History of Balmain and the Origins of the Balmain Bowling Club

Balmain, named after the 550-acre grant awarded to colonial surgeon William Balmain by Governor Hunter in 1800, saw a sluggish initial settlement due to the lack of transportation options to the area. The peninsula began to develop as a suburb from the 1830s to the 1850s, bolstered by the establishment of regular ferry connections to the city. The reliance on steamers, ferries, and coastal vessels for travel and trade led to the creation of shipyards along the harbour foreshores, attracting workers who sought to live close to their places of employment .

As Balmain’s population increased, so did the demand for essential services such as housing, shops, churches, schools, police, and healthcare facilities. In response to this growth, Balmain Council was formed in 1860. By the 1880s, Balmain had emerged as a leading social suburb in Sydney, boasting numerous clubs and institutions including rowing, swimming, bowling, cricket clubs, and institutes like the Balmain Literary Institute, the Balmain Working Men’s Institute, and the Balmain School of Arts .

In 1879, a group of prominent Balmain locals with a shared interest in lawn bowls convened at the local School of Arts to discuss establishing a bowling club in the district. They raised an initial capital fund of £1,000, divided into 40 shares of £25 each. This led to the formation and incorporation of the Balmain Bowling Club in 1880 .

The inaugural opening of the Balmain Bowling Club on April 9, 1881, was a grand event. The day featured toasts, speeches, refreshments, and various amusements, with the Balmain Coldstream Band providing musical entertainment. The event was well-attended by notable community members and bowlers from other clubs, with John Young, a significant figure in the bowling community, formally opening the club. Young’s lifelong dedication to bowling saw him become the founding president of the New South Wales Bowling Association, a position he held for twenty-six years .

Despite Balmain’s prosperity attracting more industry to the peninsula, by the late 1880s, the suburb faced issues of overcrowding and poor organization. Factories operated next to houses and schools, streets were poorly planned, and the suburb experienced a decline. The early 20th century saw a shift in Balmain’s demographics, with industrial activity dropping and a younger, poorer population moving in as the old population moved out. By 1933, unemployment in Balmain reached 38.1%, significantly higher than the NSW average of 18.4% .

The suburb’s inadequate sewerage systems and sanitation led to health issues, including a notable typhoid outbreak in 1886 traced to seepage from a cemetery into a dairy’s well. The Victorian parliament responded with the Public Health Act, establishing a department to oversee sanitation .

Post-World War II, large-scale industries dominated Balmain’s foreshore, providing employment but also contributing to noise and pollution. In 1948, Balmain Council was dissolved, and the suburb, along with Birchgrove, Rozelle, and Annandale, came under the administration of Leichhardt Council .

The mid-1960s saw an influx of tertiary-educated middle-class professionals attracted by Balmain’s architecture, harbour frontages, and proximity to the CBD. The formation of the Balmain Association in 1965 aimed to give residents a voice in planning and heritage issues. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Balmain transitioned from a working-class industrial suburb to a gentrified area with many homes renovated by their new middle-class owners. The closure of much of the area’s industry opened up the foreshores to public access, driven by resident action. By 1990, Balmain and Birchgrove were among Sydney’s most desirable waterfront locations, leading to a housing boom and significant redevelopment of former industrial sites in the 1990s .

References

Balmain Association. “Balmain History.” Accessed July 19, 2024. balmainassociation.org.
“History of Balmain.” Inner West Council. Accessed July 19, 2024. innerwest.nsw.gov.au.
State Library of New South Wales. “Balmain: A History.” Accessed July 19, 2024. sl.nsw.gov.au.
Balmain Bowling Club. “Our Story.” Accessed July 19, 2024. balmainbowlingclub.com.au.
Young, John. “John Young and the NSW Bowling Association.” Bowling Australia. Accessed July 19, 2024. bowls.com.au.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. “Historical Unemployment Rates in Australia.” Accessed July 19, 2024. abs.gov.au.
Public Health Act, 1886. “An Act to Amend the Law Relating to Public Health.” Victorian Parliament.
Leichhardt Municipal Council. “Historical Overview.” Accessed July 19, 2024. leichhardt.nsw.gov.au.
“Gentrification of Balmain: A Case Study.” Sydney University Urban Studies Department. Accessed July 19, 2024. sydney.edu.au.