History of the North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club
The following was depicted in Club documents from the 1970’s to early 2000’s detailing the history of the Club and its shared for your information.
Town of North Toronto
In 1912, North Toronto was a small town on the outskirts of the City of Toronto with a population of about 5,000 people living mainly along both sides of Yonge Street, between Davisville Avenue on the south, stretching to what is now Yonge Boulevard on the north. Behind this corridor of houses and other buildings there was largely just agricultural land. The Town Hall stood on the north-west corner of Yonge Street and Montgomery Avenue, which later on became the site of the No. 12 Police Station, and is now the Anne Johnston community health centre. There were very few automobiles at the time and travel was mostly by an electrical street car line connecting with the City of Toronto’s street car system on the south at Bloor Street, which terminated at the town limits at the top of the ravine known as Hogg’s Hollow where there was a street car terminal roundabout, now the site of a Loblaws supermarket. Travel north of the Town was by another electrical rail system which went to Willowdale, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and beyond.
A few years after 1912, the Town was absorbed by the City of Toronto whose population was around 350,000. The growth of the City and the steady improvements in transportation led to the development in North Toronto of the farm lands and open spaces that extended on either side of Yonge Street. One of the areas marked for the building of houses was Alexandra Gardens, now Lytton and Alexandra Boulevards, the region now known at Lytton Park.
Edward B. Stockdale
The then Trusts and Guarantee Company was interested in Alexandra Gardens, and with that firm was associated a Mr. Edward B. Stockdale. Stockdale was not only a keen lawn bowler, but a public spirited one as well. He laid down the original green and built a small clubhouse in the shallow ravine on his property on Alexandra Boulevard behind his house which still exists. The original green and small clubhouse were on the site of the present north green. Stockdale’s lawn bowling venture came to the attention of some members of the congregation of the Presbyterian Church at the north-west corner of Yonge Street and St. Clement’s Avenue, which later became a public library and is now a community centre. One of these people was a Mr. Thomas Kilgore, the first resident of Alexandra Gardens (December 1910). The members approached Mr. Stockdale to arrange lawn bowling privileges for such persons. Of their congregation as might be interested.
Lawn Bowling Club Established
As a result of negotiations carried out over several months, Stockdale and others, three of whom, James Logie, James Brownlowe and Frank Arnold, each later served as President of the Club, obtained Letters of Patent in 1912 under the Ontario Companies Act for a corporation (No. 00001054) in the name of the North Toronto Lawn Bowling Club. Its purpose was stated to be the promotion of the games of lawn bowling, curling, skating, tennis and other winter and summer sports. The first meeting of the directors of the new corporation was held on July 18, 1912. Mr. Stockdale’s lawn bowling facility was leased from him for an annual fee set at $5.00, and membership in the Club was limited to 75 – all men.
The initial membership was 33 men, but the Club did not remain a male preserve very long. Women members appeared in 1915 and were permitted two afternoons of bowling a week for an annual fee of $1.00. The terms of the lease have been observed by the passage of time, but it seems from what can be gleaned from the corporation’s old Minute books that during the first ten years they were generous and elastic, permitting the Club to pay small annual rents that ranged from $3.00 in 1914 to $75.00 five years later.
Although women were admitted to the Club as members in 1915, it was not until 1925 that the Ladies Section of the Club received notice in the annual Yearbook. There were 49 women lawn bowlers listed in that years Yearbook. IN 1987, the Men’s and Ladies Section were amalgamated.
Lawrence Park and Other Lawn Bowling Clubs
Interestingly, the Lawrence Park Lawn Bowling Club located in Muir Park just east of Yonge Street and 2 ½ blocks south of Lawrence Avenue, was also formed in 1912, and inter-club matches between the North Toronto and Lawrence Park club have taken place at least once a year since formation.
The West Toronto Lawn Bowling Club and Kew Beach Lawn Bowling were also formed in 1912.
Tennis
In 1919 a subsidiary tennis club was formed and continued to be associated, albeit somewhat loosely, with its parent the North Toronto Lawn Bowling Club until 1964 when the two organizations agreed to amicably to proceed on their separate ways. Today, the North Toronto Tennis Club is located next to the north of the lawn bowling’s greens.
Stockdale Deeded the Property to the City
In 1921 Edward Stockdale deeded the Club properties to the City of Toronto, and since that time the North Toronto Lawn Bowl Club has continued to occupy its greens and clubhouse facilities under various arrangements with the City. A major disturbance to the Club’s operations occurred in 1928 when the Club’s greens were torn up in the process of building the North Toronto trunk sewer which enclosed a creek passing through the small ravine property, said creek waters being routed south of Lytton Park, through what is now Eglinton Park to eventually Lake Ontario via the sewer system. However, other bowling clubs came to the rescue so that in 1928 the North Toronto Club’s bowlers were accommodated at the Granite Club, and in 1929 at the Oaklands Lawn Bowling Club.
New Clubhouse
In 1930 the Club moved back to its original location gratified by two completely new greens, over the trunk sewer. The same time, the original frame clubhouse was moved from the north side of the north green to a position west of the north green where in two years it was replaced by the present brick clubhouse. With the exception of a new frame equipment shed and the erection of sun/rain canopies over the benches between the greens and along the north and east sides of the greens, there was no new changes to the Club’s premises until 1971 when the frame equipment shed was demolished, and a new concrete and brick equipment and supplies building was constructed west of the verge between the north and south greens. A permanent canopy with latticework fence on the west side joining the north clubhouse and the equipment and supplies building, was added in 1996.
Croquet
In 1997, the Club was approached by a group of avid croquet players who wished to bring their membership and their sport to its greens. Consequently, 100% of the lawn bowlers attending the October 31, 1997, fiscal year-end Annual General Meeting held in late September that year, voted in favour of that proposal. The 1998 playing season was the first of what was hoped to be many seasons for bowlers and croquet players at the Club.
The name of the Club was changed officially to the North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club. A new Constitution and By-laws on how the two sports and groups would operate was approved in 2004.
Although its membership is ever changing, North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club’s personality remains at a high level. The Clubs look back with gratitude to its founding members and the many outstanding Presidents, benefactors and players whose names are preserved on Club trophies. Nor must we forget the many men and women who have given literally years of unselfish service to the Club and its interest – a tradition that continues today.
Town of North Toronto
In 1912, North Toronto was a small town on the outskirts of the City of Toronto with a population of about 5,000 people living mainly along both sides of Yonge Street, between Davisville Avenue on the south, stretching to what is now Yonge Boulevard on the north. Behind this corridor of houses and other buildings there was largely just agricultural land. The Town Hall stood on the north-west corner of Yonge Street and Montgomery Avenue, which later on became the site of the No. 12 Police Station, and is now the Anne Johnston community health centre. There were very few automobiles at the time and travel was mostly by an electrical street car line connecting with the City of Toronto’s street car system on the south at Bloor Street, which terminated at the town limits at the top of the ravine known as Hogg’s Hollow where there was a street car terminal roundabout, now the site of a Loblaws supermarket. Travel north of the Town was by another electrical rail system which went to Willowdale, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and beyond.
A few years after 1912, the Town was absorbed by the City of Toronto whose population was around 350,000. The growth of the City and the steady improvements in transportation led to the development in North Toronto of the farm lands and open spaces that extended on either side of Yonge Street. One of the areas marked for the building of houses was Alexandra Gardens, now Lytton and Alexandra Boulevards, the region now known at Lytton Park.
Edward B. Stockdale
The then Trusts and Guarantee Company was interested in Alexandra Gardens, and with that firm was associated a Mr. Edward B. Stockdale. Stockdale was not only a keen lawn bowler, but a public spirited one as well. He laid down the original green and built a small clubhouse in the shallow ravine on his property on Alexandra Boulevard behind his house which still exists. The original green and small clubhouse were on the site of the present north green. Stockdale’s lawn bowling venture came to the attention of some members of the congregation of the Presbyterian Church at the north-west corner of Yonge Street and St. Clement’s Avenue, which later became a public library and is now a community centre. One of these people was a Mr. Thomas Kilgore, the first resident of Alexandra Gardens (December 1910). The members approached Mr. Stockdale to arrange lawn bowling privileges for such persons. Of their congregation as might be interested.
Lawn Bowling Club Established
As a result of negotiations carried out over several months, Stockdale and others, three of whom, James Logie, James Brownlowe and Frank Arnold, each later served as President of the Club, obtained Letters of Patent in 1912 under the Ontario Companies Act for a corporation (No. 00001054) in the name of the North Toronto Lawn Bowling Club. Its purpose was stated to be the promotion of the games of lawn bowling, curling, skating, tennis and other winter and summer sports. The first meeting of the directors of the new corporation was held on July 18, 1912. Mr. Stockdale’s lawn bowling facility was leased from him for an annual fee set at $5.00, and membership in the Club was limited to 75 – all men.
The initial membership was 33 men, but the Club did not remain a male preserve very long. Women members appeared in 1915 and were permitted two afternoons of bowling a week for an annual fee of $1.00. The terms of the lease have been observed by the passage of time, but it seems from what can be gleaned from the corporation’s old Minute books that during the first ten years they were generous and elastic, permitting the Club to pay small annual rents that ranged from $3.00 in 1914 to $75.00 five years later.
Although women were admitted to the Club as members in 1915, it was not until 1925 that the Ladies Section of the Club received notice in the annual Yearbook. There were 49 women lawn bowlers listed in that years Yearbook. IN 1987, the Men’s and Ladies Section were amalgamated.
Lawrence Park and Other Lawn Bowling Clubs
Interestingly, the Lawrence Park Lawn Bowling Club located in Muir Park just east of Yonge Street and 2 ½ blocks south of Lawrence Avenue, was also formed in 1912, and inter-club matches between the North Toronto and Lawrence Park club have taken place at least once a year since formation.
The West Toronto Lawn Bowling Club and Kew Beach Lawn Bowling were also formed in 1912.
Tennis
In 1919 a subsidiary tennis club was formed and continued to be associated, albeit somewhat loosely, with its parent the North Toronto Lawn Bowling Club until 1964 when the two organizations agreed to amicably to proceed on their separate ways. Today, the North Toronto Tennis Club is located next to the north of the lawn bowling’s greens.
Stockdale Deeded the Property to the City
In 1921 Edward Stockdale deeded the Club properties to the City of Toronto, and since that time the North Toronto Lawn Bowl Club has continued to occupy its greens and clubhouse facilities under various arrangements with the City. A major disturbance to the Club’s operations occurred in 1928 when the Club’s greens were torn up in the process of building the North Toronto trunk sewer which enclosed a creek passing through the small ravine property, said creek waters being routed south of Lytton Park, through what is now Eglinton Park to eventually Lake Ontario via the sewer system. However, other bowling clubs came to the rescue so that in 1928 the North Toronto Club’s bowlers were accommodated at the Granite Club, and in 1929 at the Oaklands Lawn Bowling Club.
New Clubhouse
In 1930 the Club moved back to its original location gratified by two completely new greens, over the trunk sewer. The same time, the original frame clubhouse was moved from the north side of the north green to a position west of the north green where in two years it was replaced by the present brick clubhouse. With the exception of a new frame equipment shed and the erection of sun/rain canopies over the benches between the greens and along the north and east sides of the greens, there was no new changes to the Club’s premises until 1971 when the frame equipment shed was demolished, and a new concrete and brick equipment and supplies building was constructed west of the verge between the north and south greens. A permanent canopy with latticework fence on the west side joining the north clubhouse and the equipment and supplies building, was added in 1996.
Croquet
In 1997, the Club was approached by a group of avid croquet players who wished to bring their membership and their sport to its greens. Consequently, 100% of the lawn bowlers attending the October 31, 1997, fiscal year-end Annual General Meeting held in late September that year, voted in favour of that proposal. The 1998 playing season was the first of what was hoped to be many seasons for bowlers and croquet players at the Club.
The name of the Club was changed officially to the North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club. A new Constitution and By-laws on how the two sports and groups would operate was approved in 2004.
Although its membership is ever changing, North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club’s personality remains at a high level. The Clubs look back with gratitude to its founding members and the many outstanding Presidents, benefactors and players whose names are preserved on Club trophies. Nor must we forget the many men and women who have given literally years of unselfish service to the Club and its interest – a tradition that continues today.