Rest in Peace
I am grateful to Dave Parkin for alerting me to the passing of Ernest Lundy aged 94 who was Leeds born and bred and wrote one of the first books ever published about crown green bowling in 1961.
Ernest won the Gambert Baines in 1965 plus various other competitions and he promoted the game in Yorkshire along with his good friend, Peter Muff.
As well as being an author Ernest was a renowned and colourful character on the bowling circuit as well as being a former professional Rugby League player with Hunslet for many years.
A regular contributor to the local newspaper the South Leeds Life where his love of sport and in particular rugby and bowling came to the fore. Dave Parkin
Ernest was a colourful character who played most of his bowls on the Parks scene in Leeds. I'm sure a lot of the 80+ old Huddersfield vets will know of him so thought it might have been of interest. He was a collector of trivia some of which is reproduced below for the interest of readers.
18 April 2022
Unable to keep Hunslet out of my mind for long, here are a few of my scribblings from some year ago. I reckon the names involved will revive even more memories for those with the old place at heart!
Listening to a family member tribute programme on Radio Leeds, a man phoned in about his late wife who was a female wrestler with the surname Farrell, who wrestled for most of their married life, and it seems she was a wonderful woman. As no doubt she was. But in revealing information about her the name Cyril Knowles came up, as a man who encouraged her to keep wrestling even in her later life.
Now I once knew a man with the same name. He used to be a regular at well-known ex-rugby player, the late Ken Traill’s Prospect (Prossie) pub in Hunslet, where on occasions actor Richard Harris, Graham Luty, wrestler and of ‘Love thy Neighbour‘ fame, David Storey, author of ‘This Sporting Life’, Peter O’Toole, actor, Willis Hall and Keith Waterhouse, writers and playwrights, and a host of other notables would indulge in out of hours drinking and socialising. Now and again, although never a drinking man, I would get an invite from Ken despite having no connection with such celebrities, other than being an old schoolmate of Ken and having won the odd bowling competition in a game he, myself and other old schoolmates began to play in pre-war years on the Hunslet Lake greens across the road.
East Hunslet Labour Club Cricket Team
The Knowles I knew was a small dapper but muscular kind of man who played cards for high stakes with the rest of those worthies, who smoked cigars with the same flamboyant nonchalance of film star Jimmie Cagney. I also knew he was a member of a transport company based in Methley near Leeds. But was he also a wrestler and the same man who persuaded the lady named Farrell to continue with her wrestling? This might seem to be a load of uninteresting hogwash, but I for one would like to know if there was a family connection.
But before departing to make a bacon sarnie, I have to say that being reminded of boxing and wrestling, takes me back to the time when Hunslet and Holbeck Feasts were occasions of note, with rides, stalls and sideshows that sprung up like magic on the two moors; after the magnificent Fowler steam tractors with exotic names, arrived pulling their heavy loads.
Like the rest of the youngsters, I was always fascinated by the boxing booth of Professor Boscoe, and often stood in the crowd outside, while his wrestlers and boxers on the stage flexed their muscles, as he invited all comers to last a round or two for 10/-. Of course, few did.
But one of his methods leading to the offer was to ask for any youngster to go on stage, hold out a hand on which he placed a potato, before he brought down a sword and sliced through it to the amazement of those watching.
One day he had no takers, but after being offered free entry to the show the offer proved too good to resist, and up I went swallowing my reservations and martyred myself to the cause. For the duration of the feast I became a regular part of the show, and even mildly famous for my bravery in so doing. Of course there was no risk; although how he did it still remains a mystery.
Hunslet Carr School Rugby Team
The Professors Boxing Booths were never so busy as at weekend evenings, when pubs and clubs began to empty, and those in beer thought to take on wrestlers such as Mario Majisti, Reg Clay (who was also a bowls player at Burley Park), Battling Stanley and others with intimidating names for the ten shilling prize, a fair sum in those days.
Rugby player Pete Anson, a hard man, once tried and lost. But you see what a casual mention of a name can do to revive memories of the old days? Whether you find the subject of interest or not, sorry for the rant, but this is one of the few things one is still able to do in his dotage.
The following is an article written by Hazel Millichamp and Claire Carter again in the South Leeds Life mediums of newspaper and website. It covers a lot about bowling with an interesting reference to Ernest Lundy that is worth preserving.
As I was on my daily walk in Cross Flatts Park Beeston, I saw a sign at the Bowling Green stating that they have been part of the community for over 112 years and that they are looking for new members. I know absolutely nothing about the sport so thought that I would investigate. According to Wikipedia:
“Bowls, or lawn bowls, is a sport in which the objective is to roll biased balls so that they stop close to a smaller ball called a “jack” or “kitty”. It is played on a bowling green, which may be flat (for “flat-green bowls”) or convex or uneven (for “crown green bowls”). It is normally played outdoors (although there are many indoor venues) and the outdoor surface is either natural grass, artificial turf or cotula (in New Zealand).”
My fellow writer Claire spoke to Keith Broughton to find out how he had got involved with bowls:
“My father was a bowler for Cross Flatts and then South Leeds Conservative Club. I used to follow my Dad and from the age of 8 I became interested in the sport myself. I had no distractions as a child like kids do these days. I played in tournaments from the age of 16 and also played for the Conservative Club.
“It’s the competition and the buzz of winning a game, especially against good players. Every green is different (flat greens and crown greens, crown greens can be very different from club to club). You get a drive to keep playing. Nothing better. A way to get exercise.”
Keith’s main advice is “Give it a try.”
I had the pleasure of speaking to Ernest Lundy who told me he began playing at 9 years old – the only interruption in his bowls career having been his time in the army and merchant navy.
Despite being a professional rugby player and athletics competitor, bowls remains Ernest’s favourite. He says that it is a character-building sport and is very safe for children. You get to be out in the open air and it is a very cheap form of entertainment. You exercise your body and your mind and make countless friends.
When I told Ernest I was thinking of trying out bowls for myself, his advice was very similar to Keith’s “Go for it!”.
At the age of 94 Ernest regrets that his days of being active on the green are over. Ernest published a book “Crown Bowls – A Survey” in 1961 – the first book to deal with Crown Green bowling exclusively.
Andrew Dewhirst has been playing on and off since he was 8 years old and began because his grandfather was a top ABA (Amateur Bowling Association) county bowler and his Dad was also a player. Andrew now plays at Holbeck Bowling Club but since Covid has sadly played very little bowls.
He is a member of Leeds Parks Bowls Partnership that works with the Parks and Countryside arm of Leeds City Council looking at how council-run greens are maintained and paid for. He is eagerly awaiting the outcome of a council consultation on the matter but is fearful that it will be not good news. Andrew thinks it seems incongruous that the council would like to reduce the money spent maintaining greens when there is also a huge national push to make us all more active and to benefit get outside and be active to help our mental health.
When asked why a person should take up bowls Andrew said:
“It gets you outside, you meet friendly people. There are not many sports where an 8 year old can take on an 80 year old. It fosters relationships and respect between different age groups.”
There are many clubs operating in South Leeds and Andrew tells me they would all be happy to let beginners use the equipment and get into the swing of things. I think have found myself a new post-lockdown hobby!
Ernest Anthony Lundy’s Funeral service will be held at Cottingley Hall Crematorium Tuesday 5th September at 10.45am.
Family Flowers only please. Donations welcome to St Gemma’s Hospice & The Dogs Trust.
The funeral procession will leave Ernest’s house in Beeston and journey along Elland Road.
Rest in Peace: Ernest Lundy