The BIG DIG
DIGGING UP THE BOWLING GREEN - 25 YEARS AGO
At present at the end of the heatwave, it is hard to imagine that in the past our Bowling Green was almost always damp and often flooded. No amount of spiking or other remedies seemed to have any effect on its condition. It did mean however that it was extremely rare for matches to ever be cancelled because of the scorched earth we have experienced latterly.
Back in 2001, there was considerable debate on what was to be done to remedy the problems. One thing was certain and that was something had to be done. It was a question of not only how and when but also, most importantly, how it could be funded. We looked at various solutions, quickly ruling out bringing outside contractors as being financially impossible while, at the same time, we were concerned that it was simply too big a job for
the members to take on.
A bold decision was made to start the work ourselves. This was an incredible risk that could have mean the premature end of the Club after over 90 years.
A ‘technical’ quartet was formed comprising Doug Luxford, Dai Howick, Terry Smith and Mick Nesbitt, the last three of whom were still working full-time. There was no status nor privileges to their appointment, only their willingness to put ‘body and soul’ into the project. However, four people alone were not enough and an appeal was sent out to every Club member asking/demanding for help. None of us - the ‘ammer chewers’ - had any idea of what to do but there was a vague promise that very little physical labour was involved; this was one of the greatest ‘lies’ of the time.
The final element of the team was Tony, a contractor with a JCB digger who was employed to move materials on & off the Green area. He was at best morose, miserable and so negative but, boy, he could peel an orange with that digger.
Having worked out what needed to be done, there was one critical component missing and that was ‘money’. Through careful management over the years, the Club had amassed around £10,000 in its bank; that was only a start. Provisional estimates of using outside contractors had suggested a cost of at least £70,000 but, by undertaking the project ourselves, this might reduce to £40,000, leaving an unfunded gap of £30,000.
A ‘polite’ letter requesting or even demanding donations/loans from members was sent out at the same time when we requested physical effort described above.
- We raised over £15,000 from our members in a week!
- Applications were made to West Hoathly Parish Council and Mid Sussex District Council for grant-aid and these yielded a another £12,000
- We applied to The National Lottery and we were awarded £5,000
- Further grants were made by The Mid Sussex Bowls League and Radio Mercury FM.
Thus, we had raised enough money to fund the project whilst leaving a small contingency fund for any unexpected costs that might arise.
We needed the ‘time’ commitment because it was unfair to lumber our quartet of experts once we had started. Again, a fantastic response to the point where, at times, there were just too many of us running around seemingly without purpose.
The doom-mongers and ne’ersayers from the Village and local bowls clubs thought we were mad to contemplate such a risky course of action!
NASA’s famous ‘WE ARE GO FOR LIFT-OFF’ was adopted and so, on Sunday, 9th September 2001 work was started by literally lifting off the turf from the Green; this represented the point of no return.
Monday, 10th September, marked the arrival of Tony and his JCB. He did not endear himself to Dai and Doug by pronouncing immediately that the Green was not level. He was proved correct on production of a theodolite that revealed a 7-inch drop from corner to corner! 1 – 0 to the professional! Based on that, he was more than sceptical than ever on how we were going to achieve our objective.
Tony quickly, attacked the Green surface removing once and for all our precious Green. There was only one interruption to progress and that was the awful and unbelievable news of the ‘911’ attacks on New York and Washington on 11th September. Work continued in a state of stunned silence while everyone absorbed this terrible news.
Over the next week or so, Tony removed nearly1,000 tons of our precious green with the spoil being dumped in 20 feet high piles of earth in the car park. As we dug lower and lower, we discovered a solid raft of compressed clay that explained our flooding, etc., in the past. The only form of foundations were old carpets and even discarded clothing!
Disposing of 1.000 tons of top soli and subsoil was a problem we had not really thought about. To have it carted away to be dumped would have incurred a massive charge for Landfill Tax that frankly we could not afford. Disaster loomed!
Enter Tom Buckley from neighbouring Hook Farm. He offered a simple but magnificent suggestion that he could dig a number of holes on his farm that we could fill up with our spoil! We thought it impolite to ask where the contents of his holes would be ‘lost’! This solution was soon adopted and, over many days, there was a procession of laden dumper trucks to Hook Farm to ‘lose’ our spoil.
By this time, Tony gradually realised that we might just achieve our objective!
The re-bulding process commenced with the laying of a network of drainage pipes followed by successive layers of stones of ever decreasing size until we finally created the final top surface of the new Green. The sight of up to 50 of us running round the site was something to behold and at times ridiculously funny. We, the ‘ammer chewers’, rushed hither and thither in random confusion, all trying to look busy but, for the most part, not having a clue what was required. Much energy was spent on back chat and taking the Mickey out of each other, but it was all in good part.
All of the materials were obtained from The Builder Centre in Haywards Heath, thanks to Norman Harbour who had negotiated what can only be described as ‘rock bottom’ prices. The less said about that, the better!
The surface was levelled to the point where grass might eventually be sewn. We decided against laying turf as this was only likely to import weeds, etc. So, instead, we seeded it by spraying an emulsion of pre-germinated seed, shredded toilet tissue (honestly!) and a liquid solution of water and fertiliser. The seed was sprayed onto the green on 7th November at a time when the growing season was at an end.
As can be imagined, the doom-mongers and ne’ersayers were critical of our progress.
Collectively, they thought we had made another critical mistake, not least of which was the application of seed rather than turf. The acid test was whether the green would grow. Throughout the winter months, we watched anxiously for signs of life and we were rewarded in early Spring with new growth.
Unbelievably, we played our first game on Mower Cup Day in mid-June 2012; the grass was sparse in places but, ‘SUCCESS’, we had a new Green.
We could not have achieved this project without the whole-hearted support of so many Club members, not only for their donations/ loans but also for their physical efforts. There are too many names to list for thank you’s but, boy, were we proud. One name to mention in particular was Eric Sumpter. He said he was too old to work so, instead, for 4 days of every 5, he provided lunch at his own expense for the workers; bacon and beans, sausage and beans, beans and beans; always beans! Why only 4 days? On the 5th day, Eric joined his gang - much like ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ – to tour the local pubs for a pint or two and to reminisce (!); a day not to be missed.
So, 25 years on, there are very few of the original members left to celebrate this anniversary but each one of those remaining can look back and remember the group and individual contributions made by so many. It was hard work but laughter kept us going!
Compiled on behalf of all of those who contributed so much.
Trevor Swainson