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The Club began in a small way when Mr Duffin bought a country house with stables at the rear.  He re-organised the premises to form a Social Club in 1933.  The Club's first committee meeting was held at the Club House on 13th February 1933 with Mr J S Duffin as Chairman and Mr Hunter as Vice Chairman.

At that time, the Club's activities were dominoes, table skittles and billiards (there being insufficient interest in darts and cribbage), and there was a flower show each Sunday dinner time.  There were also tennis courts, of which Jessop's Sports Club had part use.  Players were required to wear shirts and tennis jackets when on Club premises.

The first General Meeting of Club members was held on 26th January 1934, with Mr F Allen being the Chairman.  Mr Allen was also the Club President, with Mr F Pegg being Vice-President, Mr J S Duffin Treasurer and Mrs J Duffin Secretary.  The annual subscription for gentlemen was set at two shillings, and for ladies at one shilling.  A Steward had been appointed at some time, and his wages were increased from £3.10s.0d. to £4.0s.0d per week.

The Club's second General Meeting was held on 15th February 1935 with Mr Daykin becoming Chairman and the decision being taken to install a games machine for the sole use of members.

The third General Meeting was held on St Valentine's Day 1936, with Mr A Hunter becoming Chairman, and the decision being taken that the Club premises should include the whole of the residential portion of the Club house, together with the lawns, crew yard and barns.

A bowling green was laid in 1937 and a year later a few bowlers from the village decided to form a bowling club.

With World War II looming, it was decided at the sixth Annual General Meeting of the Club that all persons in uniform and on military service should be admitted as honorary members, and that all members serving in HM Forces should be given a postal order for five shillings.  A Comforts Fund for Christmas gifts to soldiers and a Christmas Day dinner were to be arranged.

The 42 yard by 38 yard bowling green was opened on 27th May 1940 with Mr C Jones, the Captain of the Club, bowling the first wood in a match against Boots Athletic.  Also playing for Wilford on that day were Messrs Ernest Dickinson, George Stanton, J Manning, Jack Ellis, Cyril Howell, Fred Stanton, A Holmes, Mr Atkin, George Kelly, A Glen, A Hunter, Bill Tebb, G Breedon and C Wardale.

At the eighth AGM on 26th February 1941, the Committee expressed their regret at the general shortage of supply of cigarettes and tobacco, and at the tenth AGM held on the 4th March 1943, Mr E B Buttopn reported that he had acquired the whole of the Club premises from Mr Duffin.

The Club Champion in 1944 was Albert Iremonger, who was subsequently elected Club Captain in 1945.

In 1953 the decision was taken to have a well sunk and a pump fitted to provide water for the bowling green, and the annual subscription was doubled from one guinea to two.

In November 1975 an inaugural meeting of a formal ladies section was held with Mrs C E Wood being elected Captain and Mrs M Henson Secretary/Treasurer.  Mrs Wood reported that application had been made to join the English Women's Bowling Association.

In 1978 a splendid new pavilion was founded.  On 1st May 1988 - the Club's Golden Jubilee year - a new bowling green was opened, with the first match being played between Wilford and the Nottinghamshire English Bowling Association.  Other clubs invited to help celebrate the Wilford Club's jubilee were Midland Counties, Ladies County, Boots Athletic (as at the initial opening of the green in 1938), the Nottingham Vice Presidents, and the Ladies Captains. 

Special thanks to the Wilford History Society for providing and writing the above article.

Wilford  Bowls Club About Us