James Pirret Explained

James "Ham" Pirret (22 February 1915 – 4 December 1976) was a New Zealand lawn bowls player.

At the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland he won the men's singles gold medal.^{[1] [2]} In 1954 at the next British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver he won the silver medal in the men's singles.^[3] Pirret competed in the men's singles at his third consecutive British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958 at Cardiff, finishing in sixth place.^[4]

Pirret won two New Zealand National Bowls Championships titles representing the Tuakau Bowling Club: the men's singles in 1957; and the men's pairs (as skip), with C. J. Rogers, in 1958.^[5]

Pirret died on 4 December 1976, and his ashes were buried at Tuakau Cemetery.^[6]

Notes and References

1. News: British Players win and lose on opening day at Empire Games . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 31 July 1954 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 28 August 2024.
2. News: N.Z.'s two bowling titles . 9 February 1950 . The Advocate . 18 July 2016 . 6.
3. News: Bosisto tie for 4th . 5 August 1954 . The Courier-Mail . 18 July 2016 . 10.
4. Web site: James Pirrett . New Zealand Olympic Committee . 18 July 2016.
5. Book: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/bowls-mens-outdoor/page-5 . Tournament winners . 1966 . An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand . McLintock . A. H. . Alexander Hare McLintock . 10 January 2022.
6. Web site: Cemeteries database . Waikato District Council . 18 July 2016.