The early years.
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WEEKLY LEAD UP TO THE PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY

In conjunction with Darryl Bishop’s Wednesday night talks I am going to add some photos and comments from the same era that he mentions.

I am a week behind so these are all from the 1900’s to the end of the 1950’s. My photos are from the internet and from DBC’s own archives. They are verified. If you have some at home and would like them included please let me know.

So here’s the start of my contribution to our 70th Anniversary.

J.J.Tully donated the land. It was part of his orchard. Beth Reid says it is no.14.

Last week Darryl mentioned the Doncaster Tower and the flag pole on top. ( you can just see it) After the tower was dismantled, the flag pole, somehow, was in the possession of E. Thiele who was a Foundation Member. He donated it to the club just prior to Doncaster Bowling Club’s opening day which was on March 1st 1952.

Here’s a view taken from the top of the tower, the eventual bowling club will be built behind that dark clump of trees to the left of the curve in Doncaster Rd. These two photos were taken over 100 years ago.

Are these J.J.Tully’s original brown bowls? Beth thinks they could be. But where is his bowls bag with the gold wording J.J.Tully on it.?

See how the badge has changed.

The original brick club house was built at a cost of $6000.   Rosamond Hester says that the Ladies rooms were in a tin shed which is on the right hand side of the photo. This ‘tin shed’ was the first small club house rooms built in 1951.  I am not sure of the year this photo was taken,  but these ladies are playing in a uniform which includes white stockings. This photo is curtesy of Andrew Rogerson who is the grandson of Fred Cameron who was the first President.

The Ladies won a pennant before the Men! This was in 1954-55.

Another photo of the Ladies playing before Doncaster was suburbia.

During these years Doncaster had so many members that Bowls Victoria asked if some could be transferred to other clubs nearer to Melbourne.  In 1958 Doncaster had 99 male playing members of which 72 played in five Saturday Pennant teams.

By the look of the cars this might be in the early 1960’s. Note the orchardists truck parked out the front, and the rows of fruit trees in the distance. But here come the houses amongst the orchards.

By 1961 the club house was extended to include a billiard room, a visitors toilet block and a Secretary’s office. This photo is also from Andrew Rogerson and Facebook…… Lyn.