
Margaret Malcolm has been inducted into the Bowls New Zealand Hall of Fame.
She joined 40 or so other Kiwi lawn bowls legends … the likes of Brassey, Skoglund and Belliss, … and Wilkie, Castle and Khan ... in receiving the ultimate accolade that the New Zealand bowls community can bestow.
“When I rang her up to tell her about the news,” says Bowls New Zealand Vice President, Jan Tucker, “Her husband, Bruce, answered the phone. There was stunned silence at the other end. And when he told Margaret, she wept. They were both so overwhelmed.”
Jan’s known Margaret for over 30 years. “She’s an institution at the Port Chalmers Bowling Club, where’s she’s played for nearly 40 years,” says Jan. “In fact she’s an institution in Port Chalmers itself. She was born here. She’s been involved in rugby here, basketball here, cricket here, and of course bowls here.”
“Her husband Bruce is also an institution in Port Chalmers. Yet somehow they’ve both managed to find the time to bring up five children ‘in Port’.”
Margaret’s done just about anything and everything at the Port Chalmers Bowling Club. Not to mention anything and everything for the Otago Women’s Bowling Association (and Bowls Dunedin after amalgamation). Margaret has also done a heck of a lot at national level (see below).
“It would be hard to find anyone who’s given more service to the game of lawn bowls,” adds Jan. “and been still able to play a very sharp game of bowls at the same time.”
Margaret has 40 club titles to her name. She’s nabbed 11 Centre titles. And although a National title has eluded her, she played in the Four that were runners-up in 2004.
It was both these contributions to the game ... her contribution as an outstanding administrator coupled with her contribution as a bowls athlete, that made her a candidate for the Hall of Fame.
The Bowls New Zealand Hall of Fame doesn’t only induct the best of the best of our lawn bowls athletes, but the best of the best of those who have contributed to the game generally. “I don’t know Margaret personally,” observed Bowls New Zealand Chief Executive, Mark Cameron, “But I’ve heard much about Margaret’s contribution to the game. Her induction is well-deserved.”
Mark Cameron joined Bowls New Zealand President Mark O’Connor, Vice-President Jan Tucker, Dunedin City Council Mayor Aaron Hawkins, Ward Councillor Steve Waller and more than 50 players past and present at the Port Chalmers Bowling Club last week in a ceremony inducting Margaret into the Hall.
Margaret’s no stranger to being feted for her achievements – in 2004 she received the Order of New Zealand Medal for her services to bowls and back in 1990 the Otago Rugby Football Union made her “Woman of the Year’.
“For me, Margaret’s most remarkable achievement was the work she did before, during and after amalgamation in 1996,” says Jan. “It seems difficult to imagine looking back now, but they were turbulent years … there was a lot of very strong opinion from both men and women, both supporting and opposing amalgamation. Margaret did a lot of work settling both men and women down, and getting them to work together.”
“Along with other women in the Centre like Margaret Grubb and Donella O’Dea, she helped break down what was a pretty fuddy-duddy game at the time with all its rules and regulations.”
These days, Margaret’s health isn’t the best. She’s had to give up the game she’s enjoyed playing and administering for years. “But it still doesn’t stop her dropping into the Port Bowling Club occasionally and watching the bowls,” says Club Secretary Alan Wise. “I’ve been at the club for 12 years, but Margaret seems to have been around forever.”
“It was a privilege to be at her induction,” says President Mark O’Connor. “and to have had the ceremony at the Port Chalmers Bowling Club.”
“Port Chalmers may be renowned for the first refrigerated export of meat on the ship ‘Dunedin’, and the base for Robert Falcon Scott’s and Ernest Shackleton’s explorations of Antarctica, but it can now add Margaret to its fame.”
Well done Margaret.
MARGARET AT A GLANCE
Port Chalmers Bowling Club
1982 Joined Port Chalmers Bowling Club
1983-2001 Committee Member, Women’s Section
1983-2001 Club Delegate, Otago Women’s Bowling Section
1985-1988 President, Women’s Section
1990-1992 Member, Club Centennial Committee
1990-2011 Selector
1995-1997 President, Women’s Section
1995-2006 Convenor, Ties Committee
1995-2016 Coach
2001-2008 Tournament Secretary
2001-2016 Committee Member, amalgamated club
2001-2012 Club Delegate, Bowls Dunedin
2008-2011 President, amalgamated club
2012-today Life Member
2013-2016 Vice President
Otago Centre
1985-2001 Member Executive, Otago Women’s Bowling Association
1991-1992 President, Otago Women’s Bowling Association
1993-2020 Clubs ‘500’ Afternoons
1996-2002 Intercentre Teams Manager, Bowls Dunedin
2001 Manager & Selector, Area 8 Super Eight Team
2004 Life Member, Bowls Dunedin
2015-2020 Patron, Bowls Dunedin
For 5 years Women’s Manager , Champion of Champion Singles Player Event
For x years Selector, Otago Women’s Bowling Association
For x years Women’s Selector, Bowls Dunedin
For x years Centre Representative, Otago Women’s Bowling Association
For x years Centre Representative, Bowls Dunedin
National
1986 Umpire (Badge No. 2376), New Zealand Women’s Bowling Association
1992-1996 Councillor, New Zealand Women’s Bowling Association
1993-1995 Committee Member, Asia Pacific Games Dunedin
1994-1996 Committee Member, New Zealand Women’s Bowling Association
1995-2001 Councillor, Bowls New Zealand
1997 Chart Room Controller, Nationals Tournament Dunedin
2001-2002 Vice President, Bowls New Zealand
2001-2002 Member, Bowls New Zealand Umpires Board
2002-2003 President, Bowls New Zealand
2002 Chart Room Controller, Nationals Tournament Dunedin
2007 Chart Room Controller, Nationals Tournament Dunedin
2008 Chart Room Assistant, Nationals Tournament Christchurch
Lawn bowls achievements
1982-today Winner 40 x Club titles
1982-today Winner 11 x Centre titles
2003 Officer, New Zealand Order of Merit for services to bowls
2004 Runner-Up National Fours
Other sports achievements
1951-1965 Representative, Port Chalmers Basketball Club
1955-1961 Representative, Otago Indoor Basketball
1978-1991 Women’s Committee Member, Port Chalmers Rugby Football Club
1980-1991 Chair Women’s Committee, Port Chalmers Rugby Football Club
1988-1991 Member Management Committee, Port Chalmers Rugby Football Club
Premier Grade Representative, Otago Women’s Cricket
1990 Woman of the Year, Otago Rugby Football Union