Our History

The club was founded in 1928 and the site of the first bowls green adjoined the Century Hotel in Forty Lane, Wembley. The Brewers were not prepared to maintain the upkeep of the green, therefore it deteriorated and the Club were forced to look for alternative premises. One of the members, Sid Norman, owned a house on Logan Road, Wembley with a very large garden at the rear and persuaded the next door neighbour with similar facilities to sell part of her garden in exchange for access to what would be a newly formed tennis club. With the assistance of a £3,000 loan from Sid Norman, the first green was laid at a cost of £800 (then the upper green) and the club moved in 1937, having a wooden hut for changing facilities.

After the war, the allotments, owned by GEC, were bought by the club and the lower green was formed. This was done with the help of Charlie Birtles who had joined the club from Paddington. The green was officially opened in May 1948. In recognition of his assistance, Charlie Birtles was presented with a gold badge, donated by one of the members, in recognition of his services to bowling in general as well as the Century Bowls Club. The club enlisted the services of George Oakley, who had previously worked at the United Dairies Sports Club, as green keeper. It was reputed that he would scythe the greens in his early days. George served the club faithfully for many years on the greens and in the bar of the club pavilion in the capacity of Steward. The club prospered with additional help and financial assistance provided by Bert and Frank Lyle.

In the 1950s, members of the local tennis club joined forces with the bowls club bringing with them their wooden pavilion which, added to the club premises, gave members increased bar facilities and other social amenities. Even in these days indoor bowls was played on a green baize carpet - short mat bowls. In 1958, when the club was 30 years old, World Bowls paid a tribute to the club members and wrote "during the years when the German Luftwaffe stalked the English sky like a predatory beast of prey, the Club spirit at Century never faltered". Thoughout the bombing, members met religiously and played whist and miniature bowls in the club pavilion.

The club continued to grow in strength thanks to support from members including Frank Midgley, Phil Rouse, Al Walker, Bert Baker, Ted Haynes, Ron Brazier, Albert Smith and Reg Ranson. In 1959/60, the idea of an indoor bowls complex was formed and with help from Ron Brazier, the club's first Indoor green was opened in 1961. It consisted of four rinks and was the first indoor green in the area. The club was totally male orientated although there was a ladies section who hired the green from the club in order to play their games.

In 1964, the tennis club closed and the club utilised the land and extended the indoor complex by two rinks making a four and two complex. Around this time extra land was bought from GEC to form a rear entrance road. In April to November 1975, the club built a main brick club house with bar, dining room and social hall which we have today. To mark its completion, Middlesex County planned to hold their finals day but this had to be cancelled due to holes appearing in the surface.

Whilst the outdoor section flourished and we had visits from Australian and New Zealand touring sides, the indoor complex being split as a four and two rink with little spectator space and only 37 yards in length, precluded the club from representative matches.

In 1990, it was decided to demolish the Indoor complex and rebuild with a full six rink green. At the AGM, it was agreed to open full membership to ladies and a resolution was passed to spend £500,000 for the new complex. At the end of the winter season in March 1991, the old indoor complex was demolished and at the beginning of October that year the new complex, as it is seen today, was opened by Sir Rhodes Boyson.

In 2007, a decision was made to sell one of the outdoor greens and change the other to an “All weather” green in order to invest for the long term future of the club. Century was the first club in Middlesex at the time to have an "All weather" outdoor green as well as an indoor green. In 2010, the Indoor green was re-laid and re-carpeted.

In 2015, club members voted unanimously to become a Community Amateur Sports Club to further support the long term future of the club. In 2018, the club updated its constitution.

Since the inception of the club, the outdoor section has held its club night on Tuesdays and, in 1944, George Rogers introduced a cup, known the Rogers Cup, that is awarded to the most successful competitor at the end of the season. This has now been extended to the Indoor section and has proven popular with new members.

The club, as it now stands, is well used by the County and the Associations, for its meetings and matches as well as members of the local community who use the club to host events. The EBA (now called Bowls England), our governing body, used it in our 75th Anniversary Year for one of its regional finals.

None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication to those members who have given their time for the betterment of the club.
 
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