Club History - the new Green

1.	Ladies are not allowed to play but are admitted into the green at any time during play.
2.	We find there is not the slightest objection to ladies being present; and their presence is encouraged.
3.	Light refreshment is supplied to ladies on Saturday only, at the expense of the lady presiding, excepting tea, sugar and milk which is paid for by the male members paying 3 pence a cup for tea for themselves - ladies free. this results on the whole in a profit to the Club of a pound or two a year.
4.	The presence of ladies is a help to the Club in our experience.
	I may add that our practice is to place a list in the Tea Kiosk and those ladies who are willing to preside at the tea table put their names down on such dates as suit them. We provide a gas stove, crockery, spoons, kettle, teapot, tea, milk, sugar, afternoon tea table and wash up tin. Any lady presiding can invite her special friends, either to help or as guests. Yours sincerely, John Sharp

References to the ladies appear occasionally in the minute books. It was in 1895-96 that the wives of the players undertook to supply tea on Saturday afternoons and they resented the club with some tea cups. Previously "the custodian" had supplied the tea.

In July, 1897, the question of the admission of ladies as playing members was referred to the committee who decided there was not enough accommodation for ladies. However, in 1904, a motion was passed permitting wives of members to play on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2 to 4.00pm. Next year the annual report said this was "not a success, as no more than four availed themselves". Nevertheless the privilege was renewed. In November 1906 the Committee decided that daughters of members be allowed to play.

In January 1908, this quaintly worded motion was passed:
"That the Secretary interview members with willing wives, and ask them to put down their names".

During the war, 1914-18 ladies of the Red Cross provided tea and made a collection. The annual report in June, 1919 stated that 23 ladies had been involved and that ten pounds had been raised. It then became necessary to "make arrangements for teas to be dispensed by the wives of members on Saturdays and the Club to provide the material for the purpose".

On 17th May, 1919, "There being no patriotic societies desiring funds, surplus tea money be devoted to paying the debt on the Honours Board".

In 1926, there was a proposal by the Mayoress, Mrs. Lock, that the ladies take over the ground in front of the Club House for a croquet club. At that time the clubhouse was the building now called Lynton Lodge. However after considering the amount of levelling required, the idea was dropped.

The Annual Report in 1937, stated that a Ladies Committee comprising several members' wives had arranged two card evenings when Bridge and 500 were played and a snooker tournament was held. It was an "unqualified success".

From Committee meeting on 28 February 1938, Mrs. Shand Smith had been serving teas for eleven years. The President moved "that Mrs. Smith be thanked for the great help she had rendered in arranging holiday and Saturday tea".

On 4 November, 1940, the Committee received a letter signed by Mesdames V. Kettle and Freeman to the effect that a Ladies Club had been formed and asking under what conditions they would be allowed to use the greens and the clubhouse. Messrs. A.C. Rout, F. Mitchell and C.H. Kettle were appointed to confer with the ladies and report to the Committee at 7.00pm on 13 November and to a Special General Meeting at 8.00pm on the same evening.

The following rules were drawn up by the Committee at 7.00pm and each clause discussed and adopted by the General Meeting at 8.00pm.

1.	That the ladies' Club would have the use of two rinks on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and on Saturday after 5.00pm.
2.	That a rent be charged for the use of the facilities at the rate of 10 shillings per member per annum.
3.	The ladies to have the use of the Social Room for changing, keeping bowls etc.
4.	The position to be reviewed at the end of the season.
5.	The Ladies to be welcome to partake of afternoon tea on the same terms as the men i.e., threepence.

There was still some misgivings as to the wisdom of allowing these privileges, especially in the case of Frank Mitchell (the City Clerk) who moved the following resolution which was carried:

"That the ladies Club be advised that this Club is not in favour of mixed bowling and that they were expected to strictly adhere to the conditions set out".

So the Ladies' Club (soon to be known as the Women's Club) was established. Although Mrs Burn is not mentioned in the men's minute book, her name is very respected as an enthusiastic founder of the Club. It is still the custom to vote at each Annual General Meeting for the renewal of the privileges to the Women's Club. The conditions were changed in subsequent years:

23 February, 1945, the Ladies asked for more hours, but the only extension was to change the Saturday time from 6.00pm to 5.00pm.

2nd July, 1946, at the AGM when the men's sub was increased from 4 guineas to 5 guineas the ladies sub was increased to £1 10s and they were allowed 3 rinks each day from Monday to Friday. When the season opened that year they were invited to participate on opening day and granted the use of a full green for their own opening on a Wednesday.

8 July, 1948, a social and dance was held in the Oddfellows Hall and at the AGM next week it was agreed that such a social should become an annual event.

15 July, 1951, when a women bowler applies for membership, it is stipulated that her husband, if he is a bowler, must be a member of the Nelson Club.

29 November, 1956, women allowed to hold mixed tournaments mid-week and to play mixed bowls on Sundays.

4th December 1958, that membership of the Women's Club can be increased to 35 and be open to all women except those whose husbands are members of other clubs.

22 April, 1959, women's room on north-west corner of clubhouse completed.

22 April, 1982, a formal agreement with the Women's Club was drawn up. It is filed in the minute book of the men's club near 28 May, 1983. It stipulates time of play and "mixed play on week day afternoons be not allowed except in cases when there is an uneven number of players from either Men's or Women's Clubs". Membership is open to all women up to a total of 50, and the subscription is one quarter of the men's subscription per member. It is the custom at each AGM of the Nelson Bowling Club to move that the ladies be granted the usual privileges. Then the ladies hand over a cheque for their subscriptions and usually another cheque as a donation, which is much appreciated.