The Origins of the Club

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On the 29th August 1856 a group of young men under the Chairmanship of Mr James Tinnock decided to form a bowling club. They intended to name it the Rosebank Club in compliment to Mr Tinnock’s villa of that name on the Greenock Road. Unfortunately the rental for a suitable site in Wilson Street was found to be outwith their means, but a financially viable piece of land became available nearby from Mr. Allan Park, and business was concluded.

This field was originally used as a holding pasture for sheep and cattle, ‘meat on the hoof’ in a day and age when there was no cold storage or freezers, the animals being allowed to graze until required by the butcher. The club became known locally as the Allan Park Bowling Club, as a compliment to the provider, with the access road later becoming Allanpark Street. 

The charge for membership was a considerable £3.00, plus the cost of leveling and seeding the playing surface and building a Clubhouse. This was completed in time for the green to open in 1857.

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Importantly in 1860 the Club was accepted into the Ayrshire and Scottish bowling institutions of that time. Being the only outdoor bowling club in the town, these institutions referred to us in their publications as The Largs Bowling Club. This then became our accepted start date. 
Locally then, and for some time forward the Club was still known as Allanpark.
Similarly today many locals refer to us as the Douglas Street Club.

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Note; Verification of 1860 as the official start date of Largs Bowling Club was confirmed by the  records of the Scottish Bowling Association in 1960, prior to presenting the Club with our Centenary Banner.    

In 1879 the formation of the Largs Bowling Green Company Limited  with capital of £600. 

Immediately following the formation of the new company, land owned by member John Watson was purchased to allow for the construction of a new Green and Clubhouse.

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In the issue of the Largs and Millport Weekly News, dated 1st September, 1880 there is a detailed report of the opening of the Green on the 25th August, 1880, the current site of the club.

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After some financial problems , the Green, the Clubhouse, the Flag-pole and all that pertained to the green and building became the property of the newly formed Largs Bowling Green as from the 22nd February, 1927. 
This is still the case, with the membership holding ownership to the site and its parts.
 

Please add information on green keeping