IT LOOKED an easy-enough job when Patricia Turner decided to collect information on the history of bowls in Darwen.

The first thing she found, however, was that bowlers didn’t spend a lot of time taking photographs of the greens or each other – they tended to spend their time, well, playing bowls.

After months of research, she still hasn’t come across any photos of some of the best-known greens in town.

And that is where Bygones’ readers may be able to help.

Patricia, secretary of Whitehall Bowling Club, is looking for photos of clubs such as Hollins Grove Liberal Club and Chapels Con and pub greens such as Alexandra, Ranken, Handle Arms, Borough, Black Horse and Rosin’s, for a book she is writing later in the year.

In a bid to track down some new information and images of yesteryear, she is now planning a display in the foyer of Darwen Library, which will open on April 11.

If you can help, Patricia can be contacted on 01254 707980.

One photograph she recently did come across was this 1930 image of the officials and team of Hollins Grove Con Club, who followed up their success in the Oldknow Cup competition with victory in the two-legged final of the Greenwood Trophy.

J Sumner was one of the stars of the Hollins team and a few years later he won the Messrs Thwaites Bowling Tournament which was open to all Thwaites houses in East Lancashire.

He won from a tournament entry of over 2,500 players.