In August 2023, the Darwin 200 Project appointed Barnes Bowls as its Official Sport — a wonderful honour for our little Club tucked behind the Sun Inn. The connection was inspired by the departure of the tall ship Oosterschelde from Plymouth, echoing Sir Francis Drake's famous voyage from the same port in 1588. As the only remaining bowling club in London still playing the Elizabethan game — diagonally on the green with biased woods — Barnes was the natural choice.
The link was made all the more fitting by the fact that Darwin 200 founder Andrew Fox is also our Club Treasurer. The Club entrusted Andrew with four woods and a jack to take aboard the tall ship in Rio de Janeiro in November 2023, ready to be played at landfalls throughout the epic voyage — all the way to Australia and back to Falmouth in July 2025.
Our ancient Barnes green was lovingly measured to create a perfect template that could be replicated anywhere in the world using red and white chain. From there, our 300-year-old game went global.
"I can confirm with enthusiasm that the committee of our club has unanimously agreed to this partnership. I also confirm that I have been elected to act as official liaison for the club. May I thank Darwin 200, yourself and Andrew for this wonderful opportunity. It is a genuine honour to have been invited to 'take the voyage' with you."
Kevin Hill, Chairman, Barnes Bowling Club
The first international game of Barnes Bowls was played at the Botanical Gardens of Rio de Janeiro, right below the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Joining Andrew for this historic occasion were Sarah Darwin — Charles Darwin's great-great-granddaughter herself — along with John McKinley and Joe Grabowski. What a place to roll the first wood!
The adventure didn't stop there. In May 2024, the game made it to the Galapagos Islands — bringing our Elizabethan tradition to one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. And Andrew has since secured an even larger green for a day of sport on the next Darwin 200 voyage in 2026–28, deep in the Atlantic Rainforest.
From a small green behind a pub in south-west London to the Botanical Gardens of Rio, the Galapagos Islands, and beyond — it's fair to say our little 300-year-old game is getting around.