Women’s social bowls has resumed at Abermain Bowling Club after a four-year absence.
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The club – which originally formed in 1959 – folded in May 2013 after a decrease in numbers.
But with renewed interest from female members of the Abermain club, the ladies group has returned to the greens.
Club secretary Helena Hodgson said most of the women are new to bowls, and many are younger than your ‘average’ bowler.
“It’s not an old persons’ game – we have more and more younger women interested in bowls,” she said.
“We’re a friendly group.”
The Abermain women hosted ladies from Clarence Town, Cessnock City, Paxton, Kurri Kurri and Stonebridge for a social day on Wednesday.
Women’s social bowls is held at 10am every Wednesday at Abermain Bowling Club. Men’s social bowls is on Thursday mornings, and mixed games are held Friday evenings and Saturdays.
Contact the club on 4930 4285 for inquiries.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: The following article was published in The Advertiser on May 27, 2009
Abermain’s 50th birthday
More than 70 bowlers from the Hunter District helped Abermain Women’s Bowling Club celebrate its 50th birthday on Monday, May 18.
The club formed in 1959 when a group of ladies approached the Hunter River District Women’s Bowling Association president Ann Goodwin on how to start a women’s bowling club within the Abermain Men’s Bowling and Recreation Club.
They were told they had to start with eight ladies, and that number met at the Abermain School of Arts to form the club.
The original executive consisted of Madaleine James (president, 1959-1963), Olga Reckenberg (secretary, 1959-1984), Olive Cain (treasurer, 1959-1992) and Felicia Prosser (vice-president).
Mrs Cain, the only surviving foundation member, is a life member of both the Abermain women’s and men’s bowling clubs and was made patron of the women’s club in 2004.
The foundation ladies worked hard to help the men’s club – cleaning, catering and serving drinks. They had to walk on planks to get to the bar area as the club was still under construction and the glasses had to be washed in a galvanized bath tub.
The women’s club conducted fundraisers including raffles, cake stalls and carpet bowls, and were able to donate a pianola,settee,brass bell,curtains, venetian blinds,vacuum cleaner and a polished hat stand with some of the money that was raised over the years.
The club’s achievements over the years include winning the Women’s No. 4 Pennants and runner-up at the Coal Board Fours in 1967 and winning the Women’s No. 4 Pennants and the Norman Shield in 1996.
Mae Reed was club champion in 2002 and Patricia Howells achieved this feat in 2004. The club has an annual Memorial Shield Bowls Day in memory of Michelle Hedges who was once a secretary of the club. Membership peaked at 40 members and the club currently has 20 members.