SADDLEWORTH WHIT FESTIVAL-BRASS BANDS AND BURGERS AT GREENFIELD

By Peter Davies,

RAIN STOP PLAY

The annual Whit Bank Holiday festival of cricket in Saddleworth....but it was raining ,and the match at Greenfield-Greenfield  v Saddleworth-only started at 2.55pm,and then they went off fairly quickly again .A special day in the area.As on web source says "Saddleworth has a large number of annual customs and traditions, many of which are held during Whitsuntide...Congregations from the churches of all the Saddleworth villages hold their Walk of Witness...Later in the evening, the Whit Friday brass contests take place".

SONNY AND KYLE

Cricket plays its part too.Saddleworth is a hotbed of local cricket.It has a few famous names,including Sonny Ramadhin and Kyle Hogg and its own league-the Saddleworth and District Cricket League.The member clubs :

Austerlands,Droylsden,Friarmere,Glodwick, Greenfield,Heyside,Hollinwood,Micklehurst,Moorside,Saddleworth,Shaw,South West Manchester,
Stayley,Uppermill,Whalley Range and Wythenshawe.

PENNINE COUNTRY

Greenfield is a nice local club. Gorgeous Pennine views all round and good facilities for players and spectators. On Friday there was a BBQ stand outside the pavilion, a bar inside, and a busy kitchen area. But the kitchen was not doing teas for spectators, just players and officials, Their cups of tea were good though -
75p a time.

BIG CLUB

Delph and Dobcross are the big local club, but they are so big now play in the Huddersfield League,just down the road. They have won titles in their new league.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Spring Bank is usually a good day for local Professional Cricket Watchers but only two in attendance at Greenfield this year; Brian Senior (Headingley ) and Ken Hickley (Blackpool ). They were hunting as a pair and enjoying a Friday away from county cricket. At 3.30 pm they were also off to another local ground for another game...

CAUGHT ON FILM

The pavilion is full of framed old photographs; a team picture of the 1920 title-winning side, a Greenfield - Yorkshire X1 photo, a 1929  image and also a charity game.

MAGS AND MUSEUMS

Random;

1. The local "Saddleworth Magazine " was available to cricket watchers in the pavilion- a very well produced local publication.

2. A good history has been written about the Saddleworth and District Cricket League (Phil Taylor, 1998 )

3. The Saddleworth Museum, in Uppermill, has a local cricket archive,

4.During the Calderdale @ Kirklees Cricket Project, I spoke at the museum about our project and cricket in Saddleworth ( not my specialist subject )

5.Round about , at the ground today, there were club adverts for local bed manufacturers and a forthcoming comedy night.

DOUBLE DUTCH

I had brought some post-Holland trip Edam and Gouda with me-and gave Andrew and Brian , a dutch cheese roll or two to help their afternoon along .On the way home ,we passed Saddleworth CC, but rain problems there also.