Squires, Ted – Grantham’s Mr Bowls

Edward Squires (1920-2011)

Ted Squires was ‘Mr Bowls ,  the stalwart of Grantham’s indoor and outdoor bowling scenes.

He held all the top positions locally as well as at county and national level.

But in his younger days, his sporting activities took him in other directions.

He played basketball, rugby union, and hockey as well as swimming and athletics.

But his first love had been football, and it wasn’t until he turned 50 that he finally hung up his boots, having played for Grantham Co-Op, Neals and Grantham Reserves.

He also won a Culverthorpe Cup medal with Gonerby in 1951.

He first took to the greens in 1965 with Wyndham Park, and four years later joined the higher level Grantham Bowls Club.

Ted played for Lincolnshire and helped take them to their first win in the Middleton Cup national inter-county competition at Worthing in 1976 – the pinnacle of his playing career.

He also saw Lincolnshire win the title a second time 20 years later when he was a selector and spectator at the Worthing final.

Ted was a founder member of Grantham Indoor Bowls Club and was on its executive committee from 1981 until 2010.

He was president of Grantham Outdoor Bowls Club in 1984-85, captain in 1982-83 and treasurer.

Ted played for Grantham against the England President’s team and twice won the Skegness Open EBA pairs title with John Goode – a double not often achieved.

But what he enjoyed the most, was helping youngsters develop their skills on the rinks.

He died in Spalding Hospital.