The history of lawn bowls

5000 BC
Bowling artefacts found in tombs in Egypt

13th Century
King Henry III bans bowls because his archers are being
distracted by the game

1511
Henry VIII discourages lawn bowls, associating the game with
gambling

1588
Sir Francis Drake insists on finishing his game of bowls before
defeating the Spanish Armada

1670
King Charles II, the Duke of York and the Duke of
Buckingham draw up the earliest known laws

1840
A set of rules established in Scotland to standardise the rules.
These rules have changed very little since then

1848
Glasgow solicitor William Mitchell draws up standard bowls
code

1871
Thomas Taylor of Glasgow constructs the first testing table

1893
Scottish Bowling Association formed

1903
England formed first association and with the help of WG
Grace, the English cricket player who also became the English
Bowling Association’s (EBA) first president.

1905
International Bowling Board formed

1930
Lawn bowls introduced at Hamilton Commonwealth Games

1945
Engish Bowling Federation formed

1966
World Bowls Championship introduced

1972
Second World Bowls held in Worthington, United Kingdom

1982
Bias standards revised after new Thomas Tayior bowl
introduced

1986
Womens lawn bowls makes debut at Brisbane Commonwealth
Games