THE ORIGINS OF THE LINDEN BOWLING CLUB/LINDEN ROLBALKLUB — Otto Holicki, June 2024

Linden Bowling Club was, intriguingly, borne out of a footnote on a letter in March 1958. In responding to a congratulatory letter from Philip Möller, Chairman of the Linden Property. Owners & Residents Association, T Glyn Morris, the local ward councillor that had just been elected as Johannesburg mayor, wrote: “Philip, I’ll get you your bowling green this year”.

While that promise may have been overly ambitious in its timing, it was nevertheless honoured. The first of the two greens and a modest clubhouse were proudly opened on 1^st January 1962. Within a short period, the second green was added and over time extensions to the clubhouse made to what we now so love and enjoy.

Going back to the footnote promise. With this in hand, in October 1958 an inaugural meeting for the bowling club was convened via the Linden Property & Residents Association. Only a modest total of 12 residents attended this meeting, but thankfully they were huge bowls enthusiasts! They resolved to form the Linden Bowling Club/Linden Rolbalklub and out of the 12 at the meeting, 7 joined the club immediately. Today, it amuses me that a dual language club name was adopted but I also admire those enthusiasts at the time for doing so – clear evidence of their honest principles and social inclusiveness. When I joined the club some 6 years ago, that the phrase “we are the Linden family” was oft used is testament to those original principles and to which I easily subscribed.

Anyway, back to the origins. The handful of enthusiastic club members spent the following year (1959) actively enrolling local Linden residents as members, even without any bowls being played – bloody amazing! The 1^st AGM was held in September 1959 and in stark contrast to the inaugural meeting, it was attended by 72 “active” members. While “Club Colours” was the main topic, most were itching to find a place to play bowls – I would have been front of the queue – until the greens and club had been constructed.

Thankfully, a member attending this 1^st AGM suggested that the club approach the Johannesburg Gas Works in Auckland Park to avail their “half green” to the club. So, it came to be that exactly – to the day — one year prior to the club’s opening, on the 1^st January 1960 the Linden Bowling Club rolled their first bowls with the Johannesburg Gas Works as its venue.

It is also not surprising that given that the Linden Tree is also known as “the
European Lime Tree”, the AGM adopted club colours of lime green and black and a badge with the Linden tree!

I’m just going to “stretch” the origins a little beyond its’ opening day as the inclusiveness not only between English/Afrikaans was a founding principle, so too was it – at least eventually – between men and women. Shortly after its opening, the club started attracting a strong contingent of women and within a year women comprised close on 50% of total membership.
Prevalent at the time was that women’s bowls played “second fiddle” to men’s bowls – I know, bloody absurd! Green space on the solitary green became a premium, so much so that the committee resolved to decline any further membership applications from “unaccompanied ladies” until the 2^nd green was available a few years later. Despite this, as far as I can see, over its history, the ladies have outperformed the men in stacking up bowling trophies and awards!

Thankfully, this wrong on women membership did not last too long. Notably, due in part to the achievements of its women bowlers, Linden was one of the first bowling clubs in Johannesburg to apply for, and be granted, permission for women to be allowed into the club’s “pub” where we – men and ladies alike – now socialise in! This was in early 1986 and long may it last.