Honour boards in the clubhouse provide an insight into the history of the club, its leading lights and its standout bowlers. The heftiest board indicates that the club was formed on 6th Dec 1873 as the South Melbourne Bowls Club but the first president recorded there is Reverend E Greenwood in 1880. That board also indicates that the club was renamed Albert Park VRI Bowls Club in 1945. VRI stands for the Victorian Railways Institute , which presumably supported the club at that time. The club was renamed again in 2011 to the current Albert Park Bowls Club. This followed the formation of Bowls Victoria from the previous RVBA (men’s) and VLBA (women’s) associations. Club records are a little bit hazy about if and when the Club (Singles) Championship has been open as opposed to men only. Today it is open but that still might not be widely appreciated and we have yet to see a woman prevail against all-comers.
Albert Park Bowls Club
Year
President
Champion (Open)
Champion (Women)
2023/24
Simon Strickland
Mark Solonsch
Janine Kibblewhite
2022/23
Wayne Gill
Rob Huddle
Carole Rafferty
2021/22
Simon Strickland
Mark Solonsch
Margot Keenan
2020/21
Simon Strickland
Rob Huddle
Margot Keenan
2019/20
Ross Oakley
Ben Mantynen
Kylie Murphy
2018/19
Ross Oakley
Wayne Gill
Sal Rayner
2017/18
Ross Oakley
Malcolm Stevenson
Carole Rafferty
2016/17
Ross Oakley
Troy Maclean
Amy Macauley
2015/16
Stuart Kollmorgen
Athi Singh
Laurette Houniet
2014/15
Stuart Kollmorgen
Mark Stoney
Nonie Holman
2013/14
Malcolm Stevenson
Norman Ralston
Margot Keenan
2012/13
Malcolm Stevenson
Mark Solonsch
Chris Greenhatch
2011/12
Norm Armstrong
Rod Olsen
Margot Keenan
Albert Park VRI Bowls Club
Year
President
Champion (Men)
Champion (Women)
2010/11
S Kollmorgen
R Dedman
Mrs M Keenan
2009/10
Mrs V Olsen
R Dedman
Mrs M Keenan
2008/09
N Armstrong
M Solonsch
Mrs P Mansell
2007/08
N Armstrong
R Dedman
Mrs M Powe
2006/07
R Fairweather
R Gale
Mrs N Holman
2005/06
R Fairweather
R Fairweather
Mrs J Stoney
2004/05
Mrs J Lynch
C White
Mrs M Powe
2003/04
Mrs J Lynch
J Rawlinson
Mrs M Powe
2002/03
Mrs J Lynch
S Wright
Mrs J Stoney
2001/02
C White
J Rawlinson
Mrs I Webster
2000/01
C White
R Lay
Mrs E Mavrias
1999/00
C White
S Wright
Mrs J Lynch
1998/99
Mrs J Lynch
J Rawlinson
Mrs M Powe
1997/98
Mrs J Lynch
R Lay
Mrs V Johnson
1996/97
Mrs J Lynch
C White
Mrs H Nolan
1995/96
N McBain
R Lay
Mrs M Powe
1994/95
N McBain
C White
Mrs L Coy
1993/94
Mrs I Webster
R Lay
Mrs H Nolan
1992/93
Mrs I Webster
R Lay
Mrs P Drummond
1991/92
A W Frost
R Lay
Mrs L Coy
1990/91
A W Frost
R Lay
Mrs P Murphy
1989/90
Mrs A Sargeant
G Thomas
Mrs P Murphy
1988/89
Mrs A Sargeant
G Thomas
Mrs P Drummond
1987/88
R Lay
R Lay
Mrs P Murphy
1986/87
Mrs L Coy
R Lay
Mrs P Drummond
1985/86
C Gadsby
C Harper
Mrs P Drummond
1984/85
D M Schapper
C Gadsby
Mrs P McGillivray
1983/84
D M Schapper
D M Schapper
Mrs P Murphy
1982/83
H A Dredge
C Gadsby
Mrs H M Nolan
1981/82
H A Dredge
K O’Neill
Mrs P McGillivray
1980/81
A J Franklin
H A Dredge
Mrs P A Drummond
1979/80
A J Franklin
C Gadsby
Mrs G Wilson
1978/79
R T Brown
K J Bryce
Mrs G Wilson
1977/78
R T Brown
R Harris
Mrs P A Drummond
1976/77
R T Brown
R Harris
Mrs P A Drummond
1975/76
R T Brown
C Gadsby
Mrs P A Drummond
1974/75
C Gadsby
E A Bull
Mrs P A Drummond
1973/74
C Gadsby
H L Jackson
Mrs P A Drummond
1972/73
R Norton
H L Jackson
Mrs P McGillivray
1971/72
R Norton
R Norton
Mrs P A Drummond
1970/71
R T Brown
C Gadsby
Mrs M A Rix
1969/70
R T Brown
H L Jackson
Mrs P A Drummond
1968/69
A D Ive
R Norton
Mrs P A Drummond
1967/68
A D Ive
R Norton
Mrs P A Drummond
1966/67
C R Hunter
J Henderson
Mrs P A Drummond
1965/66
C R Hunter
G J Joyce
Mrs P A Drummond
1964/65
R T Brown
G Anderson
Mrs C I Hall
1963/64
R T Brown
G G Sargeant
Mrs A McGillivray
1962/63
G Sargeant
G Anderson
Mrs E Condon
1961/62
G Sargeant
A Rademacher
Mrs L Mackenzie
1960/61
C Gadsby
C C Summers
Mrs V Arnold
1959/60
C Gadsby
C Gadsby
Mrs A McGillivray
1958/59
J M Collins
J Wilcock
Mrs A McGillivray
1957/58
J M Collins
G G Sargeant
Mrs F E Jones
1956/57
J M Collins
R W Anderson
Mrs R A McPhee
1955/56
G Anderson
C Allen
Mrs W Rocke
1954/55
G Anderson
G Anderson
Mrs F E Jones
1953/54
G H Bennett
L A Lehman
Mrs R A McPhee
1952/53
L J Williamson
L A Lehman
Mrs E I Bostock
1951/52
E Miller
G Anderson
Mrs E I Bostock
1950/51
C Gadsby
R W Anderson
Mrs R A McPhee
1949/50
C Gadsby
G S Bowden
Mrs F E Jones
1948/49
E Miller
L Ferrari
Mrs L C Loutit
1947/48
L J Williamson
C Gadsby
Mrs A G McInnes
1946/47
C G Walker
R Dawson
Mrs R Spielvogel
1945/46
A F Stacey
E Miller
Mrs C W Brown
South Melbourne Bowls Club
Year
President
Champion (Men)
Champion (Women)
1944/45
W Jones
A F Stacey
Mrs F P Granter
1943/44
J W Patterson
L Ferrari
Mrs C W Brown
1942/43
F W Morgan
P Horsburgh
Mrs R H Alford
1941/42
J H Disney
P Horsburgh
Miss K E Hill
1940/41
P Horsburgh
R Sykes
Mrs F E Jones
1939/40
J W McInnes
A Tootell
Mrs E A Bowen
1938/39
R Sykes
A Tootell
Mrs E A Bowen
1937/38
R Sykes
D Stewart
Mrs E A Bowen
1936/37
J Tyler
L Ferrari
Mrs R E Lunn
1935/36
R Morris
E C Anderson
Mrs E A Luckhurst
1934/35
A K Wallace
D Stewart
not played
1933/34
J Morris
R Sykes
Mrs J D C Cowan
1932/33
J Morris
S Matthews
Mrs J D C Cowan
1931/32
J Morris
S Matthews
Mrs J D C Cowan
1930/31
J Morris
A Somerville
Mrs J D C Cowan
1929/30
J Morris
P Horsburgh
Mrs J D C Cowan
1928/29
J Morris
W S Day
Mrs J D C Cowan
1927/28
J Morris
J W Holdoway
Mrs S Milward
1926/27
W S Day
C Paulin
Mrs L W Shaw
1925/26
W S Day
W A Wright
Mrs L W Shaw
1924/25
A J Trestrail
T Roberts
Mrs J D C Cowan
1923/24
A J Trestrail
T Roberts
Miss P Seccomb
1922/23
A Square
W S Day
Mrs W H Crook
1921/22
A Square
T Roberts
Mrs S Milward
1920/21
W A Wright
W A Wright
Mrs J H Disney
1919/20
W A Wright
W A Wright
Mrs D Macdonald
1918/19
J W Holdoway
J W Holdoway
Miss M G Cuthbertson
1917/18
J W Clark
J W Holdoway
Mrs L W Shaw
1916/17
Dr A S Aitchison
J W Holdoway
Mrs W Pallin
1915/16
Dr A S Aitchison
W A Wright
Miss M G Cuthbertson
1914/15
Dr A S Aitchison
H W Kirkby
Miss N M Irving
1913/14
Dr A S Aitchison
C de J Cohu
Mrs F G Watson
1912/13
Dr A S Aitchison
J W Holdoway
Mrs R T Paterson
1911/12
Dr A S Aitchison
C W Howlett
Miss N M Irving
1910/11
Dr A S Aitchison
J W Holdoway
Miss M G Cuthbertson
1909/10
Dr A S Aitchison
J B Grut
Mrs R T Paterson
1908/09
Dr A S Aitchison
J B Grut
Miss A J Cuthbertson
1907/08
Dr A S Aitchison
J B Grut
Miss M G Cuthbertson
1906/07
J Miller
W J Stanhope
Miss M G Cuthbertson
1905/06
A H Price
W J Stanhope
Miss E Cooper
1904/05
J Miller
W H Cooper
Miss E Cooper
1903/04
J B Grut
W J Stanhope
Miss E Cooper
1902/03
W J Mountain
W H Cooper
Miss E Cooper
1901/02
W J Mountain
W H Cooper
Miss E Cooper
1900/01
W J Mountain
W H Cooper
Miss E Cooper
1899/00
W J Mountain
W H Cooper
1898/99
W J Mountain
W H Cooper
1897/98
Dr A S Aitchison
W H Cooper
1896/97
Dr A S Aitchison
E G Moss
1895/96
W Aitkin
1894/95
W Aitkin
1893/94
W Aitkin
1892/93
W P Buckhurst
1891/92
W P Buckhurst
1890/91
J Danks
1889/90
J Miller
1888/89
H Dinsdale
1887/88
M Kidston
1886/87
M Kidston
1885/86
A Brown
T Glover
1884/85
G Duke
J Stead
1883/84
H Dodds
T Crawford
1882/83
A Moore
1881/82
J Stead
1880/81
Rev E Greenwood