Received by the Website Visitor book on 11th February 2008
Topic: Bonnybridge Bowling Champion 1883

Hi,
I am a 72 year old sassenach born of Bonnybridge parents (Thomas Forrester Mitchell & Joan Law).

My father came down to London in 1925 to join the Metropolitan Police. He returned to marry Joan Law at the bonnybridge Masonic Temple in 1927, when they both returned to London.
Both my Mother & Father worked, in the offices, at the Smith & Welstood foundry.
My Father served with the Gordon Highlanders during WW1.

I send this message as I have two presentation bowls on stands which have silver side discs. On one side the bowls are numbered 3 & 4 with the inscription "WON BY JOHN MITCHEL" (misspelling by engraver). On the opposite face the title "Champion Bowls" is engraved horizontally and "BONNYBRIDGE BOWLING CLUB 1883" around the periphery of the disc.
The number 1 & 2 bowls were kept by John Mitchell's Daughters Miss Cissie Mitchell and Miss Peggy Mitchell who lived in a house called "Rosebank" on the High Street. Cissie was a local headmistress and Peggy was also involved in teaching (it may have been Country Dancing).

I hope that I haven't bored you too much with this story about my Grandfather, I'm sure that somewhere I have a photo of him at the Bowling Green. I will forward it to you if and when I find it.

Regards, John Mitchell.

PS My knowledge of Bonnybridge is from one short period during the war, when London was being blitzed, my Mother took my Sister and myself to stay with our Auntie Nellie (Mrs Robert Miller) at 135, High Street. My Auntie Elsie (Mrs "Jock" Black) lived at 5, Dunure Street.

25th February 2008
Hi Mike,
Further to my recent message to you, I have located some old, and some not so old photos of the Mitchell family.

The photo of John Mitchell with his trophy and bowls on the table in 1883 shows only two bowls, so I must assume that they were the prize, and not four bowls as I had thought. But that doesn't explain why the bowls that I have are numbered 3 and 4.
When John Mitchell's wife died, he married again and my Father turned out to be the youngest of a rather large family.

I also attach photos of my Father, who enjoyed a long attachment to bowling, first with the Metropolitan Police and later with the Canbury Park bowling club in Kingston upon Thames.

I'm working on getting close ups of the discs on the bowls but I'm having trouble with worn engraving and reflections at present, but I'm sure that I will get there in the end!
Regards, John Mitchell SOME PHOTO’s SHOWN BELOW - Thanks John

John Mitchell Champion 1883, on the right with his wife Annie Davidson Mitchell Nee Shaw and youngest son Thomas Forrester Mitchell. Below with one of his older sons