History 2

The Cheltenham Skittles League was founded in August 1938, when a group of people assembled in the Sidney Arms in Pittville Street to form a skittles league and at that meeting the Cheltenham Skittles League was born. It started with just 12 teams, Sidney Arms, Brown Jug, New Inn at Charlton Kings, London Inn, Greyhound Inn, Adam and Eve, White Horse, Old Anchor, Beehive Inn at Prestbury, Royal Hotel at Charlton Kings, Midlands Inn and the Malvern Inn at Leckhampton. Winners of the 1938/39 inaugural season were ' The Sidney ', following season 1939/40 the' New Inn' from Charlton Kings took the title and in that season the Charities Cup was started, the first winners were the White Horse.

The league was suspended during the war period and restarted for 1948/49 season and the' New Inn ' carried on where they had left off by taking their second title in the third year of the league.

1949/50 season saw a big increase in the popularity of skittles with the formation of Divisions 2, 3 and 4. bringing a total of 64 teams

By 1950/51 a fifth division and the first ladies division were formed the winners being the Suffolk Arms Ladies.

By 1960/61 season saw 162 men's teams in nine divisions and 54 Ladies teams in three divisions. 17 out of the 18 in the then first division are still in one of the leagues today

At its peak 1973 through to 1994 the Cheltenham Skittles League consisted of 19 men's leagues with 16 teams per league and an average of 16 players per team, as of today there are 15 men's divisions. The Ladies have 8 divisions and have remained constant in total since the seventies.

We celebrated our Golden Jubilee year in 1987/1988 and that year over 6500 players were registered

Teams consist of twelve players, divided into 4 sets of 3 players, each player will bowl 3 balls (a hand) each player will play 6 hands (18 balls ) per set.

Many leagues throughout the country play skittles in many different ways, but all play with the same object in mind that being to hit as many pins down with three balls and just enjoy the evening.

1951/52 Kings Arms	1952/53 Tivoli
1953/54 Talbot Inn	1954/55 Sherbourne Arms
1955/56 Sherbourne Arms	1956/57 Sydney Arms
1957/58 Shakespeare Inn 'A'	1958/59 Suffolk Arms
1959/60 Sherbourne Inn 'A'	1960/61 S. Smith and Sons
1961/62 Kings Head 'A' B/C	19662/63 Kings Head 'A' B/C
1963/64 Double Barrel	1964/65 Umbrella
1965/66 Britannia	1966/67 Malvern 'A'
1967/68 Britannia	1968/69 Britannia
1969/70 Sherbourne	1970/71 Suffolk
1971/72 Wheatsheaf	1972/73 Half Crowns
1973/74 Suffolk	1974/75 Sherbourne
1975/76 Wheatsheaf	1976/77 Suffolk
1977/78 Wheatsheaf	1978/79 Breakaways
1979/80 Sherbourne	1980/81 Suffolk
1981/82 Wheatsheaf	1982/83 Golden Millers
1983/84 Wheatsheaf	1984/85 Princes Plume
1985/86 Gamblers	1986/87 Wheatsheaf
1987/88 Golden Millers	1988/89 Tatty'eads
1989/90 Charlton Club 'A'	1990/91 Crown and Harp
1991/92 Aristocrats	1992/93 Aristocrats
1993/94 Wheatsheaf	1994/95 Aristocrats
1995/96 Wheatsheaf	1996/97 Crown and Harp Ladies
1997/98 Aristocrats	1998/99 Union Ladies
1999/00 Wheatsheaf	2000/01 Gothics
2001/02 Aristocrats	2002/03 Aristocrats
2003/04 Wheatsheaf	2004/05 Gothics
2005/06 Merrymaids	2006/07 Merrymaids