Club History

Smith's Dock Bowling Club came into being when, in 1920,  Smith's Dock Shipbuilders benevolently established sporting facilities that included football pitches, tennis courts, children's play areas, two bowling greens and a social club on the site in Normanby  known to all as Smith's Dock Park.

Their objective was to encourage their employees to partake in sports and live an active, healthy lifestyle.

Smiths Dock Shipbuilders owned and fully maintained these facilities until 1986 when, with the demise of shipbuilding in the area, the company closed and sold off all its assets, including the recreational facilities, to local firms.

The bowling green and its pavilions were however excluded from this sale, and instead were leased to Trustees, for the benefit of the local community, on a 999 year lease at a peppercorn rent.

Since then Smiths Dock Bowling Club has been self-funding, with all maintenance and improvements being the responsibility of the club members.

In 2010 the original visitor's building was damaged during the severe snow hit winter and was rebuilt by the members.

In 2013-14 the original 1920's wooden pavilion was found to have substantial issues with the external structure.

With a lot of support from local business and considerable effort by the members the building was refurbished and reroofed, the frontage being sympathetically restored to preserve its historical heritage.

Following on from the external building work, improvements to the interior, including redecoration, internal cladding, refurbishment of the toilets and kitchen were also carried out.

Externally, works on the grounds, including improvements to the greens, new fencing, a newly built barbeque area were also undertaken and further work is still ongoing.