The Story of Backwell Playing Fields
The Opening Ceremony 1929
The Benefactors: Theodore and Isabel Robinson, brother and sister taken in 1959.
Lord Bath and Theodore Robinson arriving for the opening of the West Backwell Playing Fields on 6th June 1929.
The opening ceremony with Theadore Robinson (left) and Lord bath (right).
In 1929 the Backwell Playing Fields were given to the Village of Backwell by Theodore Robinson and his sister Isabel Robinson, who then lived at West Town House. The Fields were then called the West Backwell Playing Fields. The Robinson's paid for tennis courts and a bowling green to be laid out in the Fields and a grand opening ceremony was planned for the 6th June 1929. The Marquis of Bath was invited to carry out the opening ceremony and there was a good turnout to welcome him. After the speeches by Lord Bath, Theodore Robinson, Mr Caudwell, William Lott and Mr E Leonard, Lord Bath was invited to roll the first jack on the new bowling green. A large stone on which was attached a plaque commemorating the event was placed on the Playing Fields.
Playing Fields Association Formed
The West Backwell Playing Fields Association was then formed affiliated to the National Playing Fields Association, with a formal committee and the Fields vested in the National body. The regulations laid down by the Playing Fields Association (PFA) show the agreed charge for playing bowls as three pence per hour or part thereof. If galoshes were supplied (rubber overshoes), the charge was four pence per hour. Any money paid in advance for a game was returned if, in the opinion of the attendant, play was prevented by bad weather, which did not apply to games in progress!
Everyone in the Village was encouraged to join as a member of the Association. By the mid 1930's the fees were :- Adults 2/6d Juniors (under 14) 1/- Members' tickets were available from Miss Manning at West Town Post Office. The tennis courts were booked in advance at the Post Office and teas could be provided by arrangement. The charge for the hard court was 1/6d per hour payable at the Post Office at the time of booking. The charge for the grass court was 4d per ? hour or 8d per hour. Cricket was provided for boys of school age. The Bowling Club was formed on 14th May 1930 and access to the Bowling Green was via Mr Sollis, the Secretary. The newly formed club, having agreed terms for the use of the Bowling Green with the PFA, began to flourish. The subscription of 1/- plus green fees as laid down by the Association or £1 1s 0d (i.e. one guinea) for an all in season ticket did not deter recruitment. Twenty members paying a mix of subscriptions still left the Treasurer £1 12s 8d short at the end of the first season. At the first AGM, Mr T. Locke was elected Captain, Treasurer and Secretary - not a very willing band of supporters then! Mr Theodore Robinson was elected President of the new club, a post he held until his death in 1959. Mr Robinson paid for an extension of the Bowling Green in 1932, presumably to make it full size with six rinks.
The First Ladie's Bowling Club Members (late 1930s).
Including back row: Miss Griffin, Mrs Morgan, Mrs Chapman
Front Row: 3 Manning Sisters, Grace, Catherine, Edith, Mrs Jelfs, Mrs Parkes
In 1933 the men were asked if they would give their assent to lady players. This was agreed on one condition "there be no objection to lady players on the Green provided there be four rinks available to the men". A very grudging response!
By 1935 the membership of the Playing Fields was stated as 306 Adult members and 112 Junior members. The accounts for 1935 show a total income of £191 12s 1d, all of which was spent with the exception of £4 19s 11d. The major part of the expenditure was on wages for ground staff.
A New Association Was Formed
The last committee of the West Backwell Playing Fields Association 1972.
Back row: Len Harris, Gordon Patch, Mrs Ralph, Mr Richmond, Reg Bramall, Hartley Williams, Mr Livingston, Rev. Jonh George
Front row: John Brain, Esmond Robinsom, Dick Hayes, Mrs Perry
In May 1945 Theodore purchased a further 11 acres and gave it to Playing Fields Association. After War the Association continued much as before, but inflation became a serious problem in the 1960's. It became obvious that the income from honorary and ordinary members, plus fees from the Clubs, was totally inadequate to cover the expenses. The Committee therefore approached the Parish Council for financial help, which was refused. The Council insisted that entry to the Playing Fields should be free to all, whereas the organisation was in reality a fee-paying club. Ultimately the Fields had to be offered to the Parish Council on their terms, which did them no credit, since they lost the expertise of the previous officers and much voluntary help. A new organisation was set up called the Backwell Recreation Association with six elected members and eight Representative members, chosen by the Parish Council and users of the Fields, which included then : -
- The West Backwell Bowling Club
- The Backwell Tennis Club
- The Backwell United Association Football Club
- The Backwell Rugby Football Club
- The Backwell Scouts & Guides
It is interesting to note that the main object of the new charity was as follows:- "Shall be the provision and maintenance of a recreation ground for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Backwell". Thus in 1976 the NPFA surrendered their trusteeship of the Fields and the new organisation as above, a public charity, became the sole administering body under rules and conditions laid down by the Charity Commissioners, which included 3 Parish Councillors as Custodian Trustees.
This new administration carried on reasonably successfully for another twenty years. There was not much money coming in, but many people were prepared to do many of the tasks voluntarily. A new pavilion was built for the Bowling Club, which involved moving the large stone with its commemorative plaque. A new stone was commissioned in June 1982 with a new plaque alongside the old one. The old stone fell apart on its removal.
In the 1990's the Recreation Association were struggling again to keep things going with little help from the Parish Council, which caused considerable acrimony. In 1996 the Charity Commissioners came up with a solution to make the Playing Fields a totally independent private charity and they devised a new scheme called the Backwell Playing Fields Charity, under which the Playing Fields operate today. The same problem, that has dogged the Playing Fields since their inception, still persists, which is the total lack of adequate resources to make the Fields a first class facility within the Parish, recently termed "the Jewel of Backwell", as it should be.