History
The Club’s first recorded win came in 1903, when Paignton was defeated (Away) by 113 99. And this year, we learn, the club played Tamworth, presumably its first touring team. The Club was “now on the map”, as evidenced by a letter from Dr. W. G. Grace received in 1904, inviting entries to a Tournament at the Crystal Palace B.C. in June that year.
In October 1905, after three seasons in our new home, we paid the County
Cricket Club £25 to have a fresh plot of the cricket field levelled and
prepared as a bowling green. One suspects some displeasure still existed
among the membership, for in 1907 despite the green being re-laid with
“fine old turf from Knightley’s” the Club Secretary amongst others,
resigned and left for the greener pastures of a new City Club in the
Barnfleld and another newly opened one at Heavitree. Yet let it be
noted, in July 1907 the Exonian B.C. sent “a team of 12 players to give
an exhibition of play” at the latter!
On the formation of the Devon County B.A. in 1908 our club became
affiliated. From that year we played according to E.B.A. rules, in rinks
of four. Our first match under these new rules was against Taunton,
Exonian winning 72 58. Four years later in 1912 we decided to further
affiliate to the E.B.A. and were greatly honoured to provide a Devon
team with one of our county bowlers (J. Oliphant) to compete against an
Australian team touring England that summer. What an outstanding event
this must have been in those early days.
Continuing quietly upon its way, the Club resolved in 1922 to amend it’s
title from Exonian to Exonia (Exeter, as derived from the Exon Domesday).
Our numbers had steadily increased. We were by now able to run two teams
A & B out of a membership of 45 players. Each week the ‘A’ Captain would
pick his team and ‘B’ Captain made the best of the rest. But when Friday
came and the ‘A’ Captain poached on ‘B’s players, sometimes the sparks
would really fly!
By 1926 our players were pressing for better amenities. We had grown
into a club of some importance 75 members, yet restrictions on the
County Ground were numerous. For one thing, we couldn’t play until after
7.00.p.m. should there be any County, Dumplings, or Devon Regiment
cricket match. There were no ditches on two sides of the green. By
E.B.A. standards it could by no means be called a regulation green.
Access to the cricket field was sometimes made across our bowling
rinks.It was nothing when measuring a wood to find a cricket ball just
missing your head. Finally in 1923 when Mills Bombs — discharged from
the Devon Regiment Barracks, had left four deep holes in our green, (and
with only a summary apology coming from their Adjutant) we evidently
felt enough was enough. It was agreed we should move by 1927 when we
would lease Culverlands in Union Road, then just a sloping field, for a
period of 21 years. In fact, we were destined to remain here for the
rest of the century, thanks due in no small part to the foresight of our
predecessors.
Wisely a Company the Exonia Bowling Club Limited was formed and
registered for the purpose of acquiring this land at an annual rent of
£45. The lease was vested in this private company, with a small nominal
capital. The first directors, all conditional shareholders, were
appointed. Debentures and Shares were issued and a Sinking Fund created
for the repayment of monies raised by those debentures. Thus we settled
into our third and present home. The Company supervised the conversion
of the field into a Bowling Green and five tennis courts. (The latter
became the car park we value so highly today). The Architects then were
Messrs Ellis, Son and Bowden. The green was laid by Mr Andrew Rae of
Cardiff, to be officially opened on 27th April 1929 with a match between
Exonia and the E.B.A. President’s team (following lunch at Deller’s Cafe
in Bedford St.).