100th birthday celebration at Parkdale Bowls Club

In September 2018, we as a club were very proud to celebrate with Jack Royce as he reached 100 years.

 Jack came to Australia from Essex, England when he retired in 1986. Almost all of his working life was spent as a farm worker with Lord Rayleigh Farms. Jack left school at age 14 to work as a Shepherd before moving to general farming duties when the flocks were sold in the mid-1940s. He spent the final 20 years of his working life looking after LRFs Friesian heifers at a time when LRF were the largest milk producers in the U.K.

 Jack has been bowling since he arrived in Australia and at 100 years he is still playing pennant games. Four years ago Jack took up a bowling arm and took to it with ease. Jack is an inspiration to us all that the games of bowls can be played for many years and can give much enjoyment and valuable social interaction.

 Among his many well-wishers, Jack was acknowledged by Queen Elizabeth, the Governors General of Australia and Victoria, the Prime Minister, Victorian premier, local M.P. Mark Dreyfus and Kingston mayor Steve Staikos.

 Parkdale Bowling Club awarded Jack an engraved pewter mug and Lynn Goodchild a representative from Bowls Victoria presented Jack with a certificate for 100 years well lived.

Congratulations Jack