Attempts to establish winter activities at the club had met with lukewarm response but after the "no" to a temperance winter club in 1924 and a request for the use of the premises by the local Hockey Club some members began to view the possibilities of using the Clubhouse during the winter in a different light. Yet a proposal to form a winter club was defeated by 32 votes to 22 at the AGM of 1926. In 1927 there was further discussion on the possibility of opening the Clubhouse for two nights per week during the winter months but the break through did not occur until the 1928 AGM when it was agreed that Club premises should be open to a winter club for six nights of the week during the bowling close season. "Press" facilities were to be made available.

There were few owners of cars in the early days and travel to away matches was made generally by train, just another illustration of how the life-style differed from that of today.

 

1908 was a sad day for the Club with the President for the year, Mr A. Smith, dead within a month of his appointment. Vice-President, Mr J. Anderson, succeeded to the post.

In 1911 Mr M. Ferguson of Raith intimated his intention of selling the feu of the green and gave the club the option of purchasing before offering to investors. The matter was considered at the July meeting when a decision was left to the next meeting of the committee. At that meeting there is not a shred of evidence that the matter had even been raised let alone remitted for a decision. In November 1932 there was again discussion on the purchase of the feu but again nothing was done. In 1936 it was the turn of the Club to contact Raith Estates but this time Raith Estates refused to sell. In July 1949 the Club, it is reported, hoped to make a claim under the Town and Country Planning Act on the feu, but the title deeds on the feu apparantly could not be found. There are earlier minuted reports of the feu charter having been lodged with a Bank in 1908 and with the Clydesdale Bank in 1934, so the Centenary might be a useful springboard to clearing the matter up.

 

A nice touch in 1917 was the sending of gratis membership cards to all who had gone on wartime active service. But ten had given their lives in battle. The Roll of Honour reads:

 

Private J. L. Stewart, R.D.C.

Corporal Chas. Darling, R.D.C.

Stoker A. Gourlay, R.A.

Private W. Dow, Black Watch

Private W. Eckford, Black Watch

Lieut. Jas. Logan, Royal Scots

Private Dunbar, R.D.C.

Sgt. W. Grieve, 10th Royal Dragoons

Sgt. J. McLeod, Gordon Highlanders

Private W. Rintoul, Black Watch

 

Two spades, two forks, two rakes, a barrow, a scythe, three mowers, a riddle, a watering can and length of hose were all the implements deemed necessary to keep the bowling green in operation in 1923. The inventory also reported in the Clubhouse eleven pictures, nine spittoons, two boxes of dominoes, three decks of cards and a kettle.

A youth policy was definitely not in operation in 1927 when the son of well known member, Mr J. Trotter, was proposed for membership. After discussion as to his eligibility owing to his youth the matter was left to the committee with powers. No result of a decision is recorded but Mr Trotter's resignation from the committee and as skip would seem to suggest that it was in the negative.

 

In 1929 the then President, Mr George Beatson, presented a gavel to the club for use by the chairman. It has been fossilised in a presentation case which hangs in the clubhouse and has apparently never called a meeting to order. Perhaps it awaits a modern benefactor to produce a sounding board of lignum vitae on which it can be struck.

For the Coronation celebrations of 1937 the club splashed out with 30/- worth of decorations and held a special competition for silver mounted Coronation Bowls. In September, 1938 they were asked to complete a National Fitness Campaign questionnaire and to list the facilities for sport offered by the club.

In September, 1939 sharp notice was given that war was underway when the ARP Wardens telephone was established in the clubhouse. The Bowling Club response was to tighten blackout arrangements, remove the light bulb from the toilets and instal a stout bolt on the inside of the bar door.

The Red Cross Bowling League was a brain child of the West End and brought much money into the POW Fund. Over the period the West End produced the fourth highest donations to the Fund from Scottish Bowling Clubs.

In the "railings for guns" campaign of 1942 many public buildings - the Adam Smith Halls, Kirkcaldy High School, The Police Station - lost their massive Victorian railings. The Bowling Club appealed and the thin railings were retained.

 

A momentous decision in the name of hygiene was taken in October 1943 when spitting was effectively outlawed by the removal of spittoons from the clubhouse. Who today can imagine that such anachronistic fitments of filth were once accepted as normal in pubs and clubs.

At the same meeting President A. G. Adamson mentioned the situation that had arisen with the appointment of Mr J. H. Henderson as Vice-President. Mr Henderson's father, Mr R. A. Henderson, had been President of the Club and it would be unique in the annals of the Club that ultimately a son would follow in the footsteps of his father as President.

The special kind of service of dedication by Robert Ritchie, Secretary was praised by retiring President Andrew Henderson at the AGM of 1969. Mr Ritchie, he said, had completed 30 years continuous service on the Management Committee during which time he had been an Auditor, President, Treasurer and, for the past 25 years, Secretary. In 1969, he had also been elected as President of the Fife Bowling Association.

Wartime shortages led to rationing of spirits at the club and members were restricted to one noggin of whisky in an evening. There was also difficulty in obtaining tea and sugar and food for post match entertainment of visiting teams.

 

 

 

Management