Dec., 1926 THE SUN .\ND AGRICULTURAL JOUR);"AL OF S.A. 1179
WHA1' THE BOWLING TOUR HAS DONE'
FOR SOUTH AFRICA
11\TERVIE\V WITH MR. D. R. C. PHILIP. Vice-Captain of the South African Bowling Team.
;vlr. D. R. C. Philip whose interesting account of the recent .)01dh Afriran
Bou'ling TOllr u'ill be rend tl,ith 11Iuch interest throllqhout South Africa, 1£as born in Newport in the County of Fi/f, and educated at the High School,
Dun-dee. He has been connected with tile Scotch Whisky trade since he left
Col-lege some twenty-five years ago, and is to-day recognised ns the leading autho-rity in this country upon imported spirits.
Mr. Philip has been a keen membfr of the Joh''lnnesburg Bowling Club lor til('
past twelre years. He u'as President of the Club during the year 19:24, when thE. British Bowling Team risited South Africa, and at that. time had the honour of entert.aining their R ollal H ig hnesses, P ri nee and Princess A rthm of Connaug ht.
u'ho, on that occasion, graciously c01Jsenfed to open the match between the
United ](inqdom and South Africa. -THE EDITOR.
?Ill'. D. R. C. PHILIP,
i,'{,(ltiers of the JOL·RN.\L would like to know sonuthing about the recent
South African Bou'ling Tour, ;vIr.
Philip?
\Yith pleasure; but before 1 give an a:.:count of our Tour, I would like to take this opportunity of making a few genera.l relDarks on the sllbject of bowling which as a healthy and popular pastime is not, 1 venture to think, sufficiently a.ppre-ciated by the public of South Africa.
How many people know that next to ,\rehery, Bowling is the oldest of British olltuoor games? Yet it is so, for it tan IJp traced by historical records back to the Uth century. In these early days it became so popular that it was banned by both Eing and Parliament as it was feared that it would jeopardize the prac-tice of Archery whith was then so im-portant in time of wa.r; and so la ws were passe(l forbidding bowling by Edward J JJ, Richard
n
and other monarchs. Bllt it was not to be killed by any re-pressi ve measnres, and so we find writersce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11
1180 TilE t:)ux AXD AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL UF S.A. Dec., 1926
Size 15 ia. " 3 in.
The "AF AL"
Hand Fire ExlinglJisber
FOR J.<'ACTORY, OFFICE,r'ARM AND HOME.
A SIMPLE AND EFFI·
CIEN'r HAND PUMP FOR
ALL FIRES
in Buildings, Machinery, Car· riages, Motor Cars and Petrol
Installations.
The "Afal .. can be re-charged in two minutes. It projects a continuous jet of fire extingllishin~, insulat· ing and non·corroding fluid.
The "Mal" has passed all official tests, and haa been
approved by British Fire
. Offices' Committee, thus se-curing the maximum discount
Full par/iw!aTJ
from:-General Fire Appliances
Co., Ltd.
Tele.ram.: "ZONATURA" P.O. Box 6291. Telephone 4172. Johannesburg.
TIMBER
Exchange
Yard
Limited
are Buyers of
Gum and Wattle
Laggings
P.O. Box 6403. TeJeg. "Umfaan"
JOHANNESBURG
FOR EVERY FARM
the best all-round remedy is
The
Original
Chemical
Fluid
A certain
cure for
Scab,
Keds,
Lice, etc.
in Sheep
AT ALL STORE.
,- KEEPERS
CONSIGN YOUR
Wool and Mohair
TO
MOSENTHAL
& CO.EAST LONDON
p.o.
Box 1 Telegram, : .. MOSENTHAL ..where you are assured of the
Best of Service, Expert Advice,
Keenest
Competition,~~Prices and Prompt Settlements
A Trial Consignmmt will Convince You
WE ARE
The
Premier Produce House
ro
du
ce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11
Dec., 1926 THE .sUN AND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL OF S.h. 1181 the losses incurred. on the .. common
bowling alleys" by many idle citizens who neglected their shops while their .. wives and children cry ont for bread a nd go to bed Sll pperless often in the
year." Indeed, for a long time bowling was merely a pot-hollse recreation, a.l-most all the greens being attached to taverns.
Nevertheless, it is pleasant to recall the story told of the imperturbable Sir Francis Drake pla.ying bowls on Ply-mouth Hoe as the Armada was beating
lip the channel, and finishing his game before tackling the Spaniards.
Be that as it may, the historian tells us that it was the Scottish bowlers who saved the game from the reproach of being simply the pastime of idlers and gamblers; and so we find that some two-hundred years later the \Villowbank Club was founded in Glasgow in 1816.
This is the oldest bowling club in that city, and the Secretary, Mr. 'vV. W. Mitchell, was instructed to prepare a
code of rules for the game upon which om present rnles are founded. And not only did. the Scottish bowlers formulate the laws of this ancient game, but they were also the pioneers in laying down level greens of great excellence, fin;t with seed-gro\\'n grass and meadow turf, and later with seaside turf.
Who ca-rried the practice of bowling to the Dominions?
Again, it was the Scottish colonists who introduced the game wherever they travelled into all parts of the British Empire, as well as into the United States, Japan, Hong-Kong and many other
foreign countries.
Here I might mention that in the year
1901, the visits of the bowling teams from Australia and New Zealand to the United I{ingdom, and from Canada in
1904, demonstrated the great popularity of the game. In 1906, a team of bowlers
The "Gearing" Windmill
The Gearing Mill hIlS stood the test of time •
I t is nOw recognised throughout the country ... a thoroughly sound proposition.
We invite Farmers to our worka to _ these Mille in courle of manufacture.
DESIGNED AND MADE ENTIRELY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Writ_for particfJ/arl of our .Jumper Drill. for W41 ...
Boring.
GEARINGS - - - LIMITED,
-eoballlo&1, EhoLrical and Arrionllural 1I:nlln .. n.
If ATLAS" WORKS, CAPE TOWN.
And at Box 869, Johanne8hurg:.
from Great Britain visited Canada and \\as accorded a royal welcome. It
~hould also be noted that abollt 1848
many bowling clubs were formed in Scotland, and si nee then this game has taken its place with curling and golf as one of Scotland's national pastimes.
)iow, although I have spoken mainly of tlw role played by my own country in the evolution of bowling, it must be remem-bered that it originated in England, and that country down through the ages has proullced many eminent bowlers.
Perhaps the most interesting proof of the importance of bowling is to be seen in the fact that it has been recognised as
ce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11
1182 THE SUl\ AND AGItICULTURAL JOURNAL OF S.A. DeG., 1926
a municipal affair by the Corporations or Edinburgh, Glasgow and many other towns in Scotland as well as by London, Newcastle andothw cities of Engla.nd, where the var·ious Municipalities have laid out splendid greens in public pa.rks and open spaces.
In Scotland these public greens are
self-supporting from charges which
In-clude the use of bowls at one penny pel' hour for each player, while in London and other cities the upkeep of the greens falls upon the rates, but the bowlers mllst provide their own bowls.
W hen did you start your recent tour?
I left South Africa by the "Arundel Castle" and returned by the " Carnavon Castle", the new motor ship, which I
consider is a great credit to the U nion-Castle service as well as to South Africa. As I was travelling with my family I found myself the fortunate possessor of one of the Bibby Suites, and it would be difficult to imagine any better cabin
equipment anywhere III the world.
On arrival in London, we were enter-tained at the York Hotel, by the English Bowling Association, and we spent some most enjoyable days in the Imperial City. We had six practice games before com-mencmg our test matches w.ith the va.rious teams of Great Bri tain. '0l e
sta.rted our offkial tour amid the lovely scenery and pleasant surroundings of the Isle of Wight, and after ten \\'eeks of constant playing returned to London after a strenuous and enjoyable tour.
Did anything leave a strong i.mpression on your mind?
Yes, I regret to say that I missed that old enthusiasm for bowling which pre-vailed in both England and Scotland some twenty years ago. Of COlll'se, the
war has' intervened and many people
have not the time to spend on bowling that they once ha,d. Still I missed the old zeal and vim for the ('ause, and to me it seemed that co-operation was lacking, not only between the individual members of the teams, but also amollgst
the various clubs throughout the
country. Another matter that caused
surprise amongst the visiting team was the condition of the greens over which \\'e played during the progress of our
tuLll'. They certainly seemed to have deteriorated since the days \"hen I first started bowling some thirty years ago.
To-day, there is no doubt that the bowling greens of South Africa are kept in a much better condition than the majority of greens both in England and ScotJa,nd.
A Revoilltion in Cheap Power Production
Super-Sentinel Steam Engines
&
Boilers
for portable or stationary use; .are tbe cheapest, mo~l ("(onomicai,
sunplest anil rplia.ble ror driving Mines, Pumps, CruShers, Mills,
Electnc Light Plants, HaulAges, etc. "'ill burn any class of COllI
or other cheap fuel. Can be supplied in Q~I sizes up to lBO b.h.p.,
with 0. weight. about half that. of other power producers of Ihe same
capa.oity, therefore eaSily t.ransportable. Largp. numbers are in use
in South Africa by leading Mines, Contractors, Municipalities, eto.
Before purchasing GAS on OIL EKGISES obtain details from
THE GRIFFIN ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
Johannesburg, Durban, Capetown, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth Immediate Deliveries from South African Stocksro
du
ce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11
Dec., 1926 TilE SUN AND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL OF S.A. 1183
Pyatt's
"MARIE" BISCUIT
That rich delicious full of
food value biscui t that is
pre - eminent in quality
pyon, LTD.
Port Elizabeth. Woodstock and Johanne-;burg
VI'hat was the most outstanding featu're of the tour?
The wonderful hospitality which we ,received; it was overwhelming. As a matter of fact on tbe next occasion I trust two teams will be sent from South Africa, one to receive the overflowing hospitality and honours rendered to the Union guests, and the otber to do the real h3.rd work of bowling. One of our members who was a bit of a statistician informed us that we had shaken hands with 95 Mayors and Lord Mayors, con-sumed 1'20 luncheons and 60 dinners, and had travelled 5,000 miles by char-a-banco
What was the chief function of the tour?
It would be invidious to say, but one which deserves special mention was the Banquet given by Lord Dewar to the whole of tbe English Bowling
Associa-which was held at the Piccadilly Hotel, tc..gether with a Cabaret. Lord Dewar a,f' many of your readers may know is tbe l\tanaging Director of our Company, Messrs. John Dewar & Sons, Ltd., and if recognised to be one of the best after dinner speakers in Great Britain, I might also mention that in Scotland we were entertained by Lord Forteviot who is tbe Chairman of' our Company at his home Dupplin Castle, Pertbshire, which is one of the prettiest estates in the whole of Scotland. During the tour in common \\lith my fellow members, I wa,s called upon to make several speeches, and at the PiccadiUy Hotel I made a special point of tbe fact that so little newspaper pu blicity was given to the visiting bowlers, while South Africa generally seemed to be almost entirely ignored in the Press of Great Britain. On the other hand, Canada a nd A llstralia get pages of matter devoted to their re-spective countries, while we mnst be content with a single paragraph in some obscure corner. This matter made a great impression upon me, and I preached from this text 'whenever I had
:1 suitable opportunity which occurred at
eight or nine different places.
F-IoU) did the members of the tour stand the great difference in the climatic conditions?
All through the tour our team played splendidly. They quickly adapted themselves to the different greens, a.nd seemed indifferen t to the tremendouf; crowds which followed the progress of the game. It was particularly grati-fying to notice that any good play on the part of the South Africans elic:ted as ,,:arm applallse, if not more, than that given to the home teams. All this showed that the British people keep up their reputation as the world's greatest sportsmen. It also indicated that
hun-ce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11
1184 THE SUN AND AGnICULTUfiAL JOUn:-lAL OF S,A. Dec" 1925
relatives in the Union of South Africa.
1 might also add that we were not always bowling, but had the opportunity
of witnessing many important spectacles,
probably the greatest of which was the Military Tattoo at Aldershot, which clearly demonstrated to those of us who
were present that the peace-loving
English people, when once rOllsed to action, can become the grea test mili tary power that ancient or modern civili"a-tion l)as seen.
What was the net result of the tour?
I am sure I spea,k for the whole of the
South African team when I say that we are convinced we were able to perform a gre3.t work by this bowling tour in
bringing the Onion of Sonth Africa, and
the United Kingdom closer together in the great Freemasonry of a health-giving pastime, The greatest need of South Africa to-day is to knit closer and closer with the people of the homeland, and
we fel t tha t we had done something to
forward this great work. J nHlst not
omit to say that as South African Bowlers we owe a debt of gratitude to the Press of South Africa who gave us
many pages of publicity, and followed
th~ games at all the different centres
Waygood.Otis Patent Micro Drive Machine Direct Current.
with a lively and intelligent interest. :Ii
might also add that we were honoured, while in Great Britain, with a welcome message from the I<ing, and we received two personal wires from the Prince of
\iV ales, one when we were touring
through the County of Cornwall, from
which he ta,kes the title of the Duke of
Cornwall.
Summing up the result of the Tour,
J may say that we won 37 matches, lost
17, and one was drawn, while on the
total number of points we were 899
points up.
THE CLEVELAND TRACTOR AT WORK,
Clelrac (Soulh Africa.), Ltd" Sole Agents for Soulh Africa: Slafford Mayer Co" (S,A,), Ltd,
p,O, Box 1381, Durban,
WAYGOOD-OTIS LIFTS
The World's Best
We have installed 500 Lifts in the Union of South Africa.
For particulars kindly telephone
or write to our nearest office.
WAYGOOD-OTIS (S.A.),Ltd
T.I. No. 178:> Conlral lobannesbur. P.O. BOll 2729
Tel. No. 4644 Contral Capetown P.O. BOll 1260
Tel. No. 450 Durban P.O. BOll 478
T.I.No.2928 Port Elizabeth P.O. BOll 45, Nortb End
P,O. BOll 186 Ea.t London
ro
du
ce
d
by
S
ab
in
et
G
at
ew
ay
u
nd
er
li
ce
nc
e
gr
an
te
d
by
th
e
Pu
bl
is
he
r (
da
te
d
20
11