How the Club Began
From a local idea to a lasting community club
In May 1928, Dave Lovie and George Baillie approached Bill Mitting with the idea of establishing a bowling club in Black Rock. A public meeting attended by around 40 people soon followed, where the community agreed to form a sporting club offering bowls, tennis and croquet.
The Club is established
After two further meetings, the Black Rock Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club was officially formed. Land in Fern Street was purchased for £1,200 with a £25 deposit, and work began immediately to clear and prepare the site. Two asphalt and two gravel tennis courts were constructed.
The first facilities open
The tennis courts opened in September 1928, followed by the bowling green and croquet lawn in January 1929. By September 1929, all three sports were being played, with a simple “Tin Shed” serving as the first clubhouse. The shed was also a condition of the Club securing a £1,000 overdraft from the National Bank.
A Club That Continued to Evolve
A new chapter
In 1976, the Croquet Club was disbanded and the former croquet lawn was converted into an additional bowling green. The Club subsequently became known as the Black Rock Bowling and Tennis Club.
Proudly member-owned
Black Rock Sports Club is one of the few sporting clubs to own its land. This gives members a strong voice in the Club’s direction and future, subject to normal legal and regulatory requirements.
Managed for the community
The Club is governed by a Board of Management elected by the membership and is funded solely by its members. This member-led structure has helped preserve the Club as an important sporting and social asset for generations.