History of Wellesbourne Bowls Club and a Tribute to John McKenzie

In 1920, a village sports club was founded, with a cricket pitch and several tennis courts. The Bowls Club was allocated an area close to the boundary for a 3 rink green, there being an agreement that the cricket finished at 6.30pm to allow the bowlers to play without the fear of being hit by a cricket ball. There were no ditches, and strings were pegged down to mark these and divide the rinks - tripping over them was all part of the entertainment. The whole of the sports field was kept by a mower pulled by a pony which wore leather shoes to avoid damaging the surface.

The Bowls Club moved to its present site in 1966 which included a 3 rink green. A 4th was added in 1970, a year which also saw the beginning of the building of the club house. It was opened in 1971. In 1975, 2 more rinks were added and 1990 saw an extension to the club house to include a kitchen and toilets.

The Club was first affiliated to the Warwickshire County Bowls Association in 1952.  

 The Club badge depicts two wells representing Wellesbourne Hastings and Wellesbourne Mountford.  The stars and chevrons are believed to have been adopted from the South Warwickshire Bowls Association badge. 

Wellesbourne Bowls Club and the village have sadly lost a great man, a character whose silent disposition and manner belied his great strength - that of vision. John McKenzie was able to see the way forward. His pioneering attitude got a village bowls club running almost single-handedly. Our John was also a great family man and his loss therein is immeasurable, as it was in evidence at John’s funeral on Friday 11th October. It was a sunny day; but so cold, like death itself. It may have been John’s reminder to us all of life’s finality. The celebrant addressed those gathered with family recollections and a mix of John’s favoured bits of music. He was a great Club servant and motivator. John had done almost 40 years as Treasurer, keeping the finances going and trying to motivate members.

John will be a hard act to follow, but follow we must, to keep the Club going, as John would have liked – in true testimony of his endeavour over the years..