Surrey County Bowling Patrons Association
 

Brief History on the Patrons

The Surrey Patrons Association was founded in 1972 by Maurice Baker who became County President in 1975 with the object of providing a steady income to the County thus helping to keep down the costs of affiliation and competition entry fees also to give Surrey club members the chance to play matches against other clubs and associations who they would not normally play.  The cost of becoming a Patron was set at £1 annually or £10 for life membership and is still the same today.

In the first year 287 patrons names were printed and this figure increased every year, 1,400 in 1980, 2,500 in 1987 and peaked at 3,182 in 1993.  Since then there has been a gradual decline in numbers and today stands at about 1,800.

The patrons association was run during these years by Maurice Baker (chairman) Mellows Park, Don Stanley (secretary), Old Coulsdon and George Lamond (match secretary) Wallington.

The early matches were restricted to playing against like associations from other local counties.  In 1979 the patrons played their first games against other Surrey clubs, Croydon, Ember and Weybridge and these were joined in 1980 by Guildford Malden and Southey.

They first visited Epsom on 8 August 1982 and again for our 75th anniversary year 1 July 1984.  Other clubs were now eager to play against the patrons and they did not come again until our 80th anniversary 19 July 1989.  They returned again on 18 August 1991 when Roy Ward was club captain for the 4th and last time and he suggested having a raffle with all the Epsom players donating a prize for the benefit of the Surrey County Benevolent Fund and the sum of £122 was raised.  The patrons top brass immediately asked if they could come again the following year, which was almost unheard of and they have returned every year since then and the raffle still continues.

From the start a Patron’s Day was held annually at Old Coulsdon and the first 96 patrons to apply played all day against different opponents a total of 36 ends plus a six-end final.  A past president of Epsom BC, Frank Gardner, was on the winning team in 1991 when celebrating his 90th birthday.  Soon after this the event failed to attract sufficient entries and had to be cancelled. 

 

The above was compiled by Roy Ward
 

Epsom Bowling Club

As a result of efforts made in the past by former delegate to recruit new Club members we now have 38 Patrons comprising of 27 Life and 11 Annual.  There is still room for improvement and it would be very much appreciated if non members would give the matter further consideration.  Membership Subscription remains at £1 Annual and £10 Life.  New or existing members need only to enter the appropriate amount on their Club Subscription Form.

During the season there is an attractive Fixture List of ten matches which is open to every Patron.

David Ruston (Patrons Delegate).
 
Francis Drake Fellowship
 

The Fellowship offers financial assistance to bowlers and/or their dependants who have fallen on hard times.  The Annual Membership Donation is £2 and Life Membership £20.

The Life Membership Subscription to the Fellowship can be treated as a Gift Donation, which is a Government initiative to make donations worth more to the recipient charity.  We would encourage all new Life Members to sign up to the Gift Aid Scheme.  If they are U.K. tax payers we can claim relief on the donation at no extra cost to the members and, this can be put to good use in our charity work.

David Ruston (Fellowship Delegate).