Just as our Centenary year is coming to a close, part of our early history has found it's way back to Mervyn Road.
Although the bowls section of the club was founded in 1923, it was not until two years later that the Men's Championship was first contested. The final that first season was between J (Jack) Mason and R.Morris, with the former being successful. In addition to the perennial trophy (The "Vice-Presidents (1924) Cup"), Mason was given a miniature replica to keep. Possibly on the back of this victory, Jack Mason was made captain for the 1926, but that didn't distract him, and he was again successful in the championship for that second year. History doesn't record who defeated Jack Mason in the 1927 championship (he had to content himself with winning the pairs), but he was back on form in 1928, picking up his third championship title, and his third miniature in four years, to celebrate his third and final year as captain.
That, however, was not Jack Mason's last Championship win. He was back to winning ways in 1930, picking up his fourth replica. After a brief pause, back-to-back wins were achieved in 1935 and 1936. Whether the convention of presenting miniature replicas had ceased by this time, or whether the committee felt Jack already had sufficient, we don't know. But these two triumphs were commemorated on his 1930 replica, and there was still space for a seventh and final win in 1940 to be engraved there too. By the time of these latter successes, Jack Mason was an established member of the Middlesex Middleton Cup side of the mid- to late-1930's.
It is Jack Mason's four miniature replicas (pictured) that have found there way back to the club.
Although we cannot yet be sure, it is believed that, at some point, Jack Mason moved to Hampshire and joined a club down there, and (possibly when he passed away), his bowls trophies were given to his then-club, Purbrook Heath. A recent "spring clean" of their loft space led to these small trophies, bearing the name of West Ealing B.C., to be discovered. Thanks to an eagle-eyed Phil Jelf at Purbrook Heath, we are now in possession of these early pieces of West Ealing history.

Our grateful thanks go to Phil Jelf. And we wish him and all at Purbrook Heath every success.