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1952-80 Declining Years

The post war years from 1952 to 1980 were considered to be THE DECLINING YEARS in the club’s fortunes because during that period the membership level dwindled and the financial position of the club began to deteriorate . There was a call for the Directors to establish a closer working relationship with the Officers of the club and during the Coronation year in 1953, the club house was repainted . 

There was significant contact with other clubs, allowing Three Spires facilities to be used by those who did not have their own green or whose facilities for some reason were out of commission. These included Rootes Bowling Club, Massey Ferguson, Coventry Evening Telegraph Bowls Club, and Coventry Printers, while Hearsall Golf Club used Three Spires’ facilities after there was a fire at their club-house .

The American President , J. F. Kennedy , was assassinated in November 1963 and a year later  saw the death of O. Grunau , a leading light and stalwart of the club for more than 40 years . Born in Lithuania at the end of the 19th century, he had emigrated to Scotland obtaining British citizenship there and he was the founder of one of the many automotive companies established in Coventry in the early part of the 20th century.

Grunau was one of the first members of the newly formed Three Spires in the 1920s. He went on to be the club Captain , the club singles champion on several occasions, and also the club President . His wife , too , Mrs G. Grunau was a keen bowler, becoming both Captain and President of the Ladies Section and the Grunaus held the almost unique achievement of being both the men’s and ladies singles  champions in the same year of 1950 . He went on to be a director for many years and was Chairman of the Board of Directors until his death .  

Such was the parlous state of the club’s finances during this period that it was necessary to sell not only the second green for development in 1965 (and for the relatively meagre sum too believed to be in the region of £4000) but also the disposal of the greenkeeper’s house at 63 Berkeley Road for £2015 10s 3d in 1967.

Nevertheless , Three Spires members were still active in the Warwickshire bowling scene and there could be no doubt that Mrs E. Beard was the outstanding lady bowler of the 1950s being the club singles champion five times in that decade while H. Sutton was a seven times men’s champion in the 1960s and 1970s.  F. Moore was the Men’s County President in 1958 and Mrs M. Clark was the Ladies President in both 1959 and later in 1972 .