Hilden Bowling Club was first formed in the summer of 1923. It was known as The Hilden Bowling and Tennis Club.

The property on which the bowling green and pavilion stands was owned by the firm of William Barbour & Son Ltd., who very generously made the property available – a situation without which it is quite possible our club may never have been formed, particularly when one considers those extremely difficult times.

The green was extended in the mid 1930’s to conform to the regulation Bowling Green dimensions of 40 yards square, plus boundaries, banks & ditches etc.

The original membership was restricted in the main to male staff employees of Wm. Barbour & Son Ltd., and members paid their subscriptions through a wage deduction scheme of 6d per week. In 1980 the Barbour Threads company sold the ground to the club.

With all the money involved, one would have envisaged any further achievements. This was quite the reverse and in 1982, it was proposed a new pavilion be built. With the help of a loan from the Northern Bank Ltd. And as stated in the presidents opening message, The new pavilion was opened in November 1984 & thankfully the Hilden Bowling Club in still in full flow.

The ever increasing interest in bowls became evident at Hilden and on the 20th. April1982. It was the day that Ladies bowling on the Hilden Green became a reality.

This was by no means a straightforward decision. I fact, some years of deliberation had gone into this matter. As soon as the decision was made let the women join the club, there was no holding them back, they soon had their own officers.

Their new President, Amy McKendry, delivered the first ever bowl by a lady member and after only a year in existence. The ladies decided to enter the Ladies Bowling League.

The Club was also indebted to the ladies for their support in running many fundraising events and to this day they continue to be a very important cog in the wheel of our club.