Cyril Davies - Club Founder

Cyril Davies was born and raised near Caerphilly, and worked for many years in management with Avon Rubber. A subsequent move to Nuway Flooring brought him to Newport in Shropshire, where he found all the bowling was crown green. Rather than join this discipline Cyril set about forming a flat green club, and persuaded the Director of the sports complex at Lilleshall to allow the fledgling club to use the hall's croquet lawn. (club history)

Cyril later turned his knowledge of rubber to a new use, forming his own company making high-quality tree ties. Marketing the tree ties involved many thousands of miles of driving, and he often took along his old friend and fellow bowler, Dennis Jones.

A keen sportsman, Cyril played and loved both rugby and bowls, though as time went on he favoured the latter as less likely to produce injuries. He bowled to a high standard, frequently playing at county level, and was a regular member of President's teams. The perfect gentleman on and off the green, Cyril was a most encouraging skip, with rarely a harsh word however poor the wood you sent to him! Indeed, a groveling "sorry skip" from his rink after leaving him 5 or 6 down would usually be met with a cheery "Don't worry, I'm going to draw the shot" - which in most cases he would promptly do!

Cyril's enthusiasm was always on show and he would greet a particularly fine (or indeed lucky) shot with a "Cyril Twirl" - a sort of cross between a rain-dance and offering praise to the Almighty! As such shots were not infrequent this is an image all Lilleshall members who played with him will fondly remember. How fitting, therefore, that the hymn sung at his funeral service was "Lord of the Dance."

Quentin Smith