Meeting date: 12 April 2008
Guest Speaker: Stephen Green
Curator, Librarian, Archivist MCC, Lord’s Cricket Ground 1968-2003
Grace
Grace was delivered by Rev. David Brown
The Menu
Venison Pate served with garnish and French toast
Cornish Crab Fishcakes with citrus mayonnaise
Chicken Breast in a white wine & mushroom sauce served with seasonal vegetables and roasted new potatoes
English Cheeseboard
Coffee & mints
(menu produced by Dick Orders)
The Meeting
Dave Allen announced the date for the next meeting and the excellent news that our Steward Dick Orders and Lesley are to marry on the following Saturday, 11 October.
Dave reminded the meeting that subscriptions for 2008 were now due and that ties were available at £15.
The members participated in the Hambledon Club’s traditional toasts.
Centenary Match – Saturday, 13 September
Hambledon XII – v – Broadhalfpenny Down Association Invitation XII to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the unveiling, in September 1908, of the stone commemorating the feats of the Hambledon Cricketers between 1750 and 1792 and the return of cricket to Broadhalfpenny Down after an absence of 116 years. The match is expected to include several Hampshire players and a BHDA XII, managed and coached by John Barclay, former Sussex Captain, Director of Cricket and Coaching Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation, and expected to include Test and 1st Class players. Car Parking will be free, entrance will be by special souvenir programme – purchased in advance at £4 (children £2) or on the day at £5 (children £3).
Further details at www.broadhalfpennydown.com
Publications
A new booklet, compiled by Bob Murrell, with Forward by Dave Allen, Chairman, Hampshire Cricket Heritage – Hampshire Cricket First-Class ‘Top Tens’ – a statistical survey of Hampshire’s First-Class records. £5 – proceeds to Hampshire Cricket Heritage at the Rose Bowl.
Apologies for Absence
Sad news, that David Pope died at the end of March 2007.
David Alexander, in France; Clive Barnett, in Ireland; Kevin & Helen Beaumont, in Devon; Oliver Howard; Michael Knox, at a wedding; Dave Mann; Douglas Miller; the Pardoe family; Peter & Bobby Tomkins; Roger Treherne, Wilfred Weld, who is recovering from major surgery.
The Speaker
Dave Allen introduced our speaker for today. Dave always believed that Mike Barnard had the most perfect job in the world, football with Pompey in the winter, and cricket in the summer. The next perfect job would be that of John Arlott. David had become involved in the Hampshire Museum, encouraged by Neil Thompson – as if he hadn’t already enough to do! One of the most perfect jobs must be that of Curator at Lord’s – perhaps better than being a journalist – so he is entirely envious of the man it was his pleasure to introduce – Stephen Green – who has now retired from the role.
Stephen thanked David for his kind introduction, hoping that on this true cricketing occasion bad light would not spoil his talk.
“According to the Hampshire Chronicle & Advertiser in 1908 a match was held 100 years ago, between Hampshire and All England, at which the memorial opposite the Bat and Ball Inn at Hambledon was unveiled. 5,000 spectators were present. 100 hardy pioneer motorists paid 8/- in order to park. Arrangements were made to accommodate 650 cyclists. Those who brought single-horse vehicles had to pay 2/- for the privilege.
I am interested to note that I did see one of the players who took part in that match. As a small boy, I used to observe, at Dean Park, Bournemouth, the great Phil Mead who was, alas, blind by that time. I knew descendants of the other participants on that occasion Gilbert Jessop’s son was a clergyman. He gave to the M.C.C. Museum one of his father’s batting gloves. It looked like a bunch of bananas. Such everyday items of cricket equipment tend not to survive in any great numbers and so it was a very welcome addition to the Lord’s collection.
C. B. Fry’s grandson, another Charles, is of course well known as being one of the most influential people in the modern M.C.C. It is pleasing to note that three generations of the Fry family have played for Hampshire. During my time at Lord’s, we were presented with a portrait of C. B. Fry, which was painted by Jim Swanton’s brother-in-law, Edmund Nelson. My former colleague, Iain Wilton, has written an excellent biography of C. B. Fry, which have belatedly read.
It was said at the function that ‘public speaking after luncheon was not generally a usual custom’ but that seems to have deterred no one! Captain Butler indeed made that potentially ominous remark: “if I may be permitted to say one word.” Mr. Sprot, the Hampshire Captain, made a speech that was described as ‘facetious’. although no sign of that is apparent if one reads the contemporary newspaper reports.
It is interesting to note that Gilbert Jessop said ‘if 100 years hence they (the organisers) would invite him again, they would be only too pleased to accept the invitation’.
The monument was made by the long-established Winchester firm of Vokes and Beck. It weighed 22 tons and cost a princely sum of £105. In my time at Lord’s, I met Mr. Wheble of that firm. He made a memorial for the M.C.C. Museum, in honour of H. S. Altham, using a piece of the old tombstone of Thomas Lord at West Meon. A new stone had replaced this and has been installed by M.C.C. in honour of its founder.
A great patron of cricket was present, in the person of the M.P. for Petersfield, Mr William Nicholson. He was liberal in all but his politics, having abandoned that party for the Conservatives. He gave money to enable MCC to acquire the freehold of Lord’s in the 1860s and he helped the club to build the present pavilion a quarter of a century later. It is possible that M.C.C.’s present colours of red and gold are derived from those used to advertise the family beverage. Indeed, for a time the present Lord’s pavilion was nicknamed ‘the Gin Palace’.
In short, a good time was had by all.
I write this on the day I read that Butch White has died. It is also the time when, after 65 years, I have had to cease to call the Isle of Wight my home. However, one door usually opens as another closes. I am now living at the Charterhouse in Central London. The buildings were brilliantly restored after war damage by that great Isle of Wight architect, Lord Mottistone. 100 years ago the cricket writer, Frederick Gale (the ‘Old Buffer’) was a Brother of Charterhouse. The place even has a link with Hambledon. One of our residents is Raymond Salisbury-Jones. His father was a General who had been Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps. He then proceeded to manage a vineyard in the village.
My 50th birthday party was held at the Bat and Ball Inn. Colonel John Stephenson, the then Secretary of M.C.C., made an informal speech on that occasion.
My father was, for many years, a clergyman in Ryde. One of the members of his church choir obtained the post of Head Master of the Hambledon Village School. He always claimed this was because his name was Peter May!
One of the happiest moments at Lord’s was when we were able to acquire the portrait, by Nathaniel Dance, of Lord Winchilsea. This nobleman was the Hambledon President in 1787 and it was he who encouraged Thomas Lord to embark on his great enterprise but that, perhaps, is another story…..
I have one other link with Hambledon. In my last few months at Lord’s, we received on loan from the former Dean of Lincoln, the Very Reverend Oliver Fiennes, valuable documents concerning the great days of Hambledon which had long been kept by members of his family.
Long may cricket at Hambledon flourish!”
Dave Allen thanked Stephen, reminding him of how, in 1978, he had saved the day when Dave had taken a group of 13-14-year-olds from Portsmouth to Lord’s to a Test Match between England and Australia. It poured with rain until 6 pm, but the highlight of their day was a visit to the Museum that Stephen was able to arrange for them.
Prize Draw
The traditional donations and draw for payment of the winner’s lunch were part of making these events useful for Youth Cricket at Hambledon CC in support of their Colts. The draw prize raised £75 plus £50 for the prize winner.
Hambledon Cricket Club
A cheque for £800, as part of a donation of £900, was presented to Hambledon Cricket Club to assist with the rebuilding of the pavilion.
Next Meeting
The next lunch will be on Saturday, 4 October 2008.