04 Apr The History of Barby Cricket Club
Club President and founding member Nev Weston reflects on the reformation of Barby Cricket Club.
1968-69
Mr Graham Camp, then the organiser and leader of the village Youth Club together with his friend and neighbour Mr. Derek Winslow (a player at Rugby C.C.) arranged a couple of Cricket matches between the youth club and Smith’s Industries. For 2 years these matches were played at the Smith’s sport ground, in Stanley road, Hillmorton but with the success of these matches, more games were arranged and our squad soon increased with village gentlemen joining our ranks. Mr. Frank Mathews who was to become our first chairman, Mr. Stan Fortnum, Mr. Ken Formby, Mr. Brian Dawson, Mr. Gerald Emery, Mr. Bob Seal were some of the names I remember.
1970-71
With interest in the team growing, Graham soon gathered supporters around him in his quest for a village sports field. Prior to this there were both Senior and Junior Football club’s in operation playing on pasture land around the village with the agreement of local farmers. Stan being a co-organiser of the junior football remembers walking the surrounding countryside looking for a flat field that would be acceptable as a sports facility along with Jim Cox (Chairman of the Parish Council)
The sports field as we see it today became the obvious choice and Graham and his supporters negotiated with a local farmer who leased the site from the Village “Town land charity Trust” organisation. The field had been used as pasture grazing land with a Cowshed in one corner by the Crossroads (reference on O/S map as “the Hovel”), this I remember was a rundown dilapidated old place with an open front, but was used initially as a shelter and changing facility (you had to be extremely careful not to over balance and inadvertently step in a deposit left by its former occupiers!!).
It was decided to introduce a concrete wicket to enable play at the ground asap and a single strip was dug out and some of our rubble added for a hardcore base and concrete laid. A coconut matting was purchased for the playing surface, so we then had a ground and a wicket on which to play home fixtures at Barby. During that period a number of players (all village people) joined our ranks including Mr. Graham Pointer, a player of some experience in the Coventry works league who became our first Captain, Mr. Jim Cox who became our first Chairman, Mr. John Isterling Secretary, together with Mrs. Myra Isterling our first treasurer.
At that time the “Old Village Hall” was being dismantled on the Ware Rd site, and the best quality wooden panel sections were saved and brought up to the sports field where members and volunteers built the first pavilion and the facilities were soon ready for use.
1972-73
During the summer of 1972 some friendly fixtures were arranged to be played against local sides at our new facility with local sides. There is a photograph shows what is recognised as our first competitive home match in the Rugby Advertiser League, where Mr. William (Bill) Flavell, a former member of the last Barby Cricket Team in the 1930’s formerly opened the Cricket facility. Initially we played in the Rugby Advertiser 20-over Cricket League playing on Wednesday evening’s and gradually a full season of 40-over “Friendly” matches were arranged on Sunday afternoon’s.
I must pay tribute to the gentlemen I see as the “Fathers of Barby Cricket Club” Graham Camp, Jim Cox and Stan Fortnum, their enthusiasm, energy and organisation paved way for the club to form and progress, also for the many hours of voluntary work from everyone concerned, for the generosity of local farmers suppling equipment and time preparing our ground.