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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | Simon Strickland | Athi Singh | Margot Keenan |
| 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 |