It will be of interest to today's younger members to compare the club house of early years with the modern construction which emerged from the program of rebuilding and expansion in this centennial year.
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The early clubhouse comprised a wood and galvanised iron shed of two rooms, each 20 feet long and 11 feet wide.
One room was fitted with a door and two shutter-covered windows. This room could be locked and shuttered. It was used to hold gear, tennis nets, etc.
The adjacent "'room" was open to the elements on one side of its length.
It contained a fixed trestle-type table about 15-foot long with forms up each of the long sides.
Here the players had afternoon tea which was prepared in the locker room and passed through a small hatch to the members around the table.
Also of interest will be how the first green was established.
Despite the difficulties of the time, a full-size bowling green 120-foot square was pegged out.
As the influenza epidemic waned working bees were organised and the task of excavating, refilling and levelling got underway.
In time, the area was levelled and seeded, and the green became a reality.
Rolling was done with a home-made cement roller pulled by two volunteers and the grass, when it eventually flourished, was kept under control with a 12-inch rotary hand mower.
It was not until 1928 that the first petrol driven mower was introduced.
One of the old stalwarts, who had regularly assisted in the cutting of the green, refused to use the new "'monster".
He was the late George Annesley who went on to help the club in many ways in the ensuing years.
In the closing days of the 1920s Lithgow was confronted with a difficult era in its industrial history because Hoskins Iron and Steelworks were dismantling and systematically moving all sections and mills to the Wollongong-Port Kembla region.
The Great Depression had arrived and a number of club members, who were employed in the mines and steelworks, became unemployed.
To retain membership these men expended time and energy as part-time green-keepers in lieu of annual subscription.
At this time subscriptions were lowered to two guineas per year and a green fee of 1/- on Saturday and 6d. on Sunday was introduced.
Nevertheless, progress was being made and a small green on which three rinks could be marked out in one direction and four in the other had been used and although small, had probably a better surface than the current No. 1 green.
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- Lithgow Fire Protection