Year 1978 saw a meeting to discuss forming a Bowls Club in Oakley with the club’s inaugural meeting being held on February 15. This was reported by the Gazette on February 3 and February 24 of 1978.
It was planned to develop both an outdoor and indoor green on land at Andover Road which the borough council had compulsorily purchased at the same time as it acquired the land which is now the Peter Houseman Playing Field.
As an interim measure, the club took a short-term lease on a new council-owned green that had been laid at Carpenters Down, Popley (now the home of Marnell BC) and the green was formally opened by Mrs Sheila Knight, chair of the leisure and recreation committee on May 1, 1978.
Carpenters Down was to be the club’s home for longer than anticipated.
Early promises of support from the borough council for the establishment of the greens at Andover Road soon evaporated.
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A council decision was made in 1979 that, rather than support the provision of an indoor green at Oakley, it would throw its weight behind an alternative scheme at Whitchurch on the outskirts of the borough.
Longmeadow IBC was then formed. It would be another 12 years before, with the formation of Loddon Vale, there was an indoor facility within easy travelling distance for Basingstoke bowlers.
Progress on developing the outdoor green was slow but by December 1979 planning permission was received and the terms of a lease agreed with the council.
There was confidence that the club would soon have its own facilities and in March 1980 it was decided to commence work on the Andover Road site.
By August, however, the council was still procrastinating and, with confidence in the council’s intentions wavering, a decision was taken to stop work, to inform the borough’s chief executive of concern at the poor communication between officers and councillors and to explore the possibility of an alternative venue at Malshanger.
Discussions with representatives of Sir Michael Colman and the Malshanger Sports and Social Club began and in October 1981 an extraordinary meeting agreed development at Andover Road should cease and all effort should be devoted to establishing a new green and pavilion at Malshanger.
Progress was now rapid with work on the new green commencing in late 1982 and it was formally opened by Sir Michael Colman on June 12, 1983.
There were three Gazette reports in June, the latest being on the 20th.
A pavilion was added in 1984 with the purchase and erection of an old school building which served the club for 29 years. In 2013, a major project, assisted by the National Lottery and the borough, saw a new pavilion built, and the area housing the old building landscaped and car parking improved.
This, with a big recruitment drive, helped win the club the 2013 prestigious Bowls England Club of the Year award.
Oakley does not, however, stand still and future plans include the addition of a second green with an artificial surface, which will allow play for a much longer season.
Alongside developing its facilities, Oakley also contributes hugely to the work of local, county and national bowling associations having, over the years supplied a national president, two county presidents and two county secretaries as well as many other officers. Its playing record has also been outstanding. The first county title came in 1978 but success really began in 1989 when a Ladies Triple qualified for the National Championships. Since then, success has come regularly.
A mixed four were national runners up, a women’s pair finished runners up in both the national pairs and the senior pairs and in 2021 the club provided the national junior singles runner up.
In the last 30 years the club has lifted 27 county titles while actively encouraging young players, two of whom, while playing indoors at Loddon Vale, were crowned world junior champions.
The club also has the distinction of providing, in 2019, the youngest ever women’s four (average age 17 to qualify for the National Championships.
Social bowls are equally important. Throughout the summer there are friendly matches and every year the club goes on tour, and in 2022 ventured abroad to Cyprus.
The years have seen huge changes in the game with Oakley usually leading the way.
It is the first club in the county to be fully mixed and the first to have a female president recognised by the men’s county association.
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The club has come a long way from the days when men wore blazers and ties to matches and women were required to wear hats when playing.
As the photos show, uniform is now much less formal and is colourful with Oakley for 2023 adopting maroon trousers/shorts to accompany their maroon shirts.
Who knows what the future will bring, but Oakley’s history suggests that the club will remain at the forefront of change.
For further details of Oakley Bowling Club, it can be contacted through its website oakleybc.org.co.uk
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