Ralph Alsop CBE

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Ralph Alsop CBE

Ralph Alsop was chairman of Consett Park Bowling Club from its inception to 1942, and was president from 1942 until 1945. We have compiled some brief biographic details (see below). Are you a descendant of Ralph Alsop, or know more about him? If so, we would love to hear from you, and perhaps we could work together to create a more comprehensive biography.

1901 Census

The 1901 census lists Ralph Alsop as a 19 year old living with his family in George Street, Darlington. He was born in Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire, the son of Joseph (a railway porter) and Sarah. Two of his siblings are included in the 1901 census - George Thomas (17) and Alwyn Joseph (5). Ralph was employed as an Ironworks Clerk.

1923 Consett Park Bowling Club

Ralph Alsop was chairman of Consett Park Bowling Club from its inception to 1942, and was president from 1942 until 1945.

1934 President of the Durham County Bowling Association.

The Sunderland Echo dated 18th December 1933 reported on Ralph Alsop's election as president of the Durham County Bowling Association.

Note that the committee included J.W. Lake (Consett) and A. Alsop (Darlington), the latter being Ralph Alsop's brother Alwyn.

Alwyn was president of the Durham County Bowling Association in 1946.

COUNTY ASSOCIATION "ANNUAL" Mr Ralph Alsop (Consett) was elected president of the Durham County Bowling Association in succession to Dr W. Warner Cook (West Hartlepool) at the annual meeting of the association in the Three Tuns Hotel, Durham. He is a prominent devotee of the game, particularly in North-West Durham, and has been the vice-president during the past year. Mr T. Eckford (Darlington), who is one of the county representatives on the English Bowling Association, is the new vice-president. E. A. Duffield (Darlington), who nominated him for the position, said that Mr Eckford took part in the formation the County Association in 1922, had been a member of the executive committee since 1928 and E.B.A. representative since 1929 as well as being a member of the English international selection committee. It was decided to elect the committee on a territorial basis and the secretary (Mr E. W. Woodward) said it was felt that would be in the best interests of every district they had representatives on the committee. Other officers elected were: Hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr E. W . Woodward; hon. assistant secretary, Mr T. Young, jun. (Roker Park); E B.A. representatives, Messrs T. Eckford and E. E. Moore; hon. auditors, Messrs J. H. and M. H. Brown; committee, Messrs J. W. Lake (Consett). R. Reay (Pelton Pell). J. Snowball, J. H. Victory, and J. A. Nicholson (Sunderland). P. J. Waite (Durham). A. Snearman (Houghton.-le- Spring), R. H. Mackin (West Hartlepool. M. D. Burdon (Durham and Stockton), and A. Alsop (Darlington). Blackhall Welfare club was admitted to membership.

1941 CBE

The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail dated 12th June 1941 reported on The Honours List, which included Ralph Alsop.

THE HONOURS LISTSERVICE IN NORTH EAST RECOGNISEDThe honours list published today recognizes social and industrial services in the North-East....Mr Ralph Alsop, general manager of Consett Iron Co, and Mr Robert Cyril Thompson, managing director of Joseph L Thompson and Sons, Ltd, the Sunderland shipbuilders, are made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, and Henry Foster Lee, chief air raid warden and former chairman of Seaham Urban Council, is made a member of the Order of the British Empire.

1948 President of the English Bowling Association

The report below is from the Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette dated Tuesday December 9th December 1947.

Ralph's brother Alwyn became E.B.A. president in 1960.

New E. B. A. PresidentMr Ralph Alsop, C.B.E. the newly elected president of the English Bowling Association, although a Yorkshireman by birth, has spent all his business life in Durham for he joined the Consett Iron Company Ltd. in 1903 and reached the position of managing director before retiring in 1945. From its inception in 1920 until 1942 he was chairman of the Consett Park Bowling Club and from 1942 to 1945 president, and since 1931 he has been president of the North - West Durham bowling league.Durham County honoured him by electing him its president in 1934, since when he has been one of Durham’s representatives on the E. B. A. Council .At the outbreak of the First World War Mr Alsop was appointed Deputy Controller in charge of iron and steel supplies and the services rendered to his country were recognised by the king appointing him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In his younger days he played football and cricket and later turned to golf and bowls for his recreations.

Ralph Alsop.

Photograph courtesy of Michael Alsop.

Bowling at Darlington

South Park Bowling Club's website has a History page, which records Ralph Alsop bowling for both Darlington South Park and Darlington Woodland. Here is a short extract:

"1947 saw the formation of Darlington Woodland Bowls Club which took a lot of members away from public clubs like ourselves. Both Ralph and Alwyn Alsop were members and despite our records Woodland BC have it on their honours boards that they represented them when they were EBA Presidents (we very much dispute this), chances are they were members of both.

The 1950’s saw the deaths of James Morrison and Ralph Alsop and the name Alwyn Alsop seemed to vanish (presumably bowling for Darlington Woodland)."

Consett Park v Darlington South Park

Starting in the 1920s, and continuing for several decades, there was an annual match between Consett Park and Darlington Park. The initial connection between the clubs was the Alsop brothers, Ralph and Alwyn, who both had distinguished bowling careers.

In 2023 a match was arranged as part of our centenary celebrations, to revive the friendship between the clubs.