28 Wickford Extra, Spring 2012


WickfordCricket Club D


CELEBRATING ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2012


the surrounding area. While most of it would have been casual, as it


URING the 19th centurythere can be little doubt that acertain amount of cricket would have been played in Wickfordand


was anatural thing for agricultural labourers to play cricket in villages and small towns, the for- mation of organised clubs was growing steadily. On May 30, 1887, the whole village turned out


in their wagonettes to see ateam representing WickfordCricket Club set offfor its first recorded match, against East Hanningfield, and cheered them back again after winning by 17 runs. While the club played its home matches on various sites during the early years, the sale of the freehold estate of WickfordHall, including Stileman’sFarm, in 1906 led to it getting its own home ground. Dick Patmore, principal founding member of


therehas also been great triumph, including the efforts of WickfordCricket Club’sgreatest mem- ber,MS(Stan) Nichols. Stan featured in the club averages for 1913 and, except for the interven- tion of the war,would certainly have made a place in the 1st XI his own. After 1919 he became one of the great all-rounders in the country and served both Essex and England, in 14 test matches, until his career was cut short by the 1939-45 war. While the club has played on the same ground


While therehas been tragedy felt by the club,


the cricket club and licensee of the Swan public house, provided the club with its greatest asset by buying part of the farmland to use as acricket ground. Along with other sports organisations, the club


was hit by both World Wars, because most of its playing members wereofmilitary age and many never returned home or wereseriously injured.


since 1908, it is now known as the Patmore Memorial Sports Ground -also home to Wickford Tennis Club. The club, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary,now has four Saturday adult teams, two Sunday adult teams and six junior teams, ranging from under 11 to under 16. As part of its anniversary celebrations it will be hosting an East Hanningfield X1 at the Patmore Memorial Sports Ground from 2pm on President’sDay,onSunday,July 1, and mem- bers would love to see spectators join them from the local community. For further information about the club visit its website at http//wickford.play-cricket.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32