History
Situated on the north side of Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire, and
Positioned behind the Three Horseshoes public house in Norton Road, Norton
Bowling Club can be seen as a typical village bowling club. However the
history of the club reveals it's importance in the formation of bowls as
a sport in Hertfordshire.
Norton B.C. was founded in 1908 and their first recorded match was a 70-50
point win over Walsworth BC on Saturday August 22nd 1908, (although they
lost the return match four days later by 86-40).
On 1909 Norton helped to establish the North Herts Bowling league along
with neighbouring clubs Hitchin Walsworth, Stevenage, Baldock, Datchworth
and Woolmer Green. The fees for that season were set at five shillings (25
pence in new money)!
On December 2nd 1920, in a meeting at the Railway Hotel, Hitchin, representatives
from Norton along with Hitchin, Knebworth and St Albans Townsend became
founder members of the Hertfordshire Bowls Association.
24 years later, Norton were again at the beginning of another association,
this time becoming one of the six founder members of the Letchworth &
District B.A. An entry from the club minutes of 1948 notes that Norton joined
with Howard Garden B/C at a meeting on Wednesday November 3rd "...for the
purpose of forming a Letchworth & District B.A.".
More recently Norton have become members of the Stevenage and District Mixed
Bowling Association and although this time they weren't founders they have
actively supported the association's league and cup competitions.
As with most clubs the fortunes of Norton B.C. have varied over the years
with regards not only to membership numbers but also with regards to results
in local, district and county competitions. Since the introduction of the
ladies section in 1963, when they were asked to join at thirty shillings
per season (£1.50), the playing strength of the club has increased. This
has been repeated over the past few years as Norton has enjoyed a renaissance
in it's bowling success, and is once again making it's presence felt.
Norton celebrated it's centenary year in 2008 and is looking forward to
a continued and vibrant future over the next 100 years and beyond.
