Bowls were a favourite pastime for tradesmen in the village. Originally they played on the old bowling green which belonged to the Three Tuns. When it burnt down in 1925, play continued but based at The Griffin. It is believed the bowling green was handed over to the village and that is probably when Yoxford Bowls Club was formed. (A villager remembers her father telling her he watched his grandfather playing bowls there circa 1927).
During WWII the Club disbanded, pigs & chickens are believed to have been kept on the green. It re-formed after the War and one of the lawns at Rookery Park was used until the green was restored around 1958-63 by Frederick (Fred) Evans, who took on the tenancy of the inn from Morgans Brewery of Norwich. Many evenings and weekends in the summer were spent playing bowls. Fred was good at all sports and played bowls for Suffolk, reaching Runner-up in the All-England Men’s Singles Finals at Skegness one year. His wife Evelyn, known as Eve, was also a very keen bowler, playing for Yoxford and the Ladies’ Suffolk Team.
In 1995/6 the Brewery which then owned The Griffin claimed the bowling green and later built a house on it, known as The Old Bowling Green. The Club had to seek new premises and for several years home games were played at Peasenhall or Thorpeness. They were able to rent a piece of farmland next to the Cricket pitch, on part of Grove Park estate. Planning permission was given to construct a new green and pavilion there in 1996/7. This was done by mostly volunteers and it was opened in 1999. In 2015 the land was put up for sale, the Club having first refusal and they were able to raise the funds to purchase it in 2016. There are currently around 20 members.
The Davis family, father Eric, is amongst those who have been stalwarts of the Club for many years. Son Barrie and his sisters Jean (Childs) and Margie (Robinson) are past players. Margie has been Yoxford Bowls Club secretary for many years. Their mother was best friends with Eve Evans most of her life and they both loved playing bowls. Both of Margie’s parents were well known players and both played for the county. They moved to Halesworth later in life and played there into their 70s. Eve Evans played for Saxmundham Sports Bowls Club until she died, in her 90s. Eve was awarded life-time membership with a plaque commemorating her years as President of both Suffolk Ladies’ and All-England Ladies’.
