posted by John Winn
As part of my research into the history of cricket in Wensleydale I have been privileged to have access to the minute book of Spennithorne and Harmby CC for the period from 1936 to 1960. Spennithorne, a small village near Leyburn, were members of the Wensleydale League almost from its inception in 1947 and a name that features in the history of the club throughout the period covered in the book is that of Philip van Straubenzee and to give him his full title by 1960 you need to add Colonel at the beginning and DSO for afters.
Colonel van Straubenzee was descended from a North Yorkshire family of Dutch descent and his forebears came to England to support the Jacobite cause in 1745. The colonel was born in Johnannesburg in 1912 and educated at Aysgarth School before Sherborne and then Sandhurst. The DSO was awarded for distinguished war service against the Japanese in Burma and after his military career he had various businesses including market gardening, dairy farming and most successfully, a caravan park. When he died in 2005 he merited obituaries in the national press and descriptions of his military campaigns read like something from 'Boy's Own' or the pages of H Rider Haggard.
P van S held various offices with his local cricket club and he was clearly a conscientious and generous committee member. The first meeting documented in the minute book was called on February 10th 1936 'to consider the revival of the club' and ten years later that same phrase is used to describe the village's reaction to the resumption of cricket in peacetime but with Philip's brother Henry, also a colonel and DSO, in the chair. Philip holds the office of President at this time and it is minuted that the club 'has been provided with a new ground..... by the President.' The ground at Mill Flats Field remains in use by the club to this day. No ground is complete without a pavilion and by 1947 this need had been fulfilled, again with the help of The President.
As young men the brothers lived at Spennithorne House with their grandfather(their father had died of enteric fever when the boys were very young) and both were very keen cricketers. Henry, younger by two years played first class cricket including one game for Essex in the championship. He was at Dunkirk and fearing the worst, buried his I Zingari sweater to prevent it falling into German hands!
Place the name van Straubenzee into a search engine and it will reveal more of the lives of these two remarkable men. You will also find entries for other members of the family including friends of Prince Harry.
Heavy rain has fallen in The Lower Ure Valley today and on such days next season seems a long way off but I understand Tuesday will bring the publication of the first class and other county fixtures for 2013, always a special day in my calendar and I suspect many other pcws feel the same.
Wednesday 21 November 2012
Wednesday 14 November 2012
More swings and roundabouts
In my last posting I made brief reference to distressing events in the course of last season's Dales Council cricket which had brought about the resignation of Rodley CC and their acceptance into The Central Yorkshire League for 2013. Looking again at The Dales Council website shows that losing one club was not the end of the affair. For at their AGM last week the league expelled two clubs 'following unsavoury incidents both on and off the field during the 2012 season.' The two clubs concerned are Apperley Bridge and Hyde Park, both of whose members were involved in the events that led to Rodley's mid season withdrawal.
In addition to these losses the league is also saying good bye to three other clubs, Meanwood who have been accepted into The Wetherby League, Hawksworth, who as Arthington II and as mentioned in a previous blog will join The Nidderdale league and finally Tong Manor who in future will play only friendly matches. All of this is sad reading for the league cricket enthusiast but there is some good news for The Dales Council in that they will welcome Roundhay subject to a ground share with Halifax Direct. Should this be agreed it will leave the league with 33 teams probably in three divisions.
My research into former leagues continues to prove both interesting and fruitful. I have contacted a number of people via email who have been very helpful but rather more old fashioned technology has opened up two interesting leads. Returning from Middleham last week I went via Constable Burton whose village club folded in the 1970s and on a notice board outside the village reading room I pinned up a notice inviting people with information about the club to contact me by email or phone.Within a couple of days I was forwarded two photographs of the village team from the 1930s and 1950s and a telephone number by which I could contact a gentleman who has information about Constable Burton CC and the history of The Wensleydale League. I have now spoken to this person and will be visiting him in due course. In addition I placed a small notice in The Upper Wensleydale Newsletter for November and this too has provoked a response and I have arranged a meeting for this Saturday as a follow up. Two shots in the dark that appear to have hit the target!
In addition to these losses the league is also saying good bye to three other clubs, Meanwood who have been accepted into The Wetherby League, Hawksworth, who as Arthington II and as mentioned in a previous blog will join The Nidderdale league and finally Tong Manor who in future will play only friendly matches. All of this is sad reading for the league cricket enthusiast but there is some good news for The Dales Council in that they will welcome Roundhay subject to a ground share with Halifax Direct. Should this be agreed it will leave the league with 33 teams probably in three divisions.
My research into former leagues continues to prove both interesting and fruitful. I have contacted a number of people via email who have been very helpful but rather more old fashioned technology has opened up two interesting leads. Returning from Middleham last week I went via Constable Burton whose village club folded in the 1970s and on a notice board outside the village reading room I pinned up a notice inviting people with information about the club to contact me by email or phone.Within a couple of days I was forwarded two photographs of the village team from the 1930s and 1950s and a telephone number by which I could contact a gentleman who has information about Constable Burton CC and the history of The Wensleydale League. I have now spoken to this person and will be visiting him in due course. In addition I placed a small notice in The Upper Wensleydale Newsletter for November and this too has provoked a response and I have arranged a meeting for this Saturday as a follow up. Two shots in the dark that appear to have hit the target!
Tuesday 13 November 2012
LOST FIRST CLASS GROUND IN NORTH YORKSHIRE
By Brian Sanderson,
Myself and Ron Deaton had a trip up the A1 to Catterick cricket ground which stage a first class match in 1954.This match was between Combined Services and Pakistan touring side.
First the history of the ground is that the first reported match was in 1940 which was between Catterick Garrison and 123rd Office Cadet Training Regiment Royal Artillery.Verity played in this match and the scorecard can be seen in Cricket Archive.Looking round the pavilion this afternoon it had a sign to say it was built in 1933-1934.So there must have been matches played on the ground before 1940.The ground is opposite a Tesco Superstore and is up for sale for redevelopment.On the internet it states it has had water damage which could have beeen caused by the recent floods last summer.
The ground is overgrown with the large pavilion boarded up but must have look in the 1940,s as excellent building.There is two old covers resting at the far side with the metal outline of a screen.A groundsman hut is very spacious with the remains of the scoreboard outside.There is a large terrace with deep steps which could held a large crowd.
The Combined Services side is very interesting and included the following players :
P.E.Richardson ex Worcestershire ,Kent and England.
J.T. Murray ex Middlesex and England.
P.T. Marner ex Lancashire and Leicestershire.
M.J.Horner ex Worcestershire .
C.T.Spencer ex Leicestershire.
Five excellent players which caused the match to be a draw.
After this match Yorshire Seconds played three matches at the ground.
The final match was in 1975 when Yorkshire Junior Women played England Junior Women.
Another ground had been lost to cricket but hopefully we may find more information about matches played there but that is for another day.
Myself and Ron Deaton had a trip up the A1 to Catterick cricket ground which stage a first class match in 1954.This match was between Combined Services and Pakistan touring side.
First the history of the ground is that the first reported match was in 1940 which was between Catterick Garrison and 123rd Office Cadet Training Regiment Royal Artillery.Verity played in this match and the scorecard can be seen in Cricket Archive.Looking round the pavilion this afternoon it had a sign to say it was built in 1933-1934.So there must have been matches played on the ground before 1940.The ground is opposite a Tesco Superstore and is up for sale for redevelopment.On the internet it states it has had water damage which could have beeen caused by the recent floods last summer.
The ground is overgrown with the large pavilion boarded up but must have look in the 1940,s as excellent building.There is two old covers resting at the far side with the metal outline of a screen.A groundsman hut is very spacious with the remains of the scoreboard outside.There is a large terrace with deep steps which could held a large crowd.
The Combined Services side is very interesting and included the following players :
P.E.Richardson ex Worcestershire ,Kent and England.
J.T. Murray ex Middlesex and England.
P.T. Marner ex Lancashire and Leicestershire.
M.J.Horner ex Worcestershire .
C.T.Spencer ex Leicestershire.
Five excellent players which caused the match to be a draw.
After this match Yorshire Seconds played three matches at the ground.
The final match was in 1975 when Yorkshire Junior Women played England Junior Women.
Another ground had been lost to cricket but hopefully we may find more information about matches played there but that is for another day.
Wednesday 7 November 2012
Autumn Treasures
posted by John Winn
Monday was a perfect autumn day and few places could have shown the colours of the season to better effect than Wensleydale as I drove to meet the President of Middleham CC, Keith Gamble.
Keith's memorabilia covers The Wensleydale League's 51 year history from its foundation just after WWII to its demise in 1998 and remarkably Keith played in each one of the league's seasons, all but two for Middleham. Ninety minutes has rarely passed so quickly as we talked about many of the more than 30 clubs who at one time or another were members of the league until it was reduced to just eight* and stumps were pulled for the last time on August 1st 1998. Who today can remember what it was like to play at places like Bellerby, Cover Bridge and Wensley?
Keith was a prolific wicket taker in the league and thankfully, a man who has kept his collection of fixture cards and league handbooks to this day, supplemented by press cuttings and photographs all in splendid condition for their age. Keith is a regular attender at Headingley for championship matches and I look forward to seeing him again in the spring. In the meantime much of my spare time will be spent in the relevant newspaper archives seeking the fine detail to go with the information I brought away from my trip to Wensleydale.
The league cricket carousel continues to turn with The Central Yorkshire League announcing the names of three new clubs that will join the league in 2013, namely Azaad and Thornhill from the Huddersfield Central League and Rodley who resigned form the Dales Council in July. The minutes of that league's executive committee cover the circumstances surrounding Rodley's departure and make very distressing reading. How did club cricket come to this?
* Six of the final octet still enjoy Saturday cricket in The Nidderdale League today and the other two lived on to play in The Wensleydale Evening League which was formed in response to the end of Saturday cricket in the dale and continues to thrive with the possible addition of a sixteenth team in 2013.
Monday was a perfect autumn day and few places could have shown the colours of the season to better effect than Wensleydale as I drove to meet the President of Middleham CC, Keith Gamble.
Keith's memorabilia covers The Wensleydale League's 51 year history from its foundation just after WWII to its demise in 1998 and remarkably Keith played in each one of the league's seasons, all but two for Middleham. Ninety minutes has rarely passed so quickly as we talked about many of the more than 30 clubs who at one time or another were members of the league until it was reduced to just eight* and stumps were pulled for the last time on August 1st 1998. Who today can remember what it was like to play at places like Bellerby, Cover Bridge and Wensley?
Keith was a prolific wicket taker in the league and thankfully, a man who has kept his collection of fixture cards and league handbooks to this day, supplemented by press cuttings and photographs all in splendid condition for their age. Keith is a regular attender at Headingley for championship matches and I look forward to seeing him again in the spring. In the meantime much of my spare time will be spent in the relevant newspaper archives seeking the fine detail to go with the information I brought away from my trip to Wensleydale.
The league cricket carousel continues to turn with The Central Yorkshire League announcing the names of three new clubs that will join the league in 2013, namely Azaad and Thornhill from the Huddersfield Central League and Rodley who resigned form the Dales Council in July. The minutes of that league's executive committee cover the circumstances surrounding Rodley's departure and make very distressing reading. How did club cricket come to this?
* Six of the final octet still enjoy Saturday cricket in The Nidderdale League today and the other two lived on to play in The Wensleydale Evening League which was formed in response to the end of Saturday cricket in the dale and continues to thrive with the possible addition of a sixteenth team in 2013.
Saturday 3 November 2012
More comings and goings
The Nidderdale League has announced that the 2013 season will see two new clubs playing in the league. Thirsk II, who have competed in The York Senior League since 1963 will take the place of Northallerton Wolves (aka fourth team) who have resigned and also joining the league will be Arthington II, the result of the coming together of Arthington and their ground sharers, Hawksworth CC. They will compete in Div 9, the bottom division of the league.
Whist the Nidderdale are 'pleased to announce' the additional teams, overall it represents a net loss of one team, namely Northallerton's fourth team who conceded a number of games towards the end of last season.
Another change confirmed is the movement of New Farnley to The Bradford League. The Central Yorkshire League has allowed the transfer without insisting that New Farnley wait until 2014. They will compete in the second division which will now have an even number of teams, thuis eliminating blank dates.
Whist the Nidderdale are 'pleased to announce' the additional teams, overall it represents a net loss of one team, namely Northallerton's fourth team who conceded a number of games towards the end of last season.
Another change confirmed is the movement of New Farnley to The Bradford League. The Central Yorkshire League has allowed the transfer without insisting that New Farnley wait until 2014. They will compete in the second division which will now have an even number of teams, thuis eliminating blank dates.
Thursday 1 November 2012
Police shut up shop
posted by John Winn
A rumour circulating recently has been confirmed by a statement on the website of Leeds Police CC in a posting dated October 22nd, namely that club will no longer compete in The Wetherby League. This is a blow to league cricket in Yorkshire and for The Wetherby League which lost Kippax when they folded in August and in 2011 saw two clubs, Little Ribston and Spofforth, transfer to The Nidderdale League.
The police have been members of the \Wetherby League for eleven seasons and ironically the last has been one of their most successful finishing sixth in Division One and winning the Fred Fleetwood Cup. The second eleven finished fourth in Division Two.
Cricket will continue at their ground in North Leeds with Gledhow CC planning to run one team in The Wetherby League. Leeds Police CC will survive in the form of a Thursday Evening league team consisting of serving officers although which league this will be is not confirmed.
I can find no reference to the loss of two teams (or the new team) on the league website but it does contain more bad news in the resignation of secretary, Jo Foley, due to work commitments. The AGM is scheduled for Tuesday 13th November and perhaps this will bring a response from league officials.
A rumour circulating recently has been confirmed by a statement on the website of Leeds Police CC in a posting dated October 22nd, namely that club will no longer compete in The Wetherby League. This is a blow to league cricket in Yorkshire and for The Wetherby League which lost Kippax when they folded in August and in 2011 saw two clubs, Little Ribston and Spofforth, transfer to The Nidderdale League.
The police have been members of the \Wetherby League for eleven seasons and ironically the last has been one of their most successful finishing sixth in Division One and winning the Fred Fleetwood Cup. The second eleven finished fourth in Division Two.
Cricket will continue at their ground in North Leeds with Gledhow CC planning to run one team in The Wetherby League. Leeds Police CC will survive in the form of a Thursday Evening league team consisting of serving officers although which league this will be is not confirmed.
I can find no reference to the loss of two teams (or the new team) on the league website but it does contain more bad news in the resignation of secretary, Jo Foley, due to work commitments. The AGM is scheduled for Tuesday 13th November and perhaps this will bring a response from league officials.
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