Hi all, I hope you are all well.
I just wanted to share this with you all and with a massive thank you to Tricia Ridgeway for sending this to us, it is wonderful to see how this great club started way back in 1960, before even I was born!
Tricia added that the attached pictures show the 1961 and 1962 fixtures lists and the 1961 one is complete with some hand written notes from Alan Ridgeway as to how they or he did.
“You will see on the fixtures list that one of them is in Chelmsford prison. My brother is regularly reminded of being on the bus with Mum going back to Springfield aged about 3 or 4 and as they passed the prison he said in a loud voice for all to hear “Daddy goes there doesn’t he Mummy!”. My Mum was mortified and looking round to the other passengers said in a very loud voice “Only to play cricket Nick….!”
As you know, in 1960 the club started with 10 enthusiastic YOUNG cricketers, (including Ken of course!), a local postman who thought it might be interesting to give it a go for the first time, 4 cars between them, a £25 donation from Percy Bilton who were the main Springfield estate Builders and cucumber sandwiches, fruit cake and angel cake from Woolworths on match days for teams and any of their children who were there with them to give hard working mothers a few hours break on Sundays! The Endeavour pub was the watering hole of choice after home matches, with the children all being put into the family room with a pint of Lime cordial and some Golden Wonder cheese and onion crisps, while the cricketing Dads drank in the bar. I remember it well. Different times…..!”
Looking at Alan’s figures for the 1961 season, which show 2 8fers, 1 6fer and 5fer and multiple 3fers its clear he played a major part in establishing this club as the successful and friendly club we all enjoy now. We all owe Alan and all our founders (including our Ken who is still going strong) a massive thank you, what else would we be doing on a summers weekend without them? Probably a large number would be actually in the prison!
Thanks Tricia, and of course thank you to Alan, Ken and all the founders, much appreciated!
Paul