Club History - the Beginning

In 1888 although frozen meat was being shipped to England, New Zealand was in the grip of a depression, the same party had governed since 1869, and Nelson was "Sleepy Hollow".
Nevertheless, there was a cable link all the way to England and the local paper reported almost daily on the progress of the "Whitechapel Murders" and the fruitless search for "Jack the Ripper".
Bishop Suter while on a trip to England, had encountered a phonograph and sent back a report on the experience of hearing his own voice.
The first New Zealand bowling club had been formed in Auckland in 1861 and bowls were played in Wellington, but in Nelson there was no bowling club. Mr Martin Lightband had prepared a green on his lawn and some of his friends had been invited to try their hands. We have not found the minute book for the first four years of the Nelson Club. The following quotes from the Nelson Evening Mail tell the story.
19 April 1888: A meeting of those interested in the formation of a Bowling Club was held in the Masonic Hotel last night, when there was an unusually large attendance. Mr M. Lightband was voted to the chair. It was resolved that a club to be called the Nelson Bowling Club be formed. A provisional committee consisting of Messrs Lightband, Winton, Wilson, Lightfoot, Trask and Greenfield was appointed, to report to a meeting on Monday evening next (postponed until Wednesday), concerning rules, ground, etc. Mr Wix was appointed secretary pro tem, and 29 names were put down as representing subscriptions to the club. Mr Lightband stated that anyone was at liberty to go to his green during the month, in the afternoon, and have a game of bowls.

26 April 1888: At a meeting in the Masonic Hotel last night, the Nelson Bowling Club enrolled 42 members. The committee recommended the piece of land adjoining the Parsonage with frontages to Selwyn Place and Selwyn (misprint for Shelbourne) Street, and that they had made an offer to the Diocesan Trustees to lease it for 21 years at £15 for the first 7, £20 for second 7, and £25 for the third 7 years. A reply from the Trustees was read agreeing to the rent for the first two terms but asking £30 for the last. Resolved that the terms already offered were ample but left to committee. Rules of Wellington Bowling Club as revised by the provisional committee were read and adopted. Officers elected were:
*President:*	*Mr. M. Lightband*
*Vice-President:*	*Mr D. Winton*
*Treasurer:*	*Mr. Wilson*
*Secretary:*	*Mr. A. McKellar Wix*

*Committee*	*Messrs. A. Greenfield, F. Hamilton, E. Trask, S. Kirkpatrick, Lightfoot, Colonel Pitt and Dr. Cressey.*

3 July 1888:
A meeting of the bowling club was held last evening, when it was decided to fix the subscription at one and a half guineas (about 3 dollars). Good progress is being made with the ground which occupies a central and most convenient position in Selwyn Place.

The site of this first green was where there is now the office of the Nelson Catchment Board. (No doubt those early members would wonder what a Catchment Board was. Perhaps an organisation to catch criminals?). Shelbourne Street now ends where it meets Nile Street, but in those days it extended down to Selwyn Place. This extension is now called Sussex Street, Selwyn Place and Collingwood Street was owned by the Church of England. As the summer approached, the green took on a finished appearance. Tenders had been called for the formation of the green, Mr. Napier of Wellington, getting the contract. In that year, 1888, the Auckland Bowling Club paid £6 for a lawn mower, thought to be the first, scythes having previously been used. One English authority in 1948 was still recommending the scythe as the best method of cutting and lamenting the shortage of skilled operators. We turn to the Nelson Evening Mail for an account the opening Day.

Friday, 16 November 1888:
The Nelson Bowling Club will open their season tomorrow afternoon the the new green recently made by them at the corner of Shelbourne Street and Selwyn Place. The beautiful emerald carpet is most refreshing to the eye on entering the ground from the road. The flowers and the shrubs are growing well. we question whether a more picturesque bowling green is to be found anywhere in New Zealand.

In Monday's paper was this account of the opening:
The members of the Nelson Bowling Club opened their season on Saturday afternoon, when the beautiful ground was rendered still more picturesque by the summer dresses of the large number of ladies who were present, and for whose convenience afternoon teas was provided in a temporary pavilion erected at the north end, from which a good view could be obtained of the green sward where several games were played during the afternoon. A the south-east corner is a rustic summer house where lockers are provided for the use of the members. Here there were also afternoon refreshments, not strictly of the I.O.G.T. Type, yet very grateful on a hot afternoon. (Independent Order of Good Templars??) Mr Winton, the Vice-President of the club, presided here and made an excellent host. The opening ceremony consisted in the rolling of the first "Jack" and "bowl", and this solemn duty having been performed to the entire satisfaction of all present, Mr Winton proceeded to say that in the absence of Mr. Martin Lightband the President, it had devolved on him to open the ground and he would like to take the opportunity of saying that the Club had originated with a few gentlemen in the prime of life, for whom cricket, football and even tennis had lost their attractions but who thought that in bowls they might find a pleasant pastime. The Committee had endeavoured to make the ground as attractive as possible, and while there was ample room for 48 members to play the game, there was also a small quoit ground, to say nothing of the opportunities offered of a pleasant lounge and smoking a quiet pipe. Mr Lightband had done much to promote the Club by allowing the use of his own lawn for the game and he had that day presented a pair of silver mounted bowls to be competed for during the season. He called for three cheers for their President and invited them to drink health and prosperity to the Nelson Bowling Club. The Hon. Secretary (Mr McKellar Wix) then said that Mr. Winton had been mainly instrumental in getting the green and deserved the thanks of the members. He then called for three cheers for the Vice-President which were heartily given. Messrs. Winton and Wix then picked sides and at about half past three play was commenced at three rinks, with a full complement of eight players to each. At half past five the scores were totted up and Winton's side had 44 points and Wix's side had 68.