Before I do so. There was a bit of a miscount at the quiz on Friday night and the team from Queens Park should have won by a mighty 9.5 points. However my addition failed me and gave the quiz to another team. My humblest apologies!
So here is the speech - enjoy. It has put Hampden BC on the map with all the Queens Park faithful. Great to see.
Have a great week!
Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Graeme Brown and I am secretary of the Hampden Bowling Club. So one thing straight away that gives us something in common. We both play and watch at Hampden, love Hampden and want the best for the best for Hampden.
So why am I here. Well that will all become apparent. I would like to firstly thank Keith McCallister for inviting me these evening. It has been some weekend and hats off to you sir.
So I am going to tell you a story that very few know about. But where best to start than at Hampden… The Bowling Club that is.
Hampden Bowling Club was established in 1905. On the corner of Queens Park Avenue and Queens Drive. It was started by the players of Polmadie Bowling Club who were being moved on to make way for residential buildings. It is and will always be a small club dwarfed by its neighbours along Queens Drive of Queens Park and Wellcroft. In fact in this area there are 9 clubs within a mile of Hampden.
Like all bowling clubs it has a rich history. Started by the locals when the residential housing in the area increased. And just like Queens Park FC it has had success winning the Glasgow Singles and Glasgow Triples. At its peak it had a waiting list and 110 members. It has the most amazing people and committee with amazing life stories and the kindness to go with it.
But like all clubs it has fallen on hard times. The average age of the club is increasing and the membership falling. So in 2011 it resulted in sending letters out to all the local residents to say ‘use or loose it’. This beautiful pavilion and bowling green will be no longer if you don’t come along and be part of it.
Now I live opposite Hampden Bowling Club and couldn't believe what i was reading. How could such a beautiful building be at threat? So I went along. I walked in the door and met Alec Rae one of the longest serving members. I was chatting away to him and he started telling me the history of the place. He said “We are on the 1st Hampden Park.” At that point I stopped the conversation. I said ‘Excuse Me’ what are you talking about. Well there are three Hampdens in Glasgow and this is the first one. I couldn’t believe my ears. A passionate Scot. A football fan. I didn't know. And then he said “the pavilion used to over in that corner over there…..before the railway went in.
So I asked the obvious question. Why do i not know about this? And why doesn't the world know anything about this. All he could say was - this has been passed through the bowling club over the years. But there isn't anything that shows that it was here apart from the fact we know. I thought what a wonderful story and signed up as a member.
They say clubs are infectious. Social member for 2 years became full member in the 3rd year and then one night I was asked ‘Graeme the secretary is leaving at the end of this year - do you fancy it?’ Now we have all been there. Asked at the end of the night after a few drinks, when your wall is down and before you know it you have uttered the words “Off course I will”.
From that moment on we have been on a mission to get our amazing story out there. First there was the website. Then we went into the world of Facebook and Twitter. Our tagline for the Twitter is very simple. The Hampden Bowling Club is the best wee club in the Southside of Glasgow. Our mission is to tell the world our story... and a have a lot of fun along the way! This is quite revolutionary for a bowling club….we still send out letters for AGMs etc..
But we still didn't have the proof of the 1st Hampden. But I got a lucky break. My neighbour Tam Macnab was doing a documentary on the demise of 3rd Lanark and he needed somewhere to interview. The bowling club was the perfect place. This is where I met Ged O’Brien and he started telling me all the amazing things about the 1st Hampden. Queens Park played there for 10 years. It was the first purposefully built international football stadium in the world. The first stadium to have turnstiles and a season ticket. Where Queens Park invented the modern game by passing rather than kick and rush. By the end of our chat I was like - do you think this is it? He said. Looks like the pavilion doesn't it….while scratching his head.
So this year I went on a mission. This evidence had to be out there and I started researching it. I went through ever map on the National Library of Scotland for that period in the area. I could not find one map that showed it. I then read Richard Robinson’s chapter on 1st Hampden. But even he didn’t have a map or drawing of where it was. All he said was that it was in the shadow of Hampden Terrace….
But there was one clue that stood out. The reason that Queens Park moved in 1883 was because the Cathcart District Railway went through it. So I thought there must be a record of this so I looked it up and found that the entire catalogue of works for the railway which are held at the National Records of Scotland. So i sent off an enquiry for a few of the records for that section of the track. After a couple of months I got an email back. They had a look and thought they had found the map and it was in the post.
And then it arrived. Would it show it once and for all. Or would it show that it was on Queens Park Recreation ground after all. So I got one of the members Jim Peden another Queens Parks fan along to open it with me. And here is that very map ladies and gents.
It shows clearly that the 1st Hampden was on the corner of Cathcart and Turnpike Road and Queens Drive. The records also showed that it was owned by QPFC, it had a pavilion, a stand, office space and privies. Its a momentous find. For us we truly believe that this is one of the wonders of the footballing world.
Our pavilion and grounds are fascinating. Its where the modern stadium started - a template for all others. And we are so glad to finally find it. But the story doesn't stop there. Just like Queens Park we need to ensure that it is recognised and restored. Not just the bowling club but also Kingsley Gardens - the other half of the first pitch. This is not being looked after by the council and needs a lot of work.
So what are we doing about it. So we have set up the #Restore1stHampden crowdfunding page to raise money to restore this wonderful area. Its also to try and bring a spotlight to this place of national heritage. I am also running 10 x 10ks to raise money for it. And this morning I completed the 5th one at Crieff. So I’m half way there by Queens Park birthday.
We have worked with Craig Stewart to get articles in the press about the find and when there are big games on a Hampden. A big thanks to him. Working with Keith to have the first night of this weekend at the bowling club was fantastic. A great night where we managed to hold the first International fixture between Scotland and Germany. Where scotland ran out 4-2 victors. It was bowls of course.
So there is a mission. You can read all about it in the weekly blog on our website. You can follow the story on the Facebook page and twitter account. Its amazing to be part of the Queens Park story. I believe that having 3 Hampdens in Glasgow is astonishing - you just couldn't script it. And its so important that the first one is there for another 100 years. People need to know about this monument to the most influential football team off all time . It is a place where Queens Park were the best in the world. The only place where Scotland can boast a 100% home record. You can also set foot on the first place the Scottish Cup final was ever played.
So we have made a start. Rome wasn't built in a day they say but Hampden has been here undiscovered for over a hundred years. I only ask one thing Ladies and Gentlemen. Please start talking about this. Its so important. I think Queens Park FC is an amazing club. Its fantastic to have reached a 150 years of age.
Big congratulations from everyone at Hampden Bowling Club.