Volume 3 Issue 15 March 2013

THE PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL

The 19th century saw the Backhouse and Pease family as prominent industrialists in . They were members of The Society of Friends or .Their meeting house was in Skinnergate near the Green Tree Inn Behind was their burial ground and beyond that the Green Tree Field where cricket was first played. They wore plain black and grey clothes and the town's football team's kit chose the same colours and of course the football team nickname has always been the Quakers after this society. The backhouse and Pease family acquired land around the outskirts of the town to the south and west. They built fine Victorian mansions and parkland. three overlooked Feethams. Southend (now Bananntynes Hotel) Beechwood and Polam (now a school). other properties included, Hummersknott (now Carmel school), Mowden (the DFE buildings) Blackwell Grange (Blackwell Grange Hotel) Elm Ridge (now a church) West Lodge (DHSS) North Lodge (became a teachers centre) Woodlands and Pierremont retain their residential use.

Edmund Backhouse became the first club President in 1866. He was a financier and politician. Born into a successful family at Polam Hall. . He Sir Edmund backhouse 1866-1880 was president when regular Saturday cricket came to Feethams. (more on his life can be found in Robert Hattersley's history of the early years)

The death of Backhouse in 1880 saw Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease become President. A benefactor of the club, he was a chief subscriber to the club when it moved to Feethams from Park Street. The Pease family were famous for their textile Mill. Their mills by the Skerne were the main em- ployers in Darlington. The Pease family were also prominent in bringing the railways to the town. The next president was another knight of the realm. Sir Edward Daniel Walker (SEE LEFT) was elected President in 1903. He had started work at North Road railway works as a 13 year old. He eventually became a successful bookshop proprietor and founded Walker Wilson a comp-any that dealt with media distribution and advertising. He was elected mayor on three occasions and an alderman and was knighted in 1908. He was instrumental in securing the Feethams ground, building both the pavilion and the groundsman’s house. It was through his influence and con- tacts that W.G. Grace came to play at Feethams he even presented solid gold medals to the leading batsmen and bowlers of the first and second teams.

The 4th president was Thomas Putnam, Darlington born and bred. He worked at The Forge, a firm founded by his father. The Forge was on Albert Hill. During the great war, the forge made many of the Big Guns for our troops. they were also responsible for many great battleships. Knighted in 1918 he lived at "Greylands" in Conniscliffe road. His house now backs on to Green park. He owned a stud at Middelham.

The Mountfords were a family of master tailors and THEIR business was on High Row and then Bondgate. Charlie was mainly a second eleven player but was an active administrator. He also became NYSD President in 1922-23

George Gosling Plant was at one time the youngest practising solicitor in the country. During the Great War he had joined the Durham Light In- fantry and commanded the South African Regiment in the trenches before being invalided out in 1918.Before the war he played both hockey and cricket at Feethams. he offered legal advice to the club for nearly 40 years. He moved to Snow Hall, Gainford and was involved in a serious hunting accident which resulted in his death in 1936.

An Oxford Blue and a fast bowler, Charles Urie Peat (see left) won the military Cross during the Great war and was Darlington's conservative M.P. He was a partner in the international accounting firm Peat, Marwick and Mitchell. he died in 1979 aged 87.

Mr Arthur Feetham was the next Pr4esident, becoming the first dual president of both the town's cricket and rugby clubs. In 1951 Richard Healey became the club's tenth President. Having just retired as Head of Rise Carr primary School and as one of the most successful captains in the club history it was only natural that Dick should become President upon the passing of Arthur Feetham. As captain of the team in the very successful 30s Healey saw the team win 14 trophies during the fifties. In 1958 to celebrate a 60 year association with the club The Dick Healey Fund was set up and by 1959 it had achieved £400 for ground seating. Dick died in 1974 and was replaced as President by his friend Mr Ronnie Morton. Morton was chief pharmaceutical chemist at Darlington Co-op. He introduced the Christmas Draw and also Sunday opening to the club. He was renowned for his saying when volunteering "just leave it to your 'umble' servant" Jack Clarke was the 12th president and had been Head of Corporation Road School. He had joined as a tennis player. Lenny Alsop followed as the next president. His early life had been spent in heavy industry in the town but he later became a poultry farmer and was one of the first to introduce the battery system of poultry farming. he played cricket for Haughton and then Darlington and also played football for the town in the thirties.He is also one of the few players to captain all three club sides. Several have managed two but not many three! Lenny had a 67 year association with the club. I remember from my time on the committee just before his death, Lenny would never miss a meeting but would often be fast alseep through most of it! Bill Stokell was an agricultural engineer and manager. and also had his own business in Clifton Road and later an oil and paint business in Valley Street. he died in 1991 aged 77. Arthur Dean followed as President number 15.Arthur played at Cockerton before coming to Feethams. he played in the second eleven in 1958 before a hip in- jury forced him to retire. Arthur was President when first class cricket came to Feethams in 1991. He sadly passed away only recently. Arthur Dean was to have a second term from 1996 to 2001. Brian Johnson followed as the clubs 16th President. Educated at the town Grammar School, Brian was a so- licitor and a past batsman of the first team and second team. he captained the successful second eleven in the early seventies. Brian was also to have a second term of office between 2008 and 2011.

In 2001 Wilton Lister (see left) as elected President. Wilton had been a fruiterer in the towns covered market with his business partner Don White. (White and Lister) He was the father of J.W.Lister who went on to be one of the clubs most successful batsmen and captains. John also played 1st class cricket for Derbyshire and minor counties with Durham.

John Edwardson, another second team skipper was president from 2004 to 2008. John joined the club from Cockerton and he became the highest scoring second team batsman. A self employed builder his skills have been vital tot he club over the years. John has coached at the club for over thirty years. John, affectionately known as Big E is to be the President again in 2013. Eric Blench was president between 2011 and 2012 and did the job alongside being treasurer at a critical time in the club history. Eric joined the club from Spennymoor in the eighties and played much of his cricket for the second team. He was a successful captain of the third team and led them to several trophies.

1.Edmund Backhouse 1866-1880

9. Mr R Healey 1951-1974

13. Mr W Stokell 1984-1987 2. Sir J.W. Pease 1880-1903

14.Mr. A Dean 1987-1992

3. Sir E.D.Walker 1903-1919 10. Mr R A Morton 1974-1977

15Mr G.B.Johnson 1992 - 1996

4. Sir Thomas Putnam 1920 -1923

16.Mr A Dean 1996-2001

11. Mr. J.J. Clarke 1977-1980 5. Councillor Charles Mountford 1924-1927 17. Mr. W.K.Lister 2001-2004

6. Lieut.Col.G.G.Plant 1928-36 (No photo) 18.Mr.J Edwardson 2004-2008 12. Mr.L.Alsop 1981-83

19.Mr. G.B.Johnson 2008-2011 7. Mr. C.U.Peat 1936-1947 (Member of Parliament)

20. Mr E Blench 2011-2012 8. Mr. A Feetham 1949-1951

21 Mr. J Edwardson 2013-

Darlington cricket club have always prided itself on the quality of its groundstaff. The Park Street ground had been re-laid after complaints from the All England side in 1849 The All England team returned in 1950 and found a great improvement. In those days at Park Street the players were enthusiasts and there was no groundsman but the members did the work themselves. The final game was played at Park Street on 3rd October 1866. Following the Hambledon Cricket Club example set by Thomas Lord the Darlington club took the hallowed turf of Park Street with them to their new ground "Feethams" This was a ten acre site located 200 yards south west of Park Street and occupied the western floodplain of the Skerne Valley. It consisted of two fields separated by a an unstraightened stell (or stream).The site was suitable for cricket but required levelling, draining and re turfing. Mr Silas Usher of York was contracted to do the work for the sum of £75. Work began in November 1866. When the ground was ready in 1867 it had cost £300 to move, a considerable sum of money at that time. It wasn't until 1878, 12 years after arriving at Feethams that the club's first "Groundskeeper " was appointed. The development of round arm bowling meant wickets needed to be improved. Harry Thompson (right) became the first of a long line of cricket pitch experts at Feethams. During the decade that followed Feethams became known as "the finest ground in the north" As usually happens, Harry's wife and four daughters became responsible for catering at the club. Harry remained Groundsman until ill health forced his retire- ment in 1901. Lord Hawke, the Yorkshire captain (1883-1910) stated Yorkshire had never played on such a wonderful pitch. He must have been impressed as he honoured harry with a lifetime Yorkshire membership In 1901 Ted Shepherd took over the reigns as Groundsman. At 24, the young Cumbrian soon earned an excellent reputation. Ted, the first full time groundsman retired in 1946 after 45 years service. He lived in the handsome groundsmans house in the north east corner of the ground. It had been built due to the financial generosity of Sir E.D. Walker in 1907. Upon retire- ment Ted moved into one of Sir E D Walkers homes on Conniscliffe Road. He spent much of his retirement at Feethams helping on the turnstiles. He died in 1958 aged 81 years. The club horses, used to pull the rollers were retired and another era came to an end as the new groundsman entered the mechanical age. Maurice Clarke became Ted's replacement but tragically died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 40. He was replaced by Bernard Flack who stayed at Feethams for five years before moving to Warwickshire's Edgebaston ground. He was to later become the Test and County Cricket Board's Inspec- tor of Pitches. J.T. Gibson was his replacement and after a five year period he left for employment in Cheshire. His replacement in 1960 was Vic Myers who had been in charge of the Stockton ground for five years. Vic Myers, whom I remember from my child- hood was replaced by the first of the "modern day" groundsmen, John Wilkie. (see left) He was a much liked and popular young man who arrived at Feethams via Scarborough and Hull cricket fields. he was also a useful 3rd eleven opening bat. During 1976 he scored the clubs first C division century. In 1979 he scored 93* in an unbroken partnership on 186 with Tommy Bamber (87*) to defeat by ten wickets at Acklam Park. John left Feethams in 1981 to became groundsman at Ampleforth college where he remains to this day (2013) He still bumps into old friends when their sons attend the cricket festivals at the college for Durham CCC Under 12s and Under 14s. Colin Gray( see right) was the next incumbent of the groundsman's house at Feethams and he remained at the club for six years before moving to Stockton where he was in charge of the wickets until his retirement in 2011. In 1987 David Bentley arrived having undergone his apprenticeship as a groundsman under Bernard Flack at Edgebaston.deb has been at the club ever since, his wife and family have also taken an active part in tall aspects of club life. During Dave's term at the club, we have seen first class cricket come to Feethams. Dave has needed extra hands to accommodate the professionals. Andy "Tommo" Thompson has helped on the cricket ground for many years and indeed was groundsman at the football pitch himself for several years.

The History of Darlington Cricket Club

Tommo remembered some of the great times he has working on the cricket field.

Thoroughly enjoyed my time at Feethams, serving my time with Dave Bentley was well worth it, some great times. Brilliant to be part of the club when we hosted Durham County matches. Best memories were the Minor Counties v West Indies, when my good friend Desmond Haynes was part of the touring side, however the fun started the day before on the Tuesday. We had just taken delivery of a brand spanking new Allett 36" Mower, complete with power steering. My job for that day was to cut the outfield, as Dave was preparing the wicket and square. Everything was going brilliant. I had cut half the field, but as I approached the edge of the field on the river side, DISASTER.!! When I pulled the right steering brake, the damn thing just kept going straight on, careered up a white concrete pole, sparks flying everywhere off the blades. I jumped off and managed to pull the brake to get it to stop, but what a way to christen a new machine.!! Dave, incidentally was very good about it.

Another good memory was when we were hosting Durham v Northants at Feethams, and I would stay at the ground in a caravan as we started about 5 or 6 am to remove covers, sheets, cut the outfield etc. Anyway, Nat West had a hospitality tent in the old Football car park near the score box. This particular night Frank Griffiths, who was helping with security and myself decided to walk round and check everything was ok, we entered this tent, and to my absolute joy, they'd only left the damn pumps on, anyway after checking that the lager was up to a decent standard, we decided to go to kip, as we had a long day ahead of us, but halfway through the night I fell out of the bed, Pissed.!! Morale of the story.....Always make sure your taps are turned off. Cheers Nat West.!! Pictured below, Dave Bentley and Andy Thompson

1. The groundsmen at Feethams Harry Thompson 1878 - 1901 2. Ted Shepherd 1901 - 1946 3. Maurice Clarke 1946-1950 4. Bernard Flack 1950-1955 5. J.T.Gibson 1955-1960 6. Vic Myers 1960-1972 7. John Wilkie 1972-1981 8. Colin Grey 1981- 1987 If you haven’t been already, then visit the History of the club 9. David Bentley 1987 - part two. So far we have 500 visitors to the site where the his- tory is housed on the web. Click on the photos above to visit the site. www.glorydaysnysd.weebly.com

First Senior Games—Blackhall cricketer and NYSD umpire asked this question of the Grumpy Old Cricketers group.

Graeme Smith Do you remember your senior debut then? Mine was when I was about 12, so about 1980. Scorer for BCC 2s, but they were short. We were about 60-9 when I strode in with the instruction to "get forward". Left arm spinner called Brown bowling for Normanby. Fielders crowding the bat as the little lad takes guard. 3rd ball, huge appeal for caught behind. The " nick" they had all gone up for was the arse of my trousers splitting as I stretched as far forward as I could. Fifth ball, lost patience and slogged it. Normanby too had dragged a lad in that day, he was at mid on in black trousers and positioned himself under the catch. Until Mr Brown took pity on me, barged him out of the way and dropped it (probably on purpose), and then immediately started coaching me on my forward defensive. All out for about 70, I got 2 no, and we lost heavily.

Leigh Beaumont I am afraid I don't! My Memory is shocking. I do remember playing as a young lad in Stockton 3rds under Lol Ward (Wards still involved in Stockton) and then Tony Brenan. Both great guys. Gave me a good grounding.

David Cross Leigh can't believe you don't remember Mine was 1989 away to Brotton for norton 4ths I was 12 and was keeping wicket you obviously bat 11 and was ran out on the last ball of the game tied on 128 each Leigh Beaumont I know Dave I am shocking! I have a scrap book from 1985!

Tim Dobson Mine was in 1968 for Darlo thirds at Raby Castle. Arthur Sanders was captain. I had spent every week they season sitting on steps at Feethams with a bag of kit in the hope someone had dropped out. Eventu- ally Arthur gave me the nod and away we went in the big mini bus. Deer had to be chased off the pitch before play started. Sure I would be last man to bat I was delighted when Arthur put himself last. I got two not out and it was like a century!

Phillip Hawthorne mine was 1994 came on for an injured Billy Blenkiron at bishops and fielded at mid on for mr butts

Steve Smith My first A Division game was at Feethams in 1982. I'd just joined that season from Castle Eden and Des (Haynes) thought we needed more first team bowling. The upshot was after I'd played 2 or 3 B Division games I was promoted. Darlington batted first - not sure whether it was just after John Lister had just returned. We fielded and Des took the new ball, and David Seddon bowled the second over. We kept it tight but didn't take wickets so we made no bowling changes. With wickets in hand Darlington accelerated later and approached 200. Des bowled 28 overs and Dave other 27. You couldn't get the ball out of Des' hands you know. We drew and the week after I was back in the IIs. My next appearance shortly afterwards was when Dave couldn't play. While not suggesting my performance that day was ever followed up in the next few years so dramati- cally we bowled Redcar out for 39 and I got 6- 10.

Alan Smith Remember it well Steve (both games)...how often has the idea that we are keeping it tight but not taking wickets ended in a sizeable score to chase. That match at Darlington was a perfect example and darlo always had the fire power in their line up to accelerate when the bowlers tired. The Redcar game was a rapid procession and over in no time at all once the wickets started to fall.

Mal Dickenson In in 1984 when I was 13 for our 3rds against Rockcliffe Park (away). Got a fifty not out for the U15s in the morning so felt invincible. Kevin Flintoff batted me at 11 (and not for the first time - or the last - i complained about where I was batting). Blocked the first ball and was clean bowled trying to put the second out of the ground. "You stupid boy" (courtesy of Flinty) ringing in my ears as i walked off

Alan Smith Don't know the year but probably mid 60's. Blackhall 2nds at home to Saltburn. Bowled out for 25 and was given the last over when Saltburn were about 20 for 0. The umpire was Alan Cross and he gave a guy out LBW (I have had worse shouts upheld but it felt like a sympathy wicket after a very polite enquiry to the umpire). Stuffed out of sight but went home a happy lad. That theme continued for many years! Unofficial debut in the A Division at Acklam Park with Chris Old in the Boro team. I was only 9 (1964) and fielded sub after 2 Blackhall lads failed to arrive for the match. Blackhall dismissed for about 70 and dad gave me his sweater to wear and asked me to field. Generous applause from the spectators for my efforts. Stuffed out of sight but went home a happy lad...you get the picture. THEN WE HEARD FROM DESMOND HAYNES...

Desmond Haynes I want to say that today 35 years ago I played my first One Day international against Australia. I do not know where those years gone I feel great.

Graeme Smith Had a look on cricinfo...... a canny debut it was too! 148 off 136 balls. Well played Dessie!