Story: Bowls, pétanque and tenpin

Opening day at Grafton Road Bowling Club, 1898

Opening day at Grafton Road Bowling Club, 1898

Bowlers contemplate their early season form at Grafton Road Bowling Club in Auckland, in October 1898. Grafton Road was the first green opened in New Zealand, in 1862. By the 1890s the game had become relatively popular, especially among older urban males, as seen here. Although quite formally dressed, with some in white trousers, the bowlers had not yet adopted the full 'whites' seen in modern games.

Using this item

Auckland City Libraries - Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero, Sir George Grey Special Collections
Reference: AWNS-18981028-4-2

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Lindsay Knight, 'Bowls, pétanque and tenpin - Lawn bowls: game, history and organisation', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/37975/opening-day-at-grafton-road-bowling-club-1898 (accessed 19 April 2024)

Story by Lindsay Knight, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Jan 2015