3. A Brief History

 

The end of the First World War brought major societal and cultural changes to the world, including in South Australia. Returned servicemen and women from the War had increased interest in leisure-time activities. Similarly, South Australian citizens who had not fought during the Great War were weary of wartime measures that had been imposed in the State. During World War I, it was not uncommon for weekends to be taken up by volunteering for the Volunteer Rifle Corps (basically a militia) in case of invasion. As such, in 1919, the whole world welcomed the opportunity to turn from bloody violence and war to peace and co-operation. Those returning home would never have thought that the entire world would be engulfed in war not even twenty years later. Nevertheless, the wartime spirit of camaraderie and mateship continued on into peacetime pursuits, and was manifest in societies and clubs, which became exponentially more popular as citizens of South Australia tried to catch up for lost time. 

On the 19th of February, 1919, E. (Ted) Ford, an ex-serviceman of the Great War, called a preliminary meeting of 11 enthusiasts to discuss the possibility of starting a bowling club in Kensington Gardens. These 11 founding members set in motion a chain of events that would lead to the formation of the Kensington Gardens Bowling and Lawn Tennis Club. The meeting was held in the Congregational Church Hall. Coincidentally, the date of this meeting was 23 years to the day prior to when Japanese bombers were to bomb Darwin Harbour for the first time in World War II.

As a result of this meeting, a subcommittee was formed that would attempt to lease part of ‘Piles Paddock’, as it was then known, from the Tramways Trust, who used it to graze horses; the area was also a popular picnic area for the local populace, and is said to be the location where Hans Heysen made his first paintings of gum trees. The mid-point of the area’s northern boundary was the terminus of the Norwood tramline. After negotiating with the Tramways Trust, the subcommittee agreed to rent 1.5 acres of land for £30 per year. It was also agreed that the money needed to rent the land and create a club was to be paid for by debentures loaned by several prospective members. 

On July 24, 1919, a general meeting of 40 prospective members was held in the Anglican Meeting Hall. They resolved:

‘…that the Club be formed and that the sub- committee draw up the necessary Rules, By- laws, and Constitution of the Club for the consideration by members.’ 

Following this meeting, the subcommittee acquired additional land from the Tramways Trust at no additional fee. 

The first Annual General Meeting, held on the 4th of September 1919 in the Anglican Meeting Hall, saw Mr. E.A Whitehead elected as Chairman. The Club Rules, based on the rules of the Prospect Bowling Club, were amended and adopted. Thirty members were present. One of the founding rules was that the Club was limited to 150 men and 30 women. Mr. F. Kenneth Milne was elected as the Club’s first President. 

On 13th October, 1919, the Club was informed that it had been accepted as a member of the S.A Bowling Association. Almost immediately, preparation went underway to create the bowling greens; the construction of the clubhouse was put on hold for a time. 

The first building erected was a tool shed that cost little over £18. Due to water restrictions, Club members took turns in somewhat clandestine night-time watering.  

 

By July, 1920, the job for the construction of the original clubhouse had been let to a couple of contractors: Healy Bros. for brick work, and Bone & Sons for timber work. To try to keep costs down, the Club asked members to volunteer their time in the construction. Despite efforts to keep costs down, the clubhouse still cost nearly twice the intended amount, at £927.10.8. To furnish the new clubhouse, the Club purchased 24 second-hand chairs at 5 shillings each. 

The first function held in the new clubhouse was a committee meeting on 26th September, 1920. Only a month later, on 30th October, the Club’s first open day occurred, the greens and courts being declared open by Mr. J. Rundle, President of the South Australian Bowling Association. 

In August of 1921, the Club became affiliated with the South Australian Lawn Tennis Association; immediately, two men’s and two women’s teams were admitted into the S.A.L.T.A championships. 

Throughout the years of 1921-1934, the Club periodically hosted both Easter and Christmas Tournaments. This proved to be profitable to the Club both financially and in regard to prestige. 

As early as 1922, the Club became associated with junior tennis, something that is continuing to this very day. 

In July, 1922, the Kensington Golf Club became affiliated with the Bowls and Tennis Club. 

By September, 1925, the Club had become too difficult to manage by a single organization. As a result, two sections were created for Tennis and Bowls, each with two representatives on what was then termed the General Committee. Later, other sections would be created, including the Ladies Bowling and Croquet, but these did not always have representation or voting rights on the General Committee. 

In 1926, a Women’s Bowling Section was established. This was a radical and groundbreaking phenomenon. Although women had been permitted into the Club from the outset, women’s bowling was a sporadic and unorganised occurrence. The formation of the Women’s Section was the first time in South Australia that this had happened; subsequently, the founders of this, in particular Club members Mrs. Dorothy Wheeler and Mrs. C.J Edwards, were instrumental in the spreading of women’s bowls in South Australia. 

In 1927, the Croquet Section was granted its own space to play, whereas before they had used both tennis courts and bowling greens; this had been a rather unsatisfactory arrangement to most of those involved. 

The Great Depression, and World War II

The coming of the worldwide Great Depression did not bode well for the Club. By 1929, membership had decreased quite phenomenally to just 225: 112 men, 95 women, and 18 juniors. On 11th of June, 1931, a Special General Meeting was held in which the only discussion was how to keep moving forward financially. It was agreed that the Club would lower the fees for membership. Although this would lower the revenue raised by the Club, it was hoped that this measure would stop the hemorrhaging of members, and possibly entice others to join. However, the 1930-31 records show that despite these measures, membership continued to decrease to 176: 84 men and 92 women. It was the first time in the Club’s history that there were more women members than men. 

Unfortunately, the Club minutes are missing for the decade of 1933-43, and the history written at the Club’s Golden Jubilee is also rather scarce on information for that period. 

Club membership did rise steeply in the period from the end of the Great Depression to the beginning of World War II.  However, the coming of a second global conflict in under half a century had dire consequences for the Club. 

For one, membership steadily dropped again as men were called to the battlefield and women went to work in traditional male jobs, as had been the case during World War I. Furthermore, the Club was not able to be supplied in the same way that it had been before the War. The minutes note that in 1943, the supply of tennis balls to the Club was only 15% of those supplied in 1941. To battle these issues, Club yearly membership was reduced from £30 to £5. Club members also rallied together to ensure the Club could continue on. In fact, the 1943 Annual Report says: 

‘This has been a year of outstanding Club spirit and cooperation. The good results in patriotic efforts, maintenance of Club property, Pennant competition and good fellowship are a direct reflection of the splendid spirit that has prevailed.’                 

Similarly, the Annual Report for 1943-44 states: 

‘Although it was foreseen that difficulties would be encountered in the management of the Club during the years that we were at war, most of the inevitable problems have been surmounted with comparative ease because of the development of a high sense of Club spirit and cooperation among members… The tendency to get together more, to work together and play together has been very pronounced and augurs well for the continued success of our Club as a place of recreation where the trials and anxieties of the times in which we live may be forgotten for a few hours each week.’                    

Thus, as the record shows, the Kensington Gardens Bowling and Tennis Club was a great anchor for many people during the difficult War years. It is perhaps this camaraderie and spirit of cooperation that has allowed the Club to continue ever upward in success. 

 

The Post-War Period

Following World War II, membership increased again as ex-servicemen and women returned from the War, and with improved economic conditions and bourgeoning population, as well as increased interest in leisure-time activities. 

Honorary Life Member and long–serving former General President Knoyle Cross recalls that in 1946, the Club entertained the touring English Test Cricket Team, and that Bill Voce, the left-arm medium-fast bowler who had partnered Harold Larwood in the infamous Bodyline tour of Australia in 1932-1933, provided a stirring rendition of the Yorkshire folksong ‘On llkla Moor Baht’at’.

Recreational activities for members extended not only to bowls, tennis and croquet, but good use was also made of the Club’s piano and table tennis tables.  Well supported working bees were held regularly for many years at the beginning of each season, and to this day some members assist in tending to the shrubs and garden beds surrounding Club’s greens, thus enhancing the amenity of the area. 

Over the next decade, many of the original members began to pass away.  Some of these members left funds for trophies for annual competitions that are named after them. These include the J V Whyte Memorial Handicap Trophy, and the N O Arnott Memorial Handicap Pairs.  

In 1948, there was a grasshopper plague that was problematic for the Club. Nevertheless, there was a continuing increase in activities and facilities immediately following the War. 

In the 1940s and 50s, the Club House was regularly updated and somewhat renovated. By 1950, one of the hard courts was transformed into a seven-rink bowling green. In 1952, the old icebox was traded in for an electric refrigerator. 

After 33 years, the Croquet Section of the Club was discontinued in 1952. The Croquet Flat was converted into three additional tennis courts. Many of the croquet players turned their attention to Bowls. Unfortunately, details of the Croquet Section are sketchy at best. Nevertheless, a founding member did have this to say about the success of the Club’s smallest Section: 

Although the Croquet Section was only a very small group, we must have been most enthusiastic as few of us had any knowledge of the game when we started. However, with some very willing and experienced members (particularly Mrs. R. Jones) coaching us, we soon reached Croquet Association standard and played at Hutt Road, the Association’s headquarters. 

Usually, we started our game at 10 am and played until 4 pm. We all took our own lunches and had them picnic style in a fine weatherproof arbour built by the croquet members on the western side of the club grounds. Croquet is a hard game to master and to coach 20 beginners must have been a mammoth task for Mrs. Jones, who became the section’s first and very popular President and Secretary. 

In 1955, a plan for the construction of an addition to the Club House was prepared by then General Treasurer, Wally Mallen.  This resulted in the erection of the locker room and visitors room at a cost of nearly £3000, which was met mainly by debentures taken out by members, but also by money raised by various fundraising functions. In order to pay back the debentures, the Club hosted many gala days and open tournaments which proved to be financially successful. 

Continuing Growth from the 1960s

In the 1960s South Australia was enjoying a period of prosperity, due largely to Premier Tom Playford’s success in attracting industry to the State after World War II. These included major car and motor vehicle component manufacturers, such as General Motors Holden, Chrysler Australia and Uniroyal (now Bridgestone Australia), and white goods manufacturers (Kelvinator Australia and Simpson), and as well as companies such as Philips Electrical Industries.  Adelaide was also home to other successful companies such as Hills Industries, Penfolds Wines, M S McLeod Holdings (a listed public company founded by Club member Murdoch Stanley McLeod, who was succeeded as managing director and chairman on his death by former General President Knoyle Cross), F H Faulding & Co, Elder Smith Goldsborough Mort, and then emerging companies Santos and Argo Investments. The building and retail industries were continuing to grow steadily.

Many members held significant positions in a number of these companies or industries, or in government departments and agencies, and the Club was also enjoying a buoyant period. Membership in the Bowls Section was strong, and tennis playing membership had to be capped at 250, with up to 200 more people paying a small fee to be put on a tennis membership waiting list. A new Mid-week Membership category was introduced to accommodate further tennis members.  This option was taken up mostly by women, and over the years the Club has participated successfully in the Women’s Midweek Grasscourt Tennis Association competition. 

Starting in 1960, two tournaments of a different nature were founded, both becoming annual matches between the men bowlers of Kensington Gardens and other Clubs. The first, which was played against Tranmere, was for the Ackland-Shearing Shield, named after the Presidents of the two Clubs at the time: Alan Shearing of Kensington Gardens and Norm Ackland of Tranmere. The second, which was for the Williamson-Davis Shield, was played between Kensington Club and Burnside RSL, initiated by Reg Williamson and Jack Davis, Presidents of Kensington Gardens and Burnside RSL respectively. 

A third inter-club match, between Kensington Gardens and Toorak, was arranged to celebrate the Golden Jubilees of both Clubs, which were founded within a year of each other. At its inception, it was planned to continue this match every year for the following 50 years, but it was later discontinued, and is not currently planned to take place during the centenary of both Clubs in 2019. 

As to the Tennis Section, by about 1960 there was increasing pressure on tennis membership due to the high number of applications for membership, and a playing test was introduced and maintained for several years, to ensure that applicants were of a sufficient standard to be admitted to membership.

Quite a number of tennis members met their future spouses at the Club, so perhaps playing tennis was not the Club’s only attraction.  Indeed, the Club’s membership has always included a number of couples who have participated in the Club as both bowls and tennis members. 

In 1962, Club member Dr Bob Brummitt founded the Open Junior Tournament. A very successful venture, it was organised by members of the Tennis Section and held in the last week of the summer school holidays. Although the Tennis Committee had had no previous experience in creating such an event the first Tournament in January was a grand success, with almost 400 young people participating. Whilst it was not a financially successful exercise, it was worthwhile in other ways. Later the author of the Golden Jubilee History writes proudly: 

Junior tennis is promoted, the 10-17 year olds are provided with something good and purposeful to occupy part of their long vacation, and the Club is playing its part in the development of the young people in the community. It is, in fact, the only lawn tennis tournament of such magnitude in South Australia for boys and girls organized by and conducted on the courts of a private club. 

A number of tennis members were introduced to the Club from a boarding house at St Peters. This was home at that time to a number of high spirited young men, who called the establishment, affectionately, the “flop-house”. Dr Roger Jacka, who was then a resident, introduced a number of members to the Club from the flop-house, including former Tennis President David Howell, Colin Brown, and Stan Ward.

In 1962 and 1965 two of the most outstanding long-standing members of the Club, Ted Ford and Dorothy Wheeler died, and their names are perpetuated in the E Ford Men’s Handicap Singles and the Dorothy Wheeler Women’s Handicap Pairs.

In 1966, the Club’s constitution was rewritten, following many sub-committee meetings convened by then General Secretary Keith Angel.  With strong support from tennis members outweighing some opposition from men bowls members, provision was made for the two representatives of the Women’s Bowls Section, for the first time, to have the right to vote at meetings of the General Committee.

In 1967 the Club applied for and obtained a club liquor licence as required by the newly enacted Licensing Act 1967, with the assistance of Honorary Club legal adviser, Deane Jarvis, who had also assisted with the rewriting of the constitution in the previous year.

The Club celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1969.  Kenneth Milne gave a speech at a special function to congratulate the Club on its continuing success. He was the Club’s first General President, and a successful architect who designed the iconic scoreboard at the Adelaide Oval, as well as many other significant buildings. A time capsule was installed in the clubhouse to be opened in 2019. A Golden Jubilee History was written by then General President, Eric Jackson, and edited by then Tennis Secretary, Colin Bradley covering the first 50 years of the life of the Club.

In the summers of the 1970s and 1980s most of the Club’s courts were occupied on Saturday mornings by a range of young tennis players being coached by Bill Jeffery, one of the Club’s top tennis players and the Club Singles Champion for five consecutive years from 1968 to1972, with the assistance of a number of older teenagers. Gradually the numbers reduced as hard courts ousted lawn courts in top level matches, and as the Saturday morning lawn tennis competition grew, requiring more courts.  

In 1976, there were major improvements to the clubhouse, costing the Club $57,000, entailing a new and enlarged bar and a modern kitchen. The work took many months to complete, but it was ‘generally agreed that the result was worth waiting for.’            

1976 was also the year in which the Golden Jubilee of the Women’s Bowls Section was celebrated. Although there were no spectacular results in the open competition, the Golden Jubilee Luncheon in November of that year filled the clubhouse to capacity.    

The minutes of the January 1978 meeting noted that the All Stars Tournament of the 30th September 1977 was a very successful function. 

The 18th Open Junior Tournament was held during 1978.  A total of 593 matches were played over four and a half days. 

In September 1979, the total Club membership reached a record at 684 in total. 

To celebrate the Club’s 60th Anniversary, a dinner dance was held at the Norwood Redlegs Club on 16th of February, 1979. The Guest of Honour was the Mayor of Burnside, Mrs. Margaret Bond and her husband, Mr. Bond.  Over 240 members and friends attended. 

Further Initiatives in the 1980s 

On the 28th of April, 1981, a sub-committee met to discuss the need to upgrade the Tennis Room. It was agreed that the appropriate way forward would be to ‘make substantial additional space available.’ Clubhouse upgrades were agreed by the council to be presented to local-residents for their approval. Whilst it was believed that there should be no hostility or opposition to the proposals, the Club encouraged local members to be present at the meeting to plead the Club’s case. However, these concerns were unfounded as the local residents were not against the extensions at all. 

In August 1981, it was agreed that there should be a sub-committee to discuss the possibility of creating a scholarship for a promising young tennis player. The minutes state: 

We envisage four scholarships – two boys and two girls, who would be invited to join the Club as full playing members and would be supplied, on joining, with a top-grade tennis racquet of their choice up to the current retail value of a Spalding ‘Gonzales’ or Dunlop ‘Maxply.’ The successful applicants would be encouraged to practise regularly with the competitive players each week, and, hopefully, in an appropriate grade. No commitment would be sought from the applicants for the Club.

According to the minutes, the replies from the surrounding schools were somewhat disappointing, and not what the Club had hoped for. Only nine boys and five girls would be attending the Club to attempt the scholarship. 

In August, 1981, the Club participated in the festivities for the City of Burnside’s 125th founding anniversary. This included inter-club lawn and indoor bowls competition between Kensington Gardens and the surrounding Clubs associated with the Burnside area. This was a great honour for the Club, as it had been a part of the Burnside community for over 60 years. 

On the 22nd of August 1983, a general meeting of members discussed a proposal to replace the lean-to tennis lounge at the western end of the clubhouse with a permanent structure.  This area had gradually developed from its origins as storage area for mowers and rollers and other equipment, with a bitumen floor, and it was wholly unsatisfactory for use by tennis members. Everyone agreed that the proposal would be a great addition to the clubhouse. 

The proposal was largely able to be implemented due to a grant from the State Government, which was administered by the City of Burnside. The project was completed over a year later, and included a first story tennis lounge and change rooms. The extensions were opened by Mayor Bevan J Batt on 15 December 1984.

The original plan was for the lounge to be built on ground level, with change rooms and associated facilities located in an excavated basement. However, this was changed to an upper level addition for cost reasons. As a result, the upstairs tennis lounge and its balcony enjoy splendid views across the tennis courts and the Kensington Gardens Reserve, with its picturesque ovals, surrounded by majestic trees, hosting cricket matches in the tennis season.

In the late 1980s, there was gradually less pressure on tennis membership. Numbers remained pretty stable over the 1993-94 season, but after that there was a slow decline. There had also been a gradual change in the use of the tennis courts. Play was no longer concentrated so heavily on Saturday afternoons. This change was partly due to the popularity of the Saturday morning competition for men, and partly to changes in our community. There was less time for couples to engage in for sporting activities at the weekend, as it became the norm for women to be employed. There were also additional demands arising from increased organised sporting and other activities for children.

Efforts were made to bolster the social aspect of the Club, as this was the one lacking the most. The competition aspect, as usual, had little trouble finding new members and players. The Tennis Section’s social calendar started with the traditional Champagne Breakfast and ended with the End of Season Dinner and Awards Presentation. The introduction of the award segment to the End of Season Dinner was a new innovation, designed to highlight the performances of the players, who played in the Club tournament and other teams competitions. The evenings were well attended by both competition and social players. 

Merger with the Marryatville Bowling Club, and Subsequent Significant Developments 

The year 1995 saw significant developments in the life of the Club. 

During the mid-1990’s most bowling clubs in the State were struggling with the issue of declining membership, and that was certainly the case with the Marryatville Bowling Club and the Bowls Section of the Kensington Gardens Bowling & Tennis Club. The situation at the Marryatville Bowling Club became so serious that it was no longer viable, and it was forced to close its doors in June 1995.

The Marryatville Bowling Club owned its own premises, which were valued at $900,000, and its membership was approximately 100. This made it an attractive proposition for amalgamation with another club. After investigating other options, the Marryatville bowlers decided to join the Kensington Gardens Bowling & Tennis Club rather than join other neighbouring clubs, or see their number dispersed between various other clubs.

The amalgamation of the two Clubs resulted from many meetings of a committee comprising Knoyle Cross, Bob Scholefield and Keith Christie-Ling, who were the General Committee executive of the Kensington Gardens Bowling & Tennis Club, and Ron Tabe, Eric Ball and Robin Genders representing the Marryatville Bowling Club. The Kensington Gardens Bowling & Tennis Club was delighted to welcome the Marryatville players into their ranks, and the Bowls Section became known as the Kensington-Marryatville Bowling Club.

The funds generated by the sale of the Marryatville Club’s premises were used to create the Marryatville Trust, which has provided very significant benefits for the Bowls Section of the Club – see Chapter 7. 

In November 1995 significant alterations and improvements were made to the upstairs tennis lounge, under the supervision of Club member and architect, Peter Cottrall.  This work entailed the installation of a separate bar and a service hoist. Since then this area and its adjoining balcony, with panoramic views of the courts and the Kensington Gardens Reserve, have been fully utilized by members and visitors. 

At the end of the 1995-96 Season, Club membership had grown to 643. However, by the end of 1997, total Club membership had decreased again to 580 people. This was worrisome, as even membership drives were not successful in recruiting new members. During this time, ways in which the Club could attract new members were discussed.

The objective of promoting the unity of the Club, as opposed to only managing the various Sections, was recognized under the leadership of then General President Knoyle Cross. In the 1995 Annual Report, he had said:

The historical amalgamation with Marryatville makes it timely to reflect benefits on the Club’s character as a bowling and tennis club.

In recent years the Tennis Section has been stronger than the Bowling Section in terms of both numbers and financial contribution to the Club. This reversed the situation of some 20 years ago when bowling was the dominant partner. 

In 1995/96 tennis and bowling will make approximately equal contributions to Club finances. It has been a major benefit over many years that one Section has been able to support the other when necessary. 

The Annual Report for the 1997-98 year states:

We will continue to prosper if the various groups mutually support each other’s reasonable development proposals and respect the contribution which each makes to overall Club welfare.  

The Annual Report also states: 

Before reporting in detail on the year 1997/98, I would like to talk briefly about the nature of our bowling and tennis Club. The Kensington-Marryatville Bowling Club operates as a close unit, with all members bowling in virtually the same competition and socialising pretty much as one group. On the other hand, the Kensington Gardens Lawn Tennis Club consists of several sub-groups with little interaction between them – Saturday Morning Competition, Saturday Afternoon Competition, Midweek Ladies Competition and Social. The Club gains its overall strength and has developed our wonderful facilities because of the combined strength of these groups. At different times in the history of the Club, the strength of the different Sections has varied. For example, in the 1950s and till the mid 60s Bowls contributed far more to Club finances than Tennis; in the 1970s and 80s this was reversed and since the Bowls amalgamation with Marryatville, Bowls is again the major contributor. We will continue to prosper overall if each Section supports the endeavours of the other as we move into a future which is difficult to predict. 

In 1999, the Annual Report to the AGM began with this dire dilemma. 

Like many other bowling clubs and tennis clubs, declining membership is a major issue confronting our Club. Membership has dropped from a record high of 643 in 1995/96 to 580 in 1996/07, 535 in 1997/98 and now 514 in 1998/99. The General Committee has identified this as the single most important issue facing the Club and it will be discussed in greater detail later in this report. Declining membership results, of course, in declining club income. 

During this year, there were two successful new approaches to fundraising. The Tennis Section initiated linking to a community raffle run by a Credit Union. The Women’s Bowl Section also participated in a film morning at the Chelsea cinema at Marryatville (later renamed the Regal cinema) in conjunction with other local women’s bowling clubs. 

In 2001, the Annual Report stated: 

After the amalgamation with Marryatville, we saw all time high bowls and tennis membership numbers. Since then, despite the best efforts of the Club’s committees, both tennis and bowls numbers have dropped by over 30%. Our Club is facing a major challenge – it cannot survive in its present form if numbers continue at that rate. We must become more pro-active in seeking options for change. 

In April, 2003, the Minutes discuss the showing of the movie Crackerjack in conjunction with the Adelaide Bowls Club. The showing was a success, raising around $1,000 for the Club. 

The Report to the Annual General Meeting in 2003 mentions that the annual day-time Bushwacker event, shared between the Kensington-Marryatville, Payneham and Beaumont clubs, was a major success for the year. Over 100 guests played, as well as dozens of regular members. The writer notes ‘this was one of my enjoyable times at the Club this Season.’ 

Another milestone in the Club’s history occurred in May 2006 when (notwithstanding that it had been suggested unsuccessfully a year earlier), the Men’s and Women’s Bowling Sections amalgamated to create one combined Bowling Section. This greatly strengthened the Club. In 2015-16 and 2016-17 three of the four Saturday top division skippers were ladies.

The merger followed a decision by the State government that in future, monetary grants would only be made available to organizations that provided equal opportunity for both men and women.

Since the amalgamation, mixed teams have been selected, and women join men in playing Saturday afternoon pennant matches, with a consequential drift of women to Saturday bowls. As a result there was a drop in the number of helpers to provide the sumptuous afternoon teas that had traditionally been provided to the men by lady members, and afternoon tea on Wednesdays and Saturdays is now purchased from outside sources, with Club members only doing the serving.  

On the 20th February, 2005, Open Day was held in the hope of attracting new members to the Club. Unfortunately, this did not work out as people had anticipated, but the quality of the day was up to the highest standards. 

On the 26th February, 2006, it was agreed that the Social Committee, after two years of service, would be disbanded. It was agreed that the Bowls and Tennis Sections would see to their own social activities. 

At about this time the Tennis Section often went on ‘Welfare visits’ to see members of the Club who had not been actively participating, to ensure they felt cared for. 

2006 was also a significant year for the Tennis Section.

The Tennis Committee endeavoured to boost the use of the courts, and potentially membership, by agreeing that St Peter's College Old Collegians could use the Club as their base for competitive teams, after the College had converted its lawn tennis courts to hardcourts. This arrangement has continued to the time of writing.

The Period 2010 - Present

Due to considerable flooding in Rosslyn Park on 7th December, 2010, a large amount of water flooded through the area of the Reserve leased by the Club, causing damage to property, furnishings and personal effects. The flooding also damaged the Minutes of the Kensington-Marryatville Bowling Club, resulting in some loss of history.

In 2011, the Club installed lights to accommodate night tennis, on Monday and Wednesday evenings. The Tennis Section has continued since then to foster the use of the courts for night tennis, introducing new and younger people to the Club.

With the strong support of former Tennis President Gloria Sumner, Rob Endenburg launched the Junior Tennis and Hot Shots coaching programs at the Club’s Open Day in October 2014. He also established school holiday clinics for juniors that are run in conjunction with Tiger Tennis. He was appointed Director of Junior Tennis Development in 2015. These innovations marked the Club’s first junior development program since Bill Jeffery’s coaching clinics 25 years earlier. The programs have enabled young players to experience lawn tennis, and have raised community awareness of the Club and its excellent courts and facilities. 

In recent years, under the energetic leadership of Tennis President Neil Jones and in conjunction with Tennis SA, the Tennis Committee has also arranged for the Club’s courts to be the venue for a number of tournaments attracting interstate players, and in one case, junior players from overseas.

The Club is continuing to pursue further initiatives to attract more junior tennis members, and also to attract more women members to join in social play on Saturday afternoons.

There was a very significant development in the winter of 2016. After thorough investigation and with encouragement from a group of bowlers, including in particular Mal Hutton and Peter Glazbrook, a Special General Meeting of members approved the conversion of two of the Club’s lawn bowling greens into synthetic greens, and the borrowing of $200,000 from the Burnside Council towards the costs involved.  A further contribution of $200,000 was made by the Marryatville Trust, and the remainder of the cost was met from Club reserves.  In recent years, the cost of maintaining the Club’s greens and courts had continued to increase substantially due to regular and significant increases in water rates. This additional cost was a major factor in the decision by the Club, and similar decisions by a number of other bowling clubs, to convert their greens to synthetic, with the added advantage of enabling bowls to be played during winter. 

In the case of the Kensington Gardens Club, for many years up to the 1980s the bowlers had played on the tennis courts during winter months, but clearly bowls members are now much better served by being able to use the Club’s two synthetic greens in winter and in inclement weather. 

During the Bowls presidency of Peter Glazbrook between 2012-13 and 2016-17, many strides were made in Club facilities and functions.  All greens were modified and their surrounds, previously concrete or grass, were replaced by tiles.  This was in readiness for the installation of the synthetic surfaces.

New side flags replaced the old, and new carts were made to hold equipment.  Until smoking was entirely banned, areas were set aside for the comfort of smokers (since abandoned due to the danger of ash on the synthetic surfaces).      Weekly Friday night dinners were begun with the members’ jackpot raffle and mini raffles. 

At the time of writing, the Club is actively investigating obtaining access to reclaimed water in an attempt to reduce its ever- increasing operating costs.

The Club has adapted to other changes in society by utilising electronic means of communication with its members, as they became progressively familiar with the use of the internet. This enabled the development of regular newsletters which can now be sent without the cost of postage to the members of both Sections of the Club. Tennis presidents no longer have to engage in the former practice of using the Club’s external loudspeaker system to broadcast announcements of forthcoming Club events, disturbing tennis players at a time when matches might have reached a sensitive stage.

The initiatives of the Tennis Section have meant that from an overall point of view, the courts are being well utilized by the community, having regard not only to their use by members at different times during the week, but also to their use by juniors and those participating in night tennis.  

Nevertheless, both Sections of the Club are continuing their endeavours to attract new members.  

For example, as mentioned above, a decision was taken in 2014 to reactivate the Club’s junior development program, raising community awareness of the Club and its excellent lawn courts and facilities. Rob Endenburg launched the Junior Tennis and Hot Shots Programs at the Open Day in October 2014, and later initiated other development programs including holiday clinics. Prior to this, the Club had had no junior development program since club member Bill Jeffery’s day as Head Junior Coach 25 years previously.

The Club also makes its clubhouse and facilities available, consistently with the requirements of members, for external bowls and tennis tournaments, and also for use by some other community groups, and for hire for private functions, such as wedding receptions or birthday celebrations.  In these ways, the Club continues to be a significant community asset, and a welcoming venue for the recreational activities it supports.