In October 1921 the Local Council decided to provide the town with facilities for playing tennis and bowls. On being unsuccessful in an effort to get a loan for the purpose, Mr. Sydney Simmons, a former burgess and great benefactor to the town, made a generous offer of £500 towards the cost of the work. Mr. Simmons’ only condition for his offer was that the labour be recruited from the ranks of the town’s unemployed. This condition was strictly complied with and the work was put in hand.
The green, which is still a public green today, was opened in August 1922 when Mrs Simmons bowled an inscribed silver ‘jack’ which had been presented by the Mayor. The lady Mayoress bowled the first wood across the rink. This tradition is still upheld at the opening of each season when the Mayor or Mayoress is invited to the club to bowl the first wood. Mr. Simmons’ generosity knew no bounds and when the final bill for the work on the bowls green and tennis courts totalled £821 he made a further donation which covered all of these costs.
Okehampton Simmons Bowling Club was formally founded in 1923.
The green itself has a foundation of rock, and is reinforced with sand and clinker. It has an excellent turf surface and is maintained by a nucleus of member volunteers.
A former club President Brian Vernon remembers back to the 1950s when members of the club ran a weekly Bingo session above the Premier Cinema (now ‘Let’s Toast Coffeehouse’) to raise funds for the club which at that time was using the pavilion, where the new bandstand is now situated.
In 1984, former members Bob and Edith Furse presented the club this Presidents Ribbon and Pendant.
Recipients named on the bars are:
R Moore 1981-83
J Elson 1984-85
R Lobb 1986-93
J Elson 1994-96
Len Wonnacott 1998-99
N Reeder 2000-01
E W Ames 2002-04
Stan Cousins 2004-06
J Mills 2006-07
Brian Vernon 2007-21
R Pedrick 2022
(Current President John Mansell 2022-2023)
The present clubhouse was built by members over a number of years and opened on the 14th May 1983. Mr Roy Lobb who served the club as Secretary from 1976 to 1985 and President from 1986 to 1993 was instrumental in this project and a plaque to his memory recognising these achievements is situated in the building.
The club’s welcome board was installed in June 2016. The money to pay for the board was raised by surplus fees paid by members during the winter indoor sessions.
The weathervane was made by a blacksmith based in nearby Sticklepath and was installed in approximately 2019.
The club badge has had several incarnations.
The latest was designed as part of the Centenary commemorations.
Members can also purchase enamel lapel badges.
