This page updated December 4, 2022 recording Barry’s passing.
Barry Browning, a Past President and long-standing member of the Oak Bay Lawn Bowling Club, was elected to Life Membership in 2014 in recognition of his outstanding service to the Club in particular, and for the promotion of lawn bowling in the BSI area in general.
Barry was born, raised and educated in England. He decided to migrate to Canada in 1956, and became a navigator in Transport Command, RCAF. In 1961 he started a career in education but left that for the study of law at the University of Manitoba in 1975.
In 1978 he and Mary moved to Victoria. He joined Victoria LBC in 1993 and, in 1994, persuaded Mary to try lawn bowling when they moved to Qualicum Beach. During their membership at Qualicum Beach LBC, Barry qualified as a coach and as an umpire, and they both delved deeply into the club’s administration with Barry being its Vice President in 1996. On returning to Victoria in 1997, they both joined Oak Bay LBC where his experience as a coach, umpire and club administrator was welcomed.
President Barry Browning at the Golden Jubilee Opening Day Ceremonies, April 24, 2004.
At our club, Barry served on five Executives as Games Chair, Player Development Chair, Vice President, President and Past President. He introduced the Short Mat game to the Club in 1999, and purchased the club’s first dartboards. He steered the celebrations marking the Club’s Golden Jubilee in 2004 (the year of its founding) in his capacity as President, won the Van Druten Award, and chaired the fundraising committee for the Carnarvon House Expansion Project which exceeded its target of $25,000. He was an enthusiastic participant in both tournaments and open draws believing that it is in the open draw where the most player development can occur as the novice and experienced bowler mix and the social aspect of the sport is enhanced.
Together with Fred McLeod, Sheldon Rowell and John MacKay, Barry was instrumental in easing the protocols that members were required to follow on the green (such as the wearing of whites on the majority of occasions), and in other activities, and so helped to foster a more friendly and social environment for members to enjoy.
On a wider scale, Barry was at the forefront of changes to the structure and role of the BSI coordinating body (the Presidents’ Council) and the management of BSI inter-club tournaments from late 1998 onwards.
