Bowls England National Championships (women's singles four wood) explained

The women's singles four wood is one of the events at the annual Bowls England National Championships.^{[1] [2]}

The four-wood singles is the traditional variation of the game; see Glossary of bowls terms.

Venues

• 1932–1933 (Blackheath & Greenwich Club)
• 1934–1934 (Balham Constitutional Bowls Club)
• 1935–1936 (Pitshanger Park, Ealing)
• 1937–1974 (Wimbledon Park)
• 1975–2024 (Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa)

Sponsors

• 1981–1985 (Lombard)
• 1986–1993 (Liverpool Victoria)
• 1994–1996 (Double Century Sherry)
• 2000, 2002–2004 (National Express)
• 2001–2001 (Steradent)
• 2023–2024 (Aviva)

Past winners

Year	Champion	Club	County	Runner-up	Club	County	Ref
1932	Ethel Tigg	Waddon Residents	Surrey	Mrs Hope	Maidenhead	Berkshire	^[3]
1933	Louisa King	Waddon Residents	Surrey	Mrs Harris	Torquay	Devon	^[4]
1934	Mrs S. Holman	Waddon Residents	Surrey	Mrs Harris	Blackheath	Kent	^[5]
1935	Mrs McDanall	Torbay County	Devon	Mrs Harris	Blackheath	Kent	^[6]
1936	Lily Parnell	Clarence Park	Somerset	Josephine Culling	Brightlingsea	Essex	^[7]
1937	Mrs Batsford	Temple Fortune	Middlesex	Mrs E. Sayer	Oxted	Surrey	^[8]
1938	Josephine Culling	Brightlingsea	Essex	Mrs C L Veasey	Dulwich	Surrey	^[9]
1939	Violet Howard	Newton Abbot	Devon	Mrs Worth	Victoria	Leicestershire	^[10]
1940–1944 No competition due to war
1946	Maud Chillman	Hampden Park	Sussex	Miss Crawford	Bournemouth	Hampshire	^[11]
1947	Clara Johns	Hastings	Sussex	Mrs B. Simister	Southgate	Middlesex	^[12]
1948	Violet Woodhead (née Howard)	Paignton	Devon	Mrs Harding	Eastbourne	Sussex	^[13]
1949	Maud Chillman	Hampden Park	Sussex	Mrs Oliver	New Lampton	Durham	^[14]
1950	Ena Buckland	South Norwood	Surrey	Mrs L. E. Harris	Durham City	Durham	^[15]
1951	Bessie Burden	Ashford	Kent	May Colquhoun	Lammas	Middlesex	^[16]
1952	Marjorie Colley	Torbay Country	Devon	Evelyn Courtenay	Yeovil	Somerset	^[17]
1953	Ivy May Lavender	Hastings & St. Leonards	Sussex	Edith May Hook	Stroud	Gloucestershire	^[18]
1954	Dorothy Franklin	Sheen	Surrey	Gladys Hillier	Bogonor Regis	Sussex	^[19]
1955	Annie Beath	Zetland Park, Redcar	Yorkshire	Mrs D. C. Coleman	Sheen	Surrey	^[20]
1956		Frome Selwood	Somerset	May Colquhoun	Lammas	Middlesex	^[21]
1957	Florrie Wilson	Hastings & St. Leonards	Sussex	Clara McNaughton	Whitely & Monkseaton	Northumberland	^[22]
1958		Frome Selwood	Somerset		Harrow	Middlesex	^[23]
1959	Joyce Lucking	Windsor Castle	Berkshire	Annie Beath	Zetland Park, Redcar	Yorkshire	^[24]
1960	Louisa Coxall	Milton Regis	Kent	Helen Jolliffe	Harrogate	Yorkshire	^[25]
1961		Watling	Middlesex	Edith Ferry	Stratton Church Ways	Wiltshire	^[26]
1962		Watling	Middlesex	Minnie Powell	Tally Ho	Warwickshire	^[27]
1963	Frances Carvell	Gunnersbury	Middlesex	Mary Linfield	Maltravers	Sussex	^[28]
1964	Daisy Dowling	West Streatham	Surrey	Joyce Lucking	Royal Household	Berkshire	^[29]
1965	Janet Auld	Silksworth	Durham	Eleanor Routledge	Silloth	Cumberland	^[30]
1966	Dora Hills	Morpeth	Northumberland	Ena Buckland	South Norwood	Surrey	^[31]
1967	Dorothy Payne	Greenhill	Dorset	Eva Harris	Rugby Town	Warwickshire	^[32]
1968	Lilian Bufton	Tally Ho	Warwickshire	Dorothy Tayler	Newquay	Cornwall	^[33]
1969		Watling	Middlesex	Mollie Ward	Sparrows Nest	Suffolk	^[34]
1970	Nancie Colling (née Whalley)	Frome Selwood	Somerset		Watling	Middlesex	^[35]
1971	Christine Frost	Phear Park	Devon	Daphne Leese	Hornsey	Middlesex	^[36]
1972	Mollie Ward	Sparrows Nest	Suffolk	Mrs A Russell	Luton Co-op	Bedfordshire	^[37]
1973		Poole Park	Dorset	Anne Shipton	Broadstone	Dorset	^[38]
1974	Vera Peck	Eye	Suffolk	Joan Sparkes	Central Park	Essex	^[39]
1975	Ivy Lawson	Spennymoor	Durham	Margo Attwood	Street	Somerset	^[40]
1976	Jeannie Croot	Canford	Gloucestershire	Pamela Allison	Oxford City	Oxfordshire	^[41]
1977		Pickering	Yorkshire		Ropner Park	Durham	^[42]
1978		Bounds Green	Middlesex		Plessey	Nottinghamshire	^[43]
1979	Lorraine Hawes	Bracknell	Berkshire	Margaret Fawkes	Bogonor Regis	Sussex	^[44]
1980		Magdalen Park	Surrey	Joan Haynes	Peterborough	Huntingdonshire	^[45]
1981	Margaret Madden	Wilton Recar	Yorkshire	Christine Rumball	Watford	Hertfordshire	^[46]
1982		Southampton	Hampshire	Phoebe Spence	Middlesbrough	Yorkshire	^[47]
1983		Raynes Park	Surrey		Burnham	Buckinghamshire	^[48]
1984	Olive Henery	Swindon	Wiltshire	Madeline Gooding	Exmouth	Devon	^[49]
1985	Ena Clarke	Countesthorpe	Leicestershire		Southampton	Hampshire	^[50]
1986	Betty Maisey	Barking	Essex		North Walsham	Norfolk	^[51]
1987		Camborne	Cornwall		Burnham	Buckinghamshire	^[52]
1988		Burnham	Buckinghamshire	Wendy Barnard	Brixham	Devon	^[53]
1989		Alfreton	Derbyshire		Southampton	Hampshire	^[54]
1990		Milton Park	Hampshire	Joan Howlett	West Bridgford	Nottinghamshire	^[55]
1991	Jean Evans	Perkins	Huntingdonshire		Yeovil	Somerset	^[56]
1992		Southampton	Hampshire	Liz Shorter	County Arts	Norfolk	^[57]
1993	Dorothy Prior	Hewell Redditch	Worcestershire	Carole Lloyd	Milton Park	Hampshire	^[58]
1994	Ingrid Betke	Thaxted	Essex	Pat Kirk	Wealdstone	Middlesex	^[59]
1995	Janet Newman	St Austell	Cornwall	Vi Wade	Kingsthorpe	Northamptonshire	^[60]
1996	Mary Price	Burnham	Buckinghamshire	Katherine Hawes	Oxford City	Oxfordshire	^[61]
1997	Mary Price	Burnham	Buckinghamshire	Jean Baker	Blackwell	Derbyshire	^[62]
1998	Norma Shaw	Norton-on-Tees	Durham	Gill Mitchell	Kettering Lodge	Northamptonshire	^[63]
1999	Joyce Hadfield	Newquay	Cornwall	Jayne Smith	Henlow Park	Bedfordshire	^[64]
2000	Ann Anderson	Woodland Darlington	County Durham	Janet Green	West Moors	Dorset	^[65]
2001	Sue Harriott	Exmouth Madeira	Devon		Pat Kirk	Wealdstone	Middx	^[66]
2002	Helen Wall	South Derbyshire	Derbyshire	Jayne Christie	Henlow Park	Bedfordshire	^[67]
2003	Shirley Page	Baldock	Hertfordshire	Wendy King	Milton Regis	Kent	^[68]
2004	Amy Monkhouse	Waltham Park	Lincolnshire	Norma Beales	Burnham	Buckinghamshire	^[69]
2005	Julie Saunders	Richmond Park	Hampshire	Sue Davies	Broadway	Worcestershire	^[70]
2006	Barbara Adams	Market Bosworth	Leicestershire	Barbara Bellamy	Newton Abbot	Devon	^[71]
2007		Yeovil	Somerset	Ellen Falkner	City of Ely	Cambridgeshire	^[72]
2008		Yeovil	Somerset	Margaret Watts	Desborough	Northamptonshire
2009	Jayne Croxall	Mansfield	Nottinghamshire	Sally Butcher	Borough of Eve	Suffolk
2010		Kings	Devon	Jackie Gibson	Thetford Staniforth	Norfolk
2011		St. Neots	Cambridgeshire		Cleethorpes	Lincolnshire
2012	Amy Truran	Homefield Park	Sussex		Cleethorpes	Lincolnshire
2013	Amy Truran	Homefield Park	Sussex	Sue Davies	Broadway	Worcestershire
2014		Kings	Devon	Sue Evans	Honiton	Devon
2015		Kings	Devon	Gemma Barnett	Cheam	Surrey
2016	Donna Knight	Oxford City	Oxfordshire	Rachel Mackriell	Eastbourne	Sussex
2017	Kirsty Richards	Kings Heath	Warks		Kings	Devon	^[73]
2018		Kings	Devon		Cleethorpes	Lincs	^[74]
2019	Jamie-Lea Winch	Kingscroft	Leics	Teresa Parnell	Stockton	Durham	^[75]
No competition due to COVID-19 pandemic	^[76]
2021		Clevedon	Somerset	Chris Mitchell	Purton	Wiltshire
2022	Rebecca Moorbey	Parkway	Hunts	Elaine Score	Springhouse	Essex	^[77]
2023	Stef Branfield	Clevedon	Somerset		Jayne Christie	Potton	Bedfordshire	^[78]
2024	Izzie White	Chester Road	Worcs	Anne Bernard	Ryde Marina	IOW	^[79]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Past Records. Bowls England.
2. Book: Bolsover, Godfrey . Who's Who and Encyclopaedia of Bowls . 1959 . Rowland Publications Ltd, Nottingham (pre ISBN).
3. News: Woman's Bowls Title . Daily Mirror . 30 August 1932 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
4. News: Women's Bowls Finals. Daily News (London) . 19 September 1933 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
5. News: Woman Bowls Champion . Daily News (London) . 18 September 1934 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
6. News: Bowls . Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette . 28 August 1935 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
7. News: Weston Woman's Victory Kiss . Western Daily Press . 26 August 1936 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
8. News: Woman's National Championships . Western Daily Press . 28 August 1937 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
9. News: Woman's Bowling Championships . Western Morning News . 27 August 1938. British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
10. News: Woman's Bowls titles . Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer . 26 August 1939 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 17 August 2023.
11. News: Ladies' Bowls Champion . Surrey Mirror . 6 September 1946 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
12. News: items . Nottingham Evening Post . 30 August 1947 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
13. News: Cricket and Bowls round-up. Torbay Express and South Devon Echo . 30 August 1948 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
14. News: Bowls record . Hull Daily Mail . 27 August 1949 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
15. News: Three Bowls titles for Devon . Nottingham Journal . 26 August 1950 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
16. News: Bowls Champions . Daily Herald . 1 September 1951 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
17. News: Paignton woman wins title . Torbay Express and South Devon Echo . 30 August 1952 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
18. News: Sussex Women Bowlers Triumph . Sussex Daily News . 29 August 1953 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
19. News: Woman Wins Singles Title at First Attempt . Birmingham Daily Post . 28 August 1954 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
20. News: Mrs Beath Wins Bowls Title . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 27 August 1955 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
21. News: Frome Woman Wins Bowls Title . Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer . 31 August 1956 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
22. News: Mrs McNaughton beaten in final . Shields Daily News . 30 August 1957 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
23. News: Miss Whalley makes history despite an injury . Birmingham Daily Post . 30 August 1958 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
24. News: Holiday follows bowls triumph . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 28 August 1959 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
25. News: She is England's top woman bowler . East Kent Gazette . 2 September 1960 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
26. News: Woman Bowls title by a narrow margin . Harrow Observer . 31 August 1961 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
27. News: Woman Bowler Retains Title . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 24 August 1962 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
28. News: Bowls . Daily Mirror . 31 August 1963 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
29. News: Women's Bowls . Nottingham Guardian . 28 August 1964 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
30. News: Gradndmother of a Battle . Daily Mirror . 28 August 1965 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
31. News: English Title for Dora Hills . Birmingham Daily Post . 27 August 1966 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
32. News: Women's champion . Reading Evening Post . 25 August 1967 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
33. News: Mrs Bufton wins by convincing margin . Birmingham Daily Post . 31 August 1968 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
34. News: Bowling . The Scotsman . 30 August 1969 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
35. News: Level Now . Harrow Observer . 4 September 1970 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
36. News: A champion at the first attempt . Birmingham Daily Post . 28 August 1971 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
37. News: Taunton move consistently into semi-finals . 19 Aug 1972 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 5 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
38. News: Title win . Belfast Telegraph . 17 August 1973 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
39. News: National Bowls Champ . Diss Express . 23 August 1974 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
40. News: Success follows tragedy . Birmingham Daily Post . 21 August 1975 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
41. News: Results . Birmingham Daily Post . 13 August 1976 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
42. News: Wigton struggle to beat Avenue . Birmingham Daily Post . 12 August 1977 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
43. News: Ilene KO's Kath and lifts title . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 12 August 1978 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
44. News: Lorraine's a Champ! . Reading Evening Post . 10 August 1979 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
45. News: Bowls . Daily Mirror . 15 August 1980 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
46. News: Bowls . Daily Mirror . 14 August 1981 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
47. News: Bowls . Sandwell Evening Mail . 13 August 1982 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
48. News: Bowls . Western Daily Press . 12 August 1983 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
49. News: Top bowler . Liverpool Echo . 10 August 1984 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
50. News: Outside Ena snatches title . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 9 August 1985 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
51. News: Busy Irene roars back . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 8 August 1986 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
52. News: Bowls . Hull Daily Mail . 14 August 1987 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
53. News: Bowls . Birmingham Weekly Mercury . 28 August 1988 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
54. News: Notts fall out of title hunt . Nottingham Evening Post . 14 August 1989 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
55. News: Barbara bowls them over . Birmingham Weekly Mercury . 12 August 1990 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
56. News: Good Evans-it's Jean's title . Birmingham Weekly Mercury . 11 August 1991 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
57. News: Wendy Wins . Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph . 7 August 1992 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
58. News: Sunday Sun (Newcastle) . Birmingham Weekly Mercury . 8 August 1993 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
59. News: Cambridge Daily News . Betke is best of bunch . 11 August 1994 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
60. News: Jean loses double chance . Sports Argus . 12 August 1995 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
61. News: Coventry Evening Telegraph . Price glory but young brigade make mark . 9 September 1996 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
62. News: Coventry Evening Telegraph . Price equals record in thrilling climax . 18 August 1997 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
63. News: Birmingham Weekly Mercury . Quartet seal it for Warwicks . 16 August 1998 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
64. News: Birmingham Weekly Mercury . Joyce's crown . 15 August 1999 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 18 August 2023.
65. News: For the Record . 18 Aug 2000 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 29 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
66. News: The Daily results service . 20 Aug 2001 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 10 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
67. News: The results service . 19 Aug 2002 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 11 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
68. News: The results service . 18 Aug 2003 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 30 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
69. News: Monkhouse wins . 16 Aug 2004. The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 27 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
70. Web site: Julie snaps up English singles title . Dorset Echo . 18 August 2023.
71. News: Bowls . 21 Aug 2006 . The Times . 18 Aug 2023 . 51 . The Times Digital Archive. subscription .
72. Web site: Bowls England Past winners . Bowls England . 19 August 2023.
73. Web site: Richards captures prestigious national singles crown. Stratford Observer.
74. Web site: Results Portal. Bowls England.
75. Web site: WINCH COMPLETES SINGLES HAT-TRICK . Bowls England . 18 August 2023.
76. Web site: Plans for 2020 in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak. Bowls England.
77. Web site: 2022 National Championships . Bowls England . 8 September 2022.
78. Web site: 2023 National Championships women's singles . Bowls England . 23 August 2023.
79. Web site: 2024 National Championships women's singles . Bowls England . 26 August 2024.