Our Proud History

The early history of the Modderfontein Bowls Club is somewhat clouded since the written records are sparse, however it has been gathered that work started on the construction of the green on 16 September 1931. The first committee was elected to serve for the 1932/33 season and the main green was named Birt-Leah in 1956 to honour two men who played a great part in starting up the club – Walter Birt and Horace Leah who were amongst the team who supervised the construction (as well as being well known Modderfontein bowlers).

It is said that to provide good drainage, the Birt-Leah green was laid on a foundation of broken beer bottles – one can imagine the devotion of the prospective bowling members shown in emptying the bottles!

AECI had acquired a railway coach used by Lord Baden-Powell during his Boer War activities and for years this historic coach served as the Bowls Club pavilion. An awning extended from the front of the coach, underneath which tables and chairs were placed. In 1951, then chairman Terry Kenny started a building fund with the objective of building a second bowling green as well as a proper pavilion. When the second green was built in around 1956, it was named Terry Kenny.

In 1959 the club applied to AECI for an interest free loan which was added to the money in the building fund. The loan was granted and the pavilion built. Then AECI Managing Director, Guy Hughes, said at the opening ceremony that the company was so impressed with the bowlers’ attitude of self-help, that AECI Would donate the building to the club free of charge – the club named it the Guy Hughes pavilion in honour of this decision. The railway coach was donated to the Florida Scouts where it was moved to Gilwell Park as a monument.