. In the Monmouthshire Bowling League, the club gained promotion to the 3rd. Division.
2006. Again a successful season for the Club, consolidating it’s promotion to the 3rd. Division in the Monmouthshire League by finishing in fourth position, the club also did well in the Newport Bowling Association League, having won 10 of its matches only dropping a place, to fourth position on rinks won. A new member in the Club, Steve Mitchell, won the Newport Bowling Association Singles competition, and a team consisting of, messrs:- R. Young, J. Letts, D. Allsopp and D. Spear who skipped the rink, were runners up in the Rinks Final losing by one shot to a Team from the Whiteheads Bowling Club.
2007. A somewhat indifferent year league wise, narrowly avoiding relegation in the Monmouthshire B.A League and finishing mid table in the Newport B.A. League.
Competition wise The Newport B.A. Triples competition was won by a Beechwood team consisting of Doug Spear, John Letts & Roy Young, and another Beechwood couple Steve Mitchell & his wife Victoria, Beechwood Ladies B.C. were runners up in The Newport B.A. Pairs Competition too the winners, Mrs. Sue Stephens, Beechwood Ladies B.C. & Mr. R Morgan from the Belle Vue B.C.
Sadly The Club lost it’s Vice President Mr. Harold Wood on Xmas Eve. Harold had been a continuous member of the Club since the early 1970’s also Gordon Lane another long serving and well known member.
2008. A much more successful season under the Captaincy of Bob Smith. The Club finished in forth place in the Newport B.A. League and narrowly missed promotion by 4 shots in the Monmouthshire B.A. League. Although there were more entries into the Newport B.A. & the Monmouthshire B.A. competitions this year by club members, their success only got them as far as the quarter or in one case the semi finals of the various competitions..
At the Annual General Meeting this year Mr. Roy Llewellyn was elected as Vice President of the Club. Other notable events this year. The Club President Mr. Colwyn Evans achieved 50 Years continuous membership, and the Club Secretary Doug Spear completed 25 years in that post.
2009. All things Considered not a bad season, finishing 4th. In the Newport B.A. League, and once again narrowly missing promotion to the 2nd Division in the Monmouth B.A. league
In The Newport B. A. Competitions, the Men’s Pairs was won by D. Hill & S. Mitchell, The Mixed Pairs by
Mrs. C. Carroll & D. Spear, The Newport Casnewydd Ladies Pairs being won by Mrs. J. Young & Mrs H. Wright .
2010. For the first time in the Club’s History promotion to the 2nd Division in the Monmouthshire B. A. Leagues was achieved, having finished in third position in Division 3.
In the Newport B.A. Competitions J. Letts Won the 2 Wood Singles. S. Mitchell was runner up in the 4 Wood Singles,
S. Mitchell & Mrs. V. Mitchell were runners up in the Mixed Pairs, Newport OSB League, Dick Sole Plate, was won by a Rink comprised of J. Berry, (Skip) L. Curnuck, M. Murphy, T. Watkins.
2011. The Clubs first season in the 2nd Division proved as difficult as was anticipated, having played 12 Matches Won 7 lost 5, points for 883, points against 966, narrowly avoided relegation, and so look forward to the next season.
In the Newport B.A. League once again he Club finished in 4th. Position.
In the Newport B.A. Competitions, B.Carroll won the 4 Wood Singles, A Rink comprised of, R. Smith (Skip), J. Berry,
L. Curnuck, & J. Morgan were runners up in the Newport OSB League Rinks Competition.
2012. Sadly this year saw the club relegated to the 3rd. Division, of the Monmouthshire B.A., having won 5 lost 7 matches. In the Newport B. A. once again finishing in 4th. Position. In the Newport B. A. Competitions, B. Carroll won the Two Woods, and together with his wife Christine, won the Mixed Pairs.
2013. Again, not a very good year, finishing 9th out of 13 in the MBA Div. 3 league, in the Newport B.A. League we finished marginally better in finishing in 5th place. In the Newport B.A. Competitions the club was represented in four finals but sadly failed to win any, but well done to those members who played.
2014. Beechwood Bowling Club together with The Ladies Club, via a Management Committee, had managed the day to day managing of the Clubs Green, however this year due to financial cuts placed on Newport City Council and the subsequent raising of the Fees, The Green Management following consultation with the Three Clubs involved, Llanwern Bowls Club had shared the green for a number of years, agreed to become independent, with all three clubs represented on the Management Committee.
Beechwood Bowling Club 