CLUB HISTORY
PICTON WOMEN’S BOWLING CLUB:
In October 1948 a meeting was held in the Picton Council Chambers, with seven ladies attending to form the Picton Women’s Bowling Club.
Mrs Ethel Oakman was elected as the first President, Mrs Mildred Frazer as the Secretary/Treasurer.
Also present were Muriel Scott, Jean Malady, Ada Stevens, Margaret Brown and Sylvia Dinnerville.
It was not long before Dot Nicolson, Linda Prior, Jean Bruckard, Dot Werrett, Brenda Idiens and a few other ladies joined the Club.
These ladies were not taught how to bowl, they purchased a book and taught themselves. The Men’s club purchased four sets of bowls (with very little bias) for the ladies to use.
Uniforms were hard to come by, they had to be made. Hats were the men’s rag hats.
The opening day was held in a Marque, shortly after Tom Walton presented the Club with a small shed which was used as the Club House.
A token machine was given to the Club and in no time enough funds were raised to build a Club House. Fred Werrett was the builder.
Other Clubs were entertained by the Men’s Club on weekends, the ladies did all the cooking and work on these days.
The ladies brought all the cutlery, six dozen of each Grosvner plates. All the cutlery had to be counted and wrapped in one dozen lots at the end of each day to insure none were missing.
Bill Nicolson supplied the milk on these days, a small can-at no charge as he owned a dairy farm.
Funds were raised by holding card nights and eventually the Club House was enlarged.
Women bowlers entered all District games.
The Clubs in the District were: Bundanoon, Bowral, Moss Vale and Picton, Mittagong was a neutral green.
The Sphinx Diggers were regular visitors to the Club and presented the ladies with “The Gong” which was used in their memory.
The green was a major headache for the Greenkeeper, Stan Stevens until it was restored many years later.
Muriel Scott became the Clubs second President but owing to ill health had to retire, a good bowler and a great loss to the Club.
On playing days the ladies had to tend the bar, poker machines and lock up before leaving.
On Sundays they had to pay for their meals-even after supplying and cooking the meals.
All to raise money for the Club House. No one complained.
The early days for bowlers were wonderful and how the Club has progressed.
All in all bowls meant a lot to the Picton ladies in the early days.
It is a pleasure to see how the Club is today, with two very good greens, plus a Bare Foot bowls green and a play area for the children.
A wonderful membership and many achievements over the years.
The Ladies Club is still moving forward.
THE HISTORY OF THE CLUB BADGE:
The Picton Women’s Bowling Club badge depicts General Sir Thomas Picton, after whom the town was named, mounted on a white charger with sword unsheathed.
History records that General Sir Thomas Picton fought under the command of the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo.
Sir Thomas was a renowned solder, possessing an infamous knowledge of the English language and traditionally went into battle mounted on a white charger with sword unsheathed and “spitting wicked words” at the enemy
During the progress of the Battle of Waterloo the French attacked an orchard held by 1,200 British Guardsmen. Although some 10,000 Frenchmen took part in these attacks, the Guardsmen held their ground.
A French artillery attacked next, then the Infantry- some 24 Battalions, each 24 deep.
Wellington’s Infantry and in particular Picton’s Brigade sharttered the heads of these French columns and then charged.
General Sir Thomas Picton was killed in this action.
Our Club badge perpetuates the memory of a gallant General and a nobble soldier.
GENERAL SIR THOMAS PICTON
