History
An early history of Ashton Park (West Kirby Victoria) bowling greens
The area of Ashton Park was laid out between 1896-1899 on land loaned from Miss Elizabeth Ashton (later bought by the Council on her death in 1935), together with some tithe land (leased from the Diocese of Chester, but managed locally by St Bridgets). This strip of land runs parallel with Rectory road and contains the area of the Upper (West Kirby Park), and lower (West Kirby Victoria), bowling greens.
Ashton Park (Early 1900s)
The first request for a public bowling green (and tennis courts) was made by My G Townsend of West Kirby in October 1900, but the plan was postponed due to unsuitable marshy ground conditions in the lower park, (it is the lowest lying land in West Kirby and is at or even slightly below the high tide level, as well as being situated at the foot of Grange Hill).
Tennis and croquet lawns were requested by Moston House School but were refused mainly on grounds of privilege. Quoiting grounds were set up and this appears to e the first use of the area of the Lower green. (quoiting posts appear on early photographs of the Lower green eg: those in the present clubhouse)
Joseph Stanley, the first appointed park keeper (formerly a private gardener to a house in Wetstone Lane), disapproved however of the idea of ladies playing quoits, when proper dignified pursuits (like crown green bowls!) could be played, and he seemed to have some influence over the councils eventual decision in this respect.
In 1904 two tennis courts (later four), were laid out in the lower park near Westbourne Grove, and granted use by Brookfield Lawn Tennis Club. The private members however did not like the general public being allowed partial access to the courts and suggested public courts be built on the site of the “old” lower bowling green which still had not reached sufficient standard for bowling. The request was refused as the Bowling Green was to be devoted to croquet. However this projected use was not proceeded with.
The lower park green was established in 1905, but deemed not fit to play. Local ratepayers were now presenting the council with petitions for a playable bowling green, and in 1906 asked for a green to be established in the upper park on higher, better-drained land. (The tennis courts suffered the same fate with flooding leading to relocation of the courts to the upper park - the origin of the famous pre-Wimbledon tournament)
Estimates for enlarging and levelling the lower green were carried out with a projected cost of £150. However the estimate to lay out the green in the upper park came in at £149 (co-incidence?), and it was agreed to take this project forward.
The upper green was opened to its first membership in 1907 when member’s subscriptions were 4 shillings (20p) per season (approx £50 - £60 today).
In October 1909 an inspection of the upper green led to the turf from the site of the older lower green being removed and replacing the turf on the upper green. The lower green was then sown with new grass seed in 1910.
This new attempt, was successful, and the lower green finally became playable in April 1912 (the day the Titanic sank!), when the West Kirby (Victoria) Park bowling club proper, who had moved their activities in the 1905/1906 to the round (promenade) green in Victoria Road, returned to take up permanent residence. - The rest is still HISTORY
Bowling Green in 2004
All the above points to April 1912 as the officially recognised commencement of West Kirby Victoria Bowling Club at Ashton Park.
[ Author - Peter Dodd, Club Secretary … with thanks to Eddie Clayburn for his research ]