Hamilton Caledonian Bowling Club
Male Voice Choir

Choir History

In the beginning

To the best our knowledge, our Choir is the only male voice choir in the UK to be attached to a bowling club.   In late 1945 a group of bowlers used to gather around the clubhouse piano for an impromptu sing-along.  A few months later they decided to form themselves into a formal choir.  Although the early members were all bowlers, this is no longer the case and we welcome non-bowlers into our fellowship.  See our ”Choir Members” and “Contact Us” pages for more details.

Choir Aim

The main aim of the Choir is to promote male voice singing in Lanarkshire and surrounding areas, and to give concerts to groups, such as church guilds, who enjoy listening to male voices in harmony.  We also perform fund-raising concerts for good causes. In 2007 we raised much appreciated funds for Action Medical Research and Alzheimer Scotland. For further information, see our “Concerts” and “Contact Us” pages.

Lanarkshire Festival of Male Voice Choirs

Every year we take part in the Lanarkshire Festival of Male Voice Choirs, which is held in the Hamilton Town House in March.  This is an opportunity for the member choirs to entertain their faithful followers in a non-competitive evening of individual choir and combined choir singing.

Other Associations

Scottish Massed Male Voice Choir

The Choir was a member of the Scottish Massed Male Voice Choir, which performed  several concerts in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, the final one to celebrate the coming of the new Millennium, before being formally disbanded in 2004.

BBC “Songs of Praise”

We have appeared in several BBC “Songs of Praise” programmes, the most memorable being from Glamis Castle to celebrate the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday (see photograph) and from Glamis Parish Church following the death of the Queen Mother.  The most recent programme, in 2006, was “The Big Sing-Scotland” from Glasgow City Halls.

Concert Tours

In 1998 the Choir represented the former Hamilton District Council at a Music Festival in our twinned town, Chatellerault, France.  In 2005 we toured in the North of England, raising funds for several charities.  We have also visited Northern Ireland twice: firstly in 2001 and, more recently, in May 2007, when we helped churches in Carrickfergus and Aghadowey, near Coleraine, raise a total of around £3000.  See our “Contact Us” page for more information.

Click for PDF of booklet commemorating the Choir’s 50th Anniversary

Arriving at Glamis Castle, on a very sunny day, to take part in the recording of the BBC “Songs of Praise” to celebrate the Queen Mother’s
100th Birthday

Jack High 180 Years of Song You make me feel so Young Straight Mat In the Ditch