Springfield Cricket Club News story


George Stone 1932-2020

01 Nov 2020

Springfield Cricket Club has today sadly lost one of its few remaining  founder members - George Stone. Our President John Macrae has penned a few words about George.

George Thomas Stone (1932 - 2020)

I first met George in 1967 when I was studying at the former Mid-Essex Technical College in Chelmsford: he was a lecturer in mathematics. A few years later I started playing a few games for Springfield during my university holidays, and George was Captain of the Sunday 1st team: a lovely, mild-mannered true gentleman.

George was born in  Grays, Essex in 1932 and graduated in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge (where he played cricket on their wonderful manicured college grounds). In Gravesend, Kent in 1957 George married Brenda and they had two daughters, Helen and Valerie.

He was a founder member of Springfield Cricket Club (and appears in the inaugural match photograph on the club wall, and in many other photographs too. George normally kept wicket and he was a fair batsman too: he had a very long playing career.

Our brilliant fast bowler Ian Warren (8 for 0 best figures!) said of him, “He was one of few who would stand-up and face me in the nets was I was bowling at my fastest - I admired that. In the changing room I used to notice that he stuffed some of his clothes down his left trouser leg to give himself a bit more padding! But a more amicable, honest and lovely guy you will never meet”. Our  former Chairman Trevor Johnson said “George was a wonderful man, l loved him to bits; there was no-one nicer; very sad indeed”.

I was delighted to welcome George and Brenda to our Club’s 55th year  Dinner & Dance at the County ground back in 2015: he loved  Springfield and everything our wonderful club represents. George would  strongly encourage all his team members, especially the youngsters and  novices. He was a true cricketer, a gentle soft-spoken giant, and a valued clubman. George will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and our Club has very sadly lost one of its true stars.