A Brief History of Tenpin Bowling in Kent
1961Chatham (Top Rank) Bowl (24 lanes) opens.
1962Whitstable Bowl (10 lanes) opens.
1963Cliftonville Bowl (24 lanes) opens.
Bexleyheath Bowl (26 lanes) opens.
1965Kent Tenpin Bowling Association (KTBA) has 48 registered leagues and 1200 members.
Start of “Bowling News”.
1966Formation of South Eastern Bowling Association (SEBA) with selected BTBA nominated
bowls participating, i.e. Basildon, Bexleyheath, Chatham, Cliftonville, Dagenham, Grays,
Harlow, Southend and Whitstable.
1967Hoddesdon joins SEBA.
Grays Bowl closes after 6 years operation.
1968First “600” Club tournament.
Lewisham Bowl joins SEBA.
BTBA County Associations formed on County boundaries – SEBA to be Essex & Kent.
1969Kent enter teams in the newly formed BTBA Inter-County competition.
Top Rank close all their Bowling centres, including Chatham Bowl.
1970Cliftonville Bowl closes.
1971Cliftonville Bowl re-opens but with only 12 lanes.
1978Start of SEBA Junior Championships.
1980Margate Bowl (24 lanes) opens.
1981Kent ladies team wins Bronze medal in BTBA Inter-Counties.
1985Kent ladies team wins Bronze medal in BTBA Inter-Counties.
1987Bexleyheath Bowl closed and demolished.
1988New Bexleyheath Bowl opens with 28 lanes.
1990Disbandment of SEBA. Re-establishment of KTBA.
Kent mens team are BTBA Inter-Counties Champions.
1991Kent ladies team wins Silver medal in BTBA Inter-Counties.
1992Chatham (Pentagon Centre) Bowl and Gravesend Bowl open.
1995Maidstone Bowl opens.
1997Orpington Bowl opens.
Kent Boys finish third in Junior Inter-Counties.
Kent Ladies win silver medal at Senior Inter-Counties.
1998 AMF acquire five centres in Kent – Ashford, Chatham, Gravesend, Maidstone & Margate.
New bowl opens at Tunbridge Wells (24 lanes).
2000 Kent men win Bronze medal at Regular Inter-Counties
Kent ladies win Bronze at Senior Inter-Counties.
2001 Kent girls win bronze in Under-14 Inter Counties.
Kent ladies win silver medal at Senior Inter-Counties.
2003 Kent mens team are YAC (Under 24) BTBA Inter-County champions
There have been no Adult or Senior successes in the Inter-Counties since 2001 - we are waiting for confirmation of Junior achievements - watch this space!
