Wilf John

Last updated

Wilf John
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Welsh)
Born
Wales
Sport
Sport Bowls
ClubRhymney Royal

Wilfred John is a former Welsh lawn bowler who competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Biography

John bowled for the Rhymney Royal Bowls Club [1] and in 1956 won the Welsh National Bowls Championships pairs with Jack Lewis. [2] [3] The 1956 success led to their selection for the British Commonwealth and Empire Games qualification tournament in Cardiff, which they won by extremely fortuitous means. First, the 1957 pairs champions and favourites Jack Griffiths and Len Hill withdrew due to the fact that they had already qualified in the fours and could not represent Wales in a second event at the Games [4] and then were losing 23–10 to the Melyn pair of Morgan and Hinders with just three ends to play when the club's president William Hughes had collapsed and died in the clubhouse, leading to their withdrawal. [5]

He subsequently represented the Welsh team [6] at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, where he competed in the pairs event, [7] [8] and helped Wales finish in ninth place with Jack Lewis. [9] [10]

In 1962 he also reached the final of the national pairs in 1956 with Evan Aeron John losing out to Emrys Jenkins and Fred Thomas of Llanelli. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Newport bowler is champion" . Western Mail. 27 August 1956. p. 11. Retrieved 17 October 2025– via The British Newspaper Archive.
  2. 1 2 "WBA Handbook" (PDF). Welsh Bowls. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Bolsover, Godfrey (1959). Who's Who and Encyclopaedia of Bowls. Rowland Publishers Ltd (Pre isbn). p. 456.
  4. ↑ "Sportsmen's Dilemma" . Glamorgan Gazette. 27 December 1957. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ "Games place for Bernie" . Western Mail. 28 May 1958. p. 10. Retrieved 17 October 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ "Wales Cardiff 1958". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  7. ↑ Hawkes/Lindley, Ken/Gerard (1974). Encyclopaedia of Bowls. Robert Hale and Company. p. 31. ISBN   0-7091-3658-7.
  8. ↑ Sullivan, Patrick (1986). Guinness Bowls Records. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 82. ISBN   0-85112-414-3.
  9. ↑ "Far East bowlers outplay Welshmen" . Western Mail. 19 July 1958. p. 19. Retrieved 17 October 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "Pinkys chance to top bowlers" . Western Mail. 24 July 1958. p. 14. Retrieved 17 October 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.


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