Past Times

Gallery: Do you recognise anyone from these archive pictures of the Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club?

1981 - Aberdeen skip Joseph Greig, centre, and teammates, from left, Alex Morrison, Colin Craig, Alan Hake and George Dawson with the McKay Cup after winning the men’s club league.

By Reporter

January 29 2023, 6:00 am

January 29 2023, 6:00 am

This week we look through the archives at Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club- the largest indoor bowling club in Europe.

The sport has a reputation as being one for the older crowd but it takes an experienced cool head to bowl with precision in a sport all about tactics, angles and accuracy.

In the gallery below we have some tense action between the Summerhill based club and their rivals in UK and Scottish tournaments.

We see some great triumphs for the team as they show off their trophies and joyous scenes of team mates having a great time as a unit.

And we also see the ceremonious first bowl from the day the club was first opened in 1963.

Do you recognise any one in the pictures below? Have you played indoor bowling?

1986 - Janet Mackintosh and Edith Menzies, both Elgin, and Sandra McLeish, Midlothian, during a triples semi-final. — 1986 – Janet Mackintosh and Edith Menzies, both Elgin, and Sandra McLeish, Midlothian, during a triples semi-final.

1963 - Lady Provost Jessie Graham delivers the first bowl at the opening ceremony. — 1963 – Lady Provost Jessie Graham delivers the first bowl at the opening ceremony.

1985 - The Woodend I team of Doris Keaton, Sis Wood, Eric Dix and Douglas Gordon. — 1985 – The Woodend I team of Doris Keaton, Sis Wood, Eric Dix and Douglas Gordon.

1981 - The club team who lost to Grampian Under 35s in their annual friendly match in the Granite City. — 1981 – The club team who lost to Grampian Under 35s in their annual friendly match in the Granite City.

1979 - Welshman Peter Austerberry jumps for joy at the British Isles Indoor Bowling Championships at the club. — 1979 – Welshman Peter Austerberry jumps for joy at the British Isles Indoor Bowling Championships at the club.

1985 - Bruce Nicol, left, and partner Ian Bruce competing in the Scottish Indoor finals. — 1985 – Bruce Nicol, left, and partner Ian Bruce competing in the Scottish Indoor finals.

1979 - Edith Stewart, Liz Stewart, Amy Sangster and Kathleen Carsey who played for Scotland. — 1979 – Edith Stewart, Liz Stewart, Amy Sangster and Kathleen Carsey who played for Scotland.

1985 - The Aberdeen and Arbroath teams before their CIS Inter Club League match. — 1985 – The Aberdeen and Arbroath teams before their CIS Inter Club League match.

1986 - Tyseal men’s open pairs winners John Aberdein (Kittybrewster) and Sid Gerrie (Whitehall). — 1986 – Tyseal men’s open pairs winners John Aberdein (Kittybrewster) and Sid Gerrie (Whitehall).

1984 - Polmuir bowler Graham Stewart measures a head during his club’s match against Pitmedden. — 1984 – Polmuir bowler Graham Stewart measures a head during his club’s match against Pitmedden.

1981 - Aberdeen skip Joseph Greig, centre, and teammates, from left, Alex Morrison, Colin Craig, Alan Hake and George Dawson with the McKay Cup after winning the men’s club league. — 1981 – Aberdeen skip Joseph Greig, centre, and teammates, from left, Alex Morrison, Colin Craig, Alan Hake and George Dawson with the McKay Cup after winning the men’s club league.

1987 - Alan Hosie, Helen Noble, Lilian Douglas and Alan Cran taking a break during their mixed pairs match. — 1987 – Alan Hosie, Helen Noble, Lilian Douglas and Alan Cran taking a break during their mixed pairs match.

1986 - Aberdeen’s Lord Provost Henry Rae, front centre, with members of the Scottish Women’s Indoor Bowling Association at a civic reception in the Town House. — 1986 – Aberdeen’s Lord Provost Henry Rae, front centre, with members of the Scottish Women’s Indoor Bowling Association at a civic reception in the Town House.

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