Branksome Park Bowling Club was formed in 1926 with 20 male members, which rose to 47 members by the end of the season, as noted in their AGM minutes. The Club became affiliated to the Dorset Bowling Association in 1930, however members voted against joining the league that year due to the cost of travelling and preferring to play friendlies instead. A year later, Branksome Park BC joined the Dorset County league and are former holders of the Dorset County Cup. In 1935, the club joined the Bournemouth and District Bowling Association having grown to 74 members.

In 1938, Branksome Park’s C H Howse was elected Dorset County Bowling Association President.  He inspired Dorset to its first and only winning of the Middleton Cup. This winning team included H Atkinson from Branksome Park.

The war years saw league games cancelled, however, there were times friendlies were arranged with local clubs. Membership reduced to around 55. In 1944, President C E Morgan led a tribute at the AGM, standing in silence in memory of members’ children lost in action, which included his only son.  

The club’s relationship with the Dorset League was turbulent for the first 3 decades, mainly due to the cost of attending long distance games, the war, and later, petrol rationing, which saw Branksome Park make the decision not to enter between 1956-1962. They did enter the B&DBA during this time, and in 1956, members joined other clubs within the B&D for the organisation's 50th Jubilee celebration at the Bournemouth Pavilion.

In 1959, the club was given the ship’s bell from the Destroyer H.M.S. Rob Roy, by Captain A J Abbey D.S.O. a former club member.  For a time it was the practice to call players to tea by the traditional striking of ‘eight bells’. As years went by, this reduced so the bell was rung just once.

Tony Golding played lead for Dorset in the Middleton Cup against Somerset in 1975. He was in the rink that won against the renowned international, David Bryant (25-20). In the same year his dad was runner up in the B&DBA singles championship.

In 1992, the club won Division 2 of the B&D League, its highest position at that date, however, the year was marred by some vandalism to the green and the loss of two benches. This was not the first time an incident like this has happened. In 1945, the club suffered its first burglary in August, when all crockery, linen, urns and some silver plated cups were stolen. Later, in 1995, off the green discussions centred around numerous meetings with the council about a new lease, boundary fences, security and anti-social behaviour in the council’s toilets which were built into our club pavilion. After a further four years of issues with the public toilets, in 1999 the council finally closed them and agreed the club could incorporate them into the building. A year later at the start of the century, plans were drawn up and work commenced on incorporating the former public toilets into the club pavilion at an anticipated cost of £11,000 with a council grant of over £4,000. Later, in 2017, security lights and video cameras were installed around the clubhouse and sheds, which has helped keep the club secure in the last decade.

Branksome Park BC certainly had proud history in the 20th Century, but it was the 75th anniversary year in 2001, which at that time, saw the club have their best season to date. A special Anniversary Souvenir Booklet was prepared and given to all members. There were 22 friendlies arranged, with a special one against the B&DBA, where Branksome Park were victorious. The biggest achievement that year was Branksome Park BC winning the B&DBA Section 1 title - a feat never to be repeated. Outside of B&D achievements, the club also won Division 2 of the Dorset League and won the Poole Triples League.

The revamped pavilion was completed to everyone’s satisfaction in 2001, and the following year a proposal to install a bar at the club was defeated at the AGM, however, in 2005, the kitchen extension was completed and the new bar “The Bowlers Retreat” was opened.

A momentous decision was made at the 2003 AGM, allowing women to officially join the club in 2004, after being rejected numerous times previously. In turn, this brought about more of a social element to Branksome Park, one which the members embraced. In 2010 the women joined the Dorset Women’s Bowling League. The same year the men won Division 1 of the Dorset League.

In 2012, the club celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a special social event. The awning was installed and has proved a great success and is still in use today. 

The first time any of our ladies played at Leamington occurred when Carol Assal, Sue Harris, Stef Pinson and Carol Williams qualified in the County Fours in 2015.

Covid 19 was a stimulus for change and Chris Dennis and Ken Joy took a lead in organising bowling and safe competition, even circulating their risk assessment documents to other clubs so they could also play safely. In 2021 Chris (who is also now the B&DBA General Secretary) took on the role of Men’s Captain and the club pivoted, modernising aspects that were deemed more traditional in the past. A new badge was designed in 2021, followed by a new experimental kit in 2024, before deciding on their current new kit in 2025, moving away from white in dominance to a striking blue design. This seemed a long time since 2009 when the old white shirts and ties were ditched and a new white and blue shirt agreed on in a tight vote (45 to 43). Times were certainly changing.

The playing side had a tremendous 2021. The ladies won an adjusted second Division of the B&DWBA League; Branksome Nomads joined the BETBA League, ending in promotion from Section 7, and enjoyed 4 promotions in their first 5 seasons, getting them into Section 2; Jim Garner won the Dorset Champion of Champions; Chris Dennis and Ken Joy won the Poole Open Pairs;  Geoff Shand, Mike Barron, Graham Cox and Bob Harris won the County Senior Fours and reached the quarter finals at the Nationals at Leamington.  But all this was surpassed by Jim Garner and Stuart Stephens winning the Dorset Senior Pairs and going on to win the Senior Pairs title at Leamington. This was a springboard for things to come.

Ollie Thake, aged 34, became the youngest First Team Captain in 2025, In the making of this history article, Ollie shared:

“As I reflect on my journey as the youngest men's captain at Branksome Park Bowls Club, I am filled with a mix of pride and humility. Leading a club that has stood the test of time for 100 remarkable years is not just an honour; it’s a substantial responsibility, especially in a landscape where many clubs are facing closure with rising costs and declining membership. The centenary year is a testament to our club's resilience and commitment to the sport, and I am proud to be part of this legacy.”

In 2026, the club celebrated their Centenary. President, Bob Harris, who was made a B&DBA Ambassador in 2020, shared his thoughts for the club’s centenary handbook:

“The club is one big family and like any family has ups and downs, success and disappointment, joy and sadness, but when the chips are down there is always someone to offer help, guidance, support and friendship.  So please continue this spirit in our Centenary year and beyond.  With the excellent younger members now part of our club, I hope we can provide future County, National and even International champions – but remember it is you the members that will remain the backbone and stability of this club.”

One such example of looking ahead to the future is the focus on their younger crop of players. The awards that players have won in the four years prior to the club’s Centenary is a shining example of the club’s successes:

Indiana Surrey won the Juniors Trophy for ages 7-11 in the Dorset Youth Academy Championships in 2022.  

In 2023, Alex Dythan was crowned the 2-Wood County Singles Champion, followed a year later by Tom Poore winning in 2024, both representing Branksome Park BC. Alex Dythan went on to win the 4-Wood County Singles in 2024, with Emma Langridge winning the County Under-25 Ladies Singles. Ollie Thake won Dorset Champion of Champions. The same year, the club were the County Double Rink winners and the County Top Club winners. 

In the summer of 2025, Daria Rampelt was a member of the victorious England Under-18s team in the International Series in Scotland - an amazing achievement! In the same year, Jack Surrey aged 13, won the B&D Pairs Final with his dad, Kevin, who described the moment as his proudest moment in his life being able to win the competition with his son. Emma Langridge and Rebecca Cresswell won the County Fours with Val King and Penny Cresswell; and sisters, Daria and Smaranda Rampelt won the County Under-24 Pairs.

Ollie Thake continued in the role of First Team Captain in 2026 for their Centenary year. With a season already under his belt as captain, Ollie was keen to echo President Bob Harris’ sentiments, and stress the importance of others at the club, particularly the younger members: 

“Of course, we have to celebrate the roles of so many behind the scenes who have made this all possible, not just in the past or present, but also for the future of the club. The future looks bright as we also recognise some huge achievements from our junior members in the past 12 months. This is a testament to the club's commitment to nurturing young talent. Despite the challenges of being captain, the rewards of this role are immense. Watching our younger players excel and develop their skills while fostering camaraderie among all members is incredibly fulfilling. In a time when many clubs are struggling, I am proud to be a part of Branksome's future, ensuring we honour our rich history while building a vibrant future. Here’s to celebrating our centenary year together and continuing to grow as a community.”

When looking at the most recent years, it is clear that Branksome Park has built a membership that is competitive in leagues and competitions, attracts some of the best players in the area to play, has a key focus in bringing on young members, and is striving for future success.

The 2026 season started in April with an emphatic victory in the B&DBA Annual Club Tournament, beating 15 other B&D clubs to win the prestigious glass trophy. This win came just two days after the sad news of the passing of much-loved member Chris Hollier. In a fitting tribute, Chris Dennis and Kevin Surrey, two members of the winning team, dedicated the victory in the memory of Chris Hollier.

Branksome Park is a club that appreciates those that work hard to ensure the club is welcoming and busy throughout the season, where members feel valued and are excited to be part of the club. The club is well organised and in 2026 has in excess of 120 members ranging from 11–94 years of age.

As Branksome Park BC prepares for their next chapter in their history, the future looks bright and positive.