The Langbaurgh League in North Yorkshire has featured in postings from Brian and me on several occasions. From its heartland east and west of the A19 between Thirsk and Yarm it has followed the road north as far as Hartlepool but also has member clubs from the Cleveland coast area as well as Teesside. On checking its website recently I came across a history of the league that I don't recall seeing on previous visits.
The period covered by the article is from the beginnings of the league shortly after the first world war until hostilities commenced again in 1939. The author of the piece is not known but he/she has suffered from the same problem as this blogger has faced in trying to establish a precise date for the start of the Swaledale league, namely the very sparse coverage of cricket in the local press in 1919 and 1920. Although it is thought that the Langbaurgh may have begun in 1920 there is no printed record of its existence at this time but by 1921 the North Eastern Daily Gazette, a Middlesbrough based publication known today as The Evening Gazette, is giving regular coverage. The website article lists the eight participating clubs, four of which are members today namely Thimbleby, Swainby, Crathorne and (East) Harlsey. The others were Ingleby Cross, Rounton, Welbury and Carlton, Faceby and Busby. Travel was kept to a minimum for the maximum journey was ten miles.
The case of Welbury is an intriguing one for they appear at most to have been members for two seasons then leaving only to rejoin in 1926 for one season and yet there is reference in a book published to commemorate the millennium of them winning the 'league cup' in 1949, which suggests a re-entry after WWII. I have emailed the current league secretary in the hope that he might be able to clarify this.
The detailed website article lists the league tables for nearly all seasons from 1924, the first year for which they are available, until 1939 although for this last season the outbreak of war on September 3rd appears to have brought the league to a premature conclusion and no final table is available.
One momentous event described in the article is the entry of Spout House in 1937, a club whose ground Brian has twice reported on in postings and to which I have yet to find my way but which did not stop me writing about in January of this year. 'End of an era at Spout House' 7/1/13.
Pcws interested in reading the full article can find it at the The Langbaurgh Cricket League play cricket site on the home page. just click on L.L.History 1920-39. Enjoy.
The photograph at the head of the posting was taken on a visit to Swainby CC in May of this year who play on a ground that formerly belonged to Carlton CC, who I think it can be assumed were once known as Carlton, Faceby and Busby, although Busby disappears from the title after 1926. Whether this is significant I have no idea. It might just be that it was rather a chore to type the full title.
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