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Bowls historians believe that
the game developed from the Egyptians. One of their pastimes
was to play skittles with round stones. This has been determined
based on artefacts found in tombs dating circa 5,000 B.C.
The sport spread across the world and took on a variety of
forms, Bocce (Italian), Bolla (Saxon), Bolle (Danish), Boules
(French) and Ula Miaka (Polynesian). The oldest Bowls green
still played on is in Southampton, England where records show
that the green has been in operation since 1299 A.D. There
are other claims of greens being in use before that time,
but these are, as yet, unsubstantiated.
Certainly the most famous story in lawn bowls is with Sir
Frances Drake and the Spanish Armada. On July 18, 1588, Drake
was involved in a game at Plymouth Hoe when he was notified
that the Spanish Armada were approaching.
His immortalised response was that "We still have time
to finish the game and to thrash the Spaniards, too."
He then proceeded to finish the match which he lost before
embarking on the fight with the Armada which he won. Whether
this famous story really took place has been heavily debated.
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King Henry VIII was also a lawn bowler. However,
he banned the game for those who were not wealthy or "well
to do" because "Bowyers, Fletchers, Stringers and
Arrowhead makers" were spending more time at recreational
events such as bowls instead of practising their trade. Henry
VIII requested that anybody who wished to keep a green pay
a fee of 100 pounds. However, the green could only be used
for private play and he forbade anyone to "play at any
bowle or bowles in open space out of his own garden or orchard".
King James I issued a publication called "The Book of
Sports" and, although he condemned football (soccer)
and golf, encouraged the play of bowls. In 1845, the ban was
lifted, and people were again allowed to play bowls and other
games of skill.
The earliest documented use of the word 'Jack' in Bowls is
from 1611 "Was there euer man had such lucke? when I
kist the Iacke vpon an vp-cast, to be hit away?". It
appears that Jack in some contexts meant a slightly smaller
version of something - in this case a 'Jack-Bowl', later shortened
to 'Jack'. In 1697 R. Pierce wrote "He had not Strength
to throw the Jack-Bowl half over the Green". |
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