From the record book
I recently came across some old fixture cards dating back to 1956. Unfortunately the sequence is not complete. I have added everything I have kept but we are still missing: 2000, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1991, 1990, 1988, 1980, 1979 and 1974. If anyone has a clean copy of any/all these fixture cards for the missing years, could you let me know so that I can at least take a copy. Also any copies of end-of-season newsletters for: 1995, 1994, 1993, 1991 backwards.
There are five teams that we played in 1956 who we were scheduled to play this year: East Horsley, Oxshott, Stoke d’Abernon, Wibbandune and West End Esher (plus Australia House who folded at the end of last year). 1957 lists us playing local clubs: Hinchley Wood, Leverets, Surbiton Town, Foxwarren and Hersham & Claremont. Assuming all these clubs no longer exist, that shows the strength of Claygate and its ability to survive and thrive.
The first Whitsun Tour in 1963 went to Wootten Bassett, Shrivenham and Goatacre (Calne). In 1965 the 1st XI played the Incompatibles - perhaps a forerunner for Simon Bushell’s Unplayables. Of course up to 1986 when we first entered into League cricket, the Sunday 1st XI were the club’s premier team.
Tony Davis, an entertainer, left arm over fast bowler
Club stalwart, Tony Davis, became Treasurer and Saturday captain in 1965 having joined the committee the previous year. Brian Woolnough, now of The Star and Sky fame joined the committee in 1967 and Brian Jackson in 1968. One J Knight was listed on the committee in 1973, returning in the early 90s for an infamous second spell at the club.
Jem Price daves dad. Best wicketkeeper ever for Claygate
Our current President, David Milner, first appeared on the committee as vice-captain in 1968 under Bob Buckland, moving up to run the club as Secretary in 1976 for 10 years. The club’s top wicket-keeper batsman, Jem Price became a vice-captain in 1969 and Bob Capon, the club’s President before David, joined the committee in the same year. Nev Dable started his time on the committee in 1970 – at a time when even the scorers were listed in the fixture cards – and they were all wives of players.
Cricket Week made its debut in 1971 during the first week of August. There were three games including a President’s XI. In 1972 this became five games. Carnegie and Stoke d’Abernon joined Cricket Week in 1973, Sunbury in 1976.
In 1977 the Dinner Dance was held in Richmond and in 1978 the annual subscriptions were £5 for adults and £1.50 for juniors.
From top left. ?? Mark O.Connell, Shades, Specs, Andy.Webb. Nevil .Dable.Phil Lewis,,Geoff Thomas, Marshall Nicholls.
Alan Mc Kinley ,Russell Davis, Tony Davis. Paul O Connell. David Milner, Des Cecil, Bob Buckland, Ian Valentine.
Recently out of retirement, Andy Spector, became Hon Team Sec in 1978, Paul O’Connell took on the same job in 1982 and Bob Capon started his reign as President in 1983, the same year that Alan McKinley (2nd XI captain) and Des Cecil (Saturday captain) joined the committee for the first time. A year later Russell Davis became a committee member.
1985 saw Claygate’s centenary year, the last year before Claygate embraced league cricket under the captaincy of first Andy Spector and then Tim Scott in the Slazenger League with visits to clubs like Lambeth Enterprise and Battersea Ironsides. Marshall Nicholls became 2nd XI captain in 1987 but we did not see him again until 1995 in Sri Lanka. The Expendables were born when the league XI were playing away on a Saturday until Brian Jackson converted them into a league 2nd XI in 1988 with Richard Waller as the star all-rounder. By then Cricket Week was settled into its regular format of President’s XI, Carnegie, Barnes, Stoke d’Abernon and Sunbury.
Young Paul Milner, Phil Lewis, Mark O Connell, Tim Scott, Warren Ganesh, Jem Price.
Tony Davis,, Old Milner, 'Mad' Adam Massey, Specs, Keith Alderman. Alan Mc Kinley and Steven
Davis, Price, Simon Coffee (son of vet) M.O.Connell,Alderman,Ganesh,Steve (The grounds man)
Milner,Mc Kinley, Massey, Specs, Pete Mears, Tim Scott.
The club went from strength to strength in this period, gaining promotion in each of its first two seasons in the Slazenger, runners up Division 3 in 1986, champions Division 2 in 1987. 1991 saw our debut in the Wey Valley League under Alan McKinley, we finished 3rd that year but returned to become champions in 1992.
Brian Smudger Smith and Phil
Keith Alderman had taken over as Secretary in 1986, soon followed by Diana Scott, mother of Tim, the first woman to serve on the committee. Simon Bushell, myself and Richard Waller joined the committee in 1990 when annual subscriptions were £25 for adults and £5 for juniors. Phil Lewis started his 10 year service as Fixture Secretary in 1988, the same year that Paul Stenning and Mark O’Connell served on the committee for the first time. Ian Darke started his 10 year reign in 1993 when I left for Papua New Guinea.
We moved to the Surrey Downs League in 1999, we should have won that year but had to wait for further success until 2003 and 2004.
Rufus Legg
