01 Apr Bowlers needed – The Drake Connection
When news reached Richard Armitage that BBC Studios Manchester were looking for bowlers he could not resist sending an email to find out more. He was, excuse the pun, bowled over by the reply he got.
A new history series is to go into production with filming commencing later this year. It will tell the story of Sir Francis Drake, including his passion for bowls. It was not a surprise to learn that the legendary story of the game on Plymouth Hoe was not true, but it was surprising to learn of a different story, one that links modern day Huddersfield to Francis Drake.
In their reply the BBC provided a copy of their recent press release:
BBC Announces New History Series Exploring Drake, Shakespeare, and a shared passion.
The BBC has commissioned a captivating new history series to be presented by Lucy Worsley, revealing Elizabethan England through the daring life of Sir Francis Drake—and his surprising obsession with the game of bowls.
In a story that blends sport, art, rivalry and legend, the series explores how Drake ignored a warning from William Shakespeare himself, who cautioned against risking a fortune against William Ramsden, a formidable opponent from a northern bowling stronghold. “Weigh carefully thy wager, there is no greater skill beyond these men of Huderesfeld.” Undeterred, Drake went ahead—and lost. The stakes were enormous: the money Ramsden won enabled him to purchase the Manor of Huddersfield from Queen Elizabeth I, setting the stage for a family legacy that would shape the town for centuries.
The programme delves into Drake’s lifelong passion for bowls, from playing ashore during his 1572 expedition to the Spanish Main to the immaculate bowling green at his 1581 estate, Buckland Abbey. It also revisits the famous, but untrue, legend of Drake playing on Plymouth Hoe as the Spanish Armada approached in 1588, examining how myth, national identity, and storytelling intertwine.
Shakespeare’s own works reveal the cultural weight of both bowls and Drake himself, with lines in Troilus and Cressida, Cymbeline, King John, Taming of the Shrew, and Richard II reflecting the language and drama of the game. Even the lost play Love’s Labour’s Won is understood to have hinted at Drake’s personal fortunes and misfortunes through the eyes of his close friend.
“A man may read the ocean’s swell, but the green is a subtler mistress still,”
Through the rivalry between Drake and Ramsden, and the friendship and counsel of Shakespeare, the series blends historical investigation with vivid storytelling, offering audiences a distinctive perspective on Elizabethan life—where leisure, legend, and legacy intersect, and where even a game of bowls could alter the course of history.
The reply from the BBC went on to say
‘Filming for the series is set to begin this summer, and the production team is currently seeking a number of extras to appear as bowlers. The BBC is particularly keen to involve experienced players from the local area in these roles. These are non-speaking parts intended for background scenes, and the production is specifically looking for men of a mature age to reflect the setting authentically. If members of the Huddersfield Veterans Bowling Association are interested in taking part, the team would be pleased to hear from you.’
If you or anyone you know is interested, please get in touch with Richard Armitage in the first instance, no later than 4th May.
The series will be on our screens Autumn 2027.