Look back through history books as Covid-19 put paid to Morayshire Indoor Bowling Association's 90th birthday celebration
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THE Morayshire Indoor Bowling Association’s 90th year ended in disappointment with the season being cancelled due to Covid-19.
Long-serving member Ronald Gordon has charted the history of the league dating back to 1930, when New Elgin, Hopeman and Elgin Town Hall were the original three clubs.
This inaugural trio got the first bowl rolling for what was to prove to be a success story for their sport.
New Elgin would have the first association president in William Christie, a railway engine driver and district councillor. Hopeman won the inaugural championship and successfully retained the title the following year.
There was to be a significant progression within the association in 1934 when John R Gray (New Elgin) took the president’s chair with no fewer than 24 representatives from various clubs turning up at the Elgin Town Hall for the Annual General Meeting.
As a result, the league gained another five clubs in Bishopmill, Dallas, Kilmolymock, Miltonduff and Urquhart.
The association went from strength to strength over the years where there proved to be some exceptional presidents and secretaries who helped raise awareness of bowling in the area.
Early presidents include New Elgin brothers James (junior) and Gordon Milne in the late 40s and early 50s.
At this time, New Elgin purchased two bowling carpets at a cost of £84, with the original length 17 yards (51 feet) shortened to 45 feet to accommodate ditches at each end.
The 1930s saw all three co-founders of the association win the championship, New Elgin leading the way with four titles to Hopeman’s three and Elgin’s two.
The first Campbell Cup singles were played in 1937 and newcomers Urquhart claimed the trophy, won by Willie Dean followed by Miltonduff’s J H Dick the following year. Kilmolymock claimed the inaugural pairs (A Falconer, R Smith). A year later J Hutchison and Gordon Milne won the first of many titles for New Elgin.
As a footnote, there was no stick in the middle of the bowling carpet in these years of short carpet bowls.
