Firth Park Bowling Centre

[Guest ianb]

Anyone out there who used to go there in the early sixties? I used to be a "Pin Jockey" whilst doing my apprenticeship. I was also a member of the Bar upstairs and at that time there used to be a good crowd that went in there.

[Bayleaf]

I remember when it first opened, the manager was an ex-pupil of Firth Park Grammar. To drum up interest he came up to school and offered to set up a bowling league for the boys. I won't say he was thrown out, but I understand he was given short shrift. 10-pin bowling was pretty new in the UK and in certain people's view ranked alongside smokey snooker halls! Nevertheless he got word to the lads and we set up the league anyway. Happy days!

[DaveH]

I remember when it first opened, the manager was an ex-pupil of Firth Park Grammar. To drum up interest he came up to school and offered to set up a bowling league for the boys. I won't say he was thrown out, but I understand he was given short shrift. 10-pin bowling was pretty new in the UK and in certain people's view ranked alongside smokey snooker halls! Nevertheless he got word to the lads and we set up the league anyway. Happy days!

In the early 70's while in the 6th form at Ashleigh I learnt ten pin bowling at Firth Park with a couple of mates and when I went to University at Hull I joined a league team.

We used to play every Wednesday afternoon and some Saturday mornings at The Humber Bowl on Beverley Road not far from the University.

One Saturday morning in 1975 we went down there to find the place a completely burnt out wreck, totally devastated by fire.

The building had become victim to "The Hull Arsonist", a guy who called himself Bruce Lee (named after his Kung-Fu hero, not his real name). He started many fires in Hull public buildings including hospitals and care homes for the elderly where there were several deaths due to his activities so when he was finally caught he went down for a very long time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_George_Peter_Lee

However, with the Humber Bowl gone, that was the end of my bowling days.

I'm more likely to play crown green these days than 10 pin.