Edwin Percy Baker

Edwin Percy Baker, who went by Percy Baker throughout his career, lived from 1895 to 1990 and played lawn and indoor bowls. He was regarded as the greatest English bowler until David Bryant broke his records. Born at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, he worked as a photographer and was persuaded to take up bowling in 1921, joining the Poole Park Bowling Club, whose club singles he won 22 times. He won 11 county singles over 37 years and led Dorset in the Middleton Cup from 1927 until 1969. His four English National Singles titles, in 1932, 1946, 1952 and 1955, were a record at the time, and he added two pairs titles (1950 and 1962) and a triples title (1960) at the National Bowls Championships. Capped by England in 1933, he established his place in 1949, captained England from 1950, and won a silver medal in the singles at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. In 1971, aged 76, he won the Bournemouth Open pairs before declining vision ended his career. He died in Poole on 3 January 1990. His son Cecil Baker also played bowls and represented the Ryde club at the Nationals.