THE BARLASTON AND PLUME OF FEATHERS BOWLING CLUB

Local villagers constructed this crown bowling green in 1926 on land owned by the Club's first President, Charles Harvey, village butcher whose shop is now the Dry Cleaners.  This was some 30 years before the present Plume of Feathers was built.  The traditional old coaching inn, named the Plume of Feathers was then sited next to the canal bridge.  

The bowling green was then fronted by a wooden village tearoom on Station Road together with an enclosure to apparently 'contain children'.  The following sad entry in Barlaston Parish Records demonstrates how long people have been bowling in Barlaston.
'1737 April 19th John, son of William, Blacksmith and Ellen Cheadle of Barlaston, Aged 5.  Unfortunately killed by a roller on a Bowling Green'.
So for over 266 years Barlaston folk have been bowling in the village
   
The Barlaston Plume of Feathers Bowling Club is the oldest and largest of the local clubs who all play Crown Green bowls.  This type of bowling is quite different from flat green 'link' bowling played mainly in the South of England, Scotland and much of the world.  Our unique traditional game, played in the Midlands, North Wales and North England counties features a green with a crown in the centre and players can bowl in any direction with bowls and jacks all biased.  Flat green bowling features bowling up and down marked lanes with biased bowls but not jacks.  So besides the bias of the bowls and jacks, Crown Green bowlers also have to contend with the bias, slope and variations of widely differing greens.  All of which produces a challenging skilful but enjoyable sport which continues to fascinate visitors, particularly those who have previously seen flat bowling in lanes on the TV.  Crown Green bowling is a unique traditional sport to be seen only in areas like our village.
   
The Club now has over 100 playing members based on this heavily used green during a season generally from April to October.  12 teams play each week in seven different leagues including those catering for mixed, ladies, gentlemen, veterans and the flourishing junior bowling.  Meaford Bowling Club, which was originally formed for employees and families at Meaford Power Station are members and continue to maintain their working friendships by fielding two teams in the local industries league. Thus a unique reunion is maintained every Monday evening during the season and other ex Meaford men often join this regular meeting.

 
   

Barlaston folk will always remember the day Meaford Power Station was demolished.  Our two Meaford bowling teams have a quite unique way of remembering by playing each year for two trophies modelled on Meaford A Station and cooling towers and chimneys and Meaford B Station by ex Meaford man John Griffiths, Club Vice Chairman
   
The Barlaston Plume of Feathers Bowling Club is independent but enjoys an excellent relationship with the newly refurbished Plume of Feathers Inn.  Certainly a happy traditional environment to sip a glass watching bowling on a Summer's day or evening.

The Club demonstrates all the best aspects of bowling from playing at the highest competitive level through to social bowling.  Few other sports provide a facility where you can actively participate for such a long span of years.  Our youngest junior is 7 years old and our oldest member 95.  One of our Captain's played in the A team for over 50 years!  Ladies, Gentleman and Juniors all play together in this truly family sport.  We have several fathers and sons, grandparents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives and not to be forgotten some very good friends all bowling here.

Besides the exceptional number of league teams for a single green there are many friendly matches, club competitions and social bowling.  The Club has been described by a visiting League President as not being a Club but a 'Community'.  A recent publication described a visit to this club thus 'This s one of the most friendly and socially motivated setups in the area - of course the teams and members have the competitive spirit and the will to win but in terms of sportsmanship and spirit in which the competitive game of bowls should be played I certainly came away with the feeling that these people have got it right'.
   
This published compliment was made on one occasion last year at a match where one of the leagues we play in staged an Annual League President's Select against the League Champions.  Last year the Champions were the Barlaston Plume of Feathers Bowling Club, the match played at our Club and I had the unique honour of being both Club and League President.  As on many occasions our ladies provided excellent refreshments, especially the cakes the Club is now famed for providing.

   
Recently we have had the privilege of hosting two Parks County games against Warwickshire and Cheshire respectively.  Both were packed out.  We continue to welcome spectators and guests to any of our games and also continue to raise money to improve our club so that such guests may view in a comfortable and sheltered environment. This to complement the continuing magnificent effort by our own Ground Force volunteers.  My personal dream as the 15th Club President is for the Club to both be able to compete at all levels for the highest down to social bowling and to provide a park style 'haven' for guests visiting the Club.  We continue to make these our aims and I am grateful for all the local support we receive and welcome all to visit us and help me fulfil my personal dream for Barlaston.

Please contact me on 01782 373223 if you require any further information.

Peter J. Nichols PRESIDENT

Photo gallery available here