1952-1990

Having, in 1951, wrested the Division I Championship of the Wycombe and District Cricket League from Hampden who had previously held it in 1949 and 1950, Kingshill retained the Championship in 1952. Hampden then had its revenge by depriving Kingshill of the hat-trick in 1953, but Kingshill continued as a strong influence in the League by winning the Championship again in 1954, 1957 and 1963.

The 1952 and 1954 First Eleven Championship teams are shown opposite. The second team also had their moments of glory, winning Division V in 1961 and 1974 and the reserve knock-out cup in 1973. Generally, there is a tendency to include first eleven photographs only in such a club history but as luck would have it the first and second elevens got together in 1957 for a group photograph as shown.

This photograph was taken the same year as the completion of the new pavilion as will be gathered from the condition of the roof tiling which shows no signs of the battle scars of later years. In order to redress the balance still further a Second Eleven photograph of 1961 is shown alongside the First Eleven of 1963. Apart from the two innocent young lads seated on the rug, the 1961 photograph is of further interest as it includes Jack Saunders, a great club character who probably bowled more overs between 1946 and 1963 than any other second eleven bowler in the history of the club. With regard to the 1963 photograph, it was quite remarkable that of the fourteen players and officials on it who are still alive, no fewer than eleven were present on the Club Day during the Centenary Cricket Week this year.

During the fifties and sixties, Sunday cricket also thrived and there were some good matches and performances at home and away against such teams as West London, Northwick Park, Albion Oddfellows, etc. Hugh Bartlett, ex-captain of Sussex, appeared for several years in Morris-Johns eleven and his driving through mid-off when in full stride was something to be seen — unless you were fielding at mid-off. He was most remembered for an astonishing innings at Lord's in the Gentlemen v Players match of 1938 when he simply cut to ribbons the Players front line bowlers including Nichols and Smith of Essex and Pollard of Lanes, to score 175 not out. Later that year he took 157 off the Australians at Hove, including the fastest century of the season.

Denis Compton of Middlesex, who needs no introduction, also graced us with his presence in one of these matches in 1953. Despite a dismal wet day, Denis turned out in brown suede shoes — he often contrived to forget or mislay a vital piece of equipment, even at Lord's — and he proceeded to confuse most of the Kingshill batsmen with his slow left-arm chinaman.

Whilst on the subject of cricket celebrities, it was many years later, 1976 to be precise, when a very youthful Wilf Slack scored 75 for Frieth to win a Haig knock-out cup game at Kingshill and it is sad to record that his cricket career with Middlesex and MCC was to end so suddenly in 1989.

It was also during the fifties that the club was sometimes hard pressed to turn out a full Sunday eleven, particularly during holiday periods. Many times, the team selection committee would get down to number seven or eight and then, somewhat reluctantly and after some heated exchanges, would resort to the inclusion of three or four guest players. So it was that the terrible trio of Humphrey, Styles and Baldwin came to be accepted into the Kingshill fold in 1955. As a result, and fortunately for the club, Bill Humphrey and to a lesser extent Wally Styles began a long association with the club, and as most of us know or have experienced, Bill Humphrey is still very much actively involved on and off the field.

 In case anyone reading this is unfamiliar with the said person, a typical action photograph of Bill taken in 1966 is included and has a certain appeal all of its own.  Needless to say, the batsman, who shall be nameless, appeared reluctant to leave and eventually the umpire gave him not out. Action photographs taken at cricket and football matches in the various villages around Wycombe were very popular in those days thanks mainly to Ron Goodearl of High Wycombe. It is indeed fortunate that Mr. Goodearl spent most of his Saturday afternoons touring round with his camera always al the ready and he had that uncanny knack of capturing the action just at the right moment. A typical example which has been deliberately tucked away in a drawer for many years is shown opposite. It was taken in 1960 on Prestwood Common long before Prestwood Cricket Club moved to its present ground in Honor End Lane and the old scout hut can be seen in the background. The batsman has been captured groping rather helplessly to a ball which has effectively removed the leg stump and the picture could well be used in a spot the missing stump competition.

In 1952 and 3 it became clear that changing and sometimes sheltering from the rain under the top hedge, despite the luscious blackberries, was no longer an attractive proposition — particularly as other clubs in the league were gradually improving their facilities. As a result, and in conjunction with the football club, a pavilion fund committee was formed in 1953 and in 1954 the awing letter was sent out to all households in the village:-

GREAT KINGSHILL PAVILION FUND

"Great Kingshill has one of the finest village recreation grounds in this part of country.

For this fact we are indebted to those energetic and generous residents of the village who were responsible for the levelling and re-laying of the ground before the 1939-45 war, and for the many improvements which have been laid out since the war. Unfortunately the most necessary and vital amenity is still missing, and has been long overdue — a sports pavilion. At the present time cricketers, footballers and other people using the ground for organised games have to change in the village hall cloakrooms, which are totally inadequate for the purpose. There are no proper washing facilities for footballers, who have to return home cold and unwashed, leaving a trail of mud behind them which finds its way all over the village hall. When it rains during the summer, cricketers have no convenient place in which to shelter, nor indeed have the faithful  spectators,   whilst  cricket  gear,   tables,   chairs,  etc ,  are frequently left out in the rain.

There is no suitable building for storing playing gear and ground equipment such as cricket and football nets, goal post and flags, cricket tackle, marking-out equipment, sawdust, fertilizers, seed, etc. The motor mower has either to be left out in all weathers, or driven across the main road, over rough ground and into a shed which is already overflowing with equipment.

The need for a pavilion is urgent and undeniable.

The Hughenden Parish Council has recognised the need, and has kindly leased a sufficient area of land near the south-east corner of the recreation ground for the erection of a pavilion. A pavilion fund committee has been formed to raise the necessary money. This committee is resolved that the sports pavilion will be of good design and a permanent structure, sufficient to meet the requirements of both the cricket and football clubs. A building which will be worthy of the site and a credit to Great Kingshill. A target figure of £700 was agreed, and although this figure may seem a formidable one, the committee is confident that with your support and the backing of the football and cricket clubs, the target can be reached.

We need your support.

Would you please complete and return the attached slip, together with your donation in the envelope provided, and so help to ensure that the recreation ground continues to play an important part in our village life, now and in the future. Thank you."

The response to this letter, although generous in some instances, was generally disappointing but it must be remembered that there were only 200 houses in Kingshill in 1954 compared with around 700 today.

The fund committee worked very hard organising raffles, fundraising events, etc. but unfortunately the original fund target of £700 did not take sufficient account of rising building costs and it was only after a generous grant of £335 from the National Playing Fields Association and a timely loan from John Lintern of Hoppers Farm, that the pavilion was eventually completed at a cost of £1,200 and officially opened by Colonel Charlier, Hon Secretary to the Bucks Playing Fields Association.

It is worth recording that many years before the pavilion was built the National Playing Fields Association had donated £20 towards the cost of the improvements to the recreation ground in 1936. This may not seem a large contribution but the total cost was less than £200 as a copy of the original estimate of J. Smith & Sons shown over the page will confirm. As described in Part I, the recreation ground formed part of a larger common area before the enclosure awards in the middle of the last century. Consequently, before 1936, the outfield was rough with uneven turf made up of those fine grasses found on the Chilterns and, towards the south-eastern corner in the vicinity of where the pavilion now stands, there was a covering of heather with harebells abounding in the summer.

The Official Opening of Great Kingshill Sports Pavilion

As will be seen from the old photographs shown in Part II, there was a well-trodden footpath from corner to corner and, towards the Red Lion not far from this old footpath, was a fairly large dell which served as a good hiding place for small boys and a hazard for anyone staggering home after closing time. The so-called cricket table, which was only about three or four pitches wide, was generally well-kept and showed up as a green oasis in the surrounding common area.

The cricket club has always been involved in village affairs and took an active part in the Coronation celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and her Silver Jubilee in 1977. It could be that the 1953 celebrations diverted the club's attention from winning the first division championship for the third time running, but there are some worthwhile memories of that rather wet and cold day in June. The photograph opposite shows that the players acted as the 'horses' pulling the cart carrying the Great Kingshill Coronation Queen and her Attendants around the village and the tug-of-war team spurred on by Percy Hawes is made up entirely of cricketers with Ken Burnham in the foreground and Horace Cummings as anchorman at the rear.

There were one or two other events off the field in the 1950's which still remain in the memory, In 1957 the club organised a trip to Southend of all places and Mole Nash and others exercised their throwing arms in the Kursal to the discomfort of a scantily dressed female reclining in a double bed in a "tip her out of bed" sideshow. The poor girl eventually gave up climbing back into bed and went off for a cup of tea and a warm. A trip to the theatre in London was arranged in 1959, but unlike the Southend venture, this was not an unqualified success. The seats were way up in the gods and one could only guess that the figure on centre stage was Benny Hill, as the top of his head was unrecognisable at such a distance.

Before moving on from the decades of the fifties and sixties, the club did have one further triumph at the end of the 1966 season by winning a knock-out cup final against Ashley Green at Lacey Green. It will be seen from the photographs opposite that it was a wet day and the victorious team looks a bit mud-spattered and weary apart from Mole Nash who seems to be doing his own little victory war dance. The relieved expression on the skipper's face receiving the cup from Clarrie Haynes, President of the old Wycombe and District League at that time, contrasts with the beaming countenance of the ever faithful Don Rodwell in the background.

Although the nineteen-sixties were not without some achievement, it was in the next decade that more important developments occurred which greatly affected the future of the Club. Firstly, there had been growing unease amongst some of the more progressive clubs in the Wycombe League concerning the generally poor state of some grounds and facilities being provided, particularly on the Council grounds in High Wycombe where the pitches had always been of a relatively poor standard. As a result of this disenchantment and other factors, some of the leading clubs, including Great Kingshill, broke away from the High Wycombe and District Cricket League at the end of the 1974 season to form the new Mid-Bucks League.

Kingshill has taken an active interest in the management of the League since its formation, chiefly through Bill Humphrey who has been on the League Management Committee in one capacity or other since 1974. As is to be expected in any new or relatively new organisation, there have been some teething troubles and no doubt there will be a few knotty problems to solve in the future.

The second important development was the incorporation of the old allotments into the recreation ground in 1980. The club was indeed fortunate that, during this development which was not without some controversy and finally achieved after two local inquiries in 1973 and 1976 into the compulsory purchase of the Read Lion Meadow, a former president of the club, George Moreton, happened to be chairman of the Hughenden Parish Council and Harold Waterton, who was then president of the cricket club also represented the Great Kingshill ward on the said Council.

It is now difficult to imagine the limited and some say the more intimate and friendly character of the recreation ground as it was before the seventies, but the action photograph overleaf taken in 1961 gives some idea of the closeness of the 'top hedge' to the cricket square.

 This particular photograph is also of considerable added interest in that it shows Arthur Babb a former player, peeping over the top hedge from a favourite vantage point in the old allotments and several well known village characters sat on the seat and the old roller. Apart from the cover drive by John Harrison (the left foot is not quite in the right place) the photograph is also of interest in that it shows Gerald (Dabber) Sturgess as the Hazlemere wicket-keeper, a former Kingshill player and secretary of the club in 1955 and 56, and Alec Pilgrim at gully or short third man, who, despite severe physical handicap was a talented bowler and a more than useful batsman for Hazlemere.

Despite losing some of its former character, the enlargement of the ground was of great benefit to the Cricket Club in particular as it separated the football playing area from the cricket square and the children's play area could be accommodated in a much safer place than before. Incidentally, the old football pitch halfway line can still be traced across the cricket square which, in a wet season, was often a sea of mud in February and March in the old days.

The third important happening or event which occurred during the seventies concerned the somewhat fortuitous choice of houses by David Flack and family in the spring of 1976. David was soon coerced on to the Committee in 1977 and it was with some relief from the rest of the committee and almost disbelief in some quarters, that David volunteered to take on the important role of coaching and organising the youth teams. It was not long before Kingshill was boasting under 13, under 15 and under 17 teams and it was, and fortunately still is, a common sight to see up to fifty youngsters being taught the rudiments of the game on the recreation ground during the summer.

The various youth sides have won several trophies over the past fifteen years and three team photographs have been singled out for inclusion. The Under 16 Mid-Bucks League Champions 1979 will no doubt cause some amusement and stir the memories of doting parents. The Under 13 Raffety Buckland Winners 1984 is quite remarkable in that no fewer than five of those very young hopefuls are now playing in the Great Kingshill First Eleven. The Under 17 Mid-Bucks League and Cup Winners 1987 includes the last cricket club photograph of Harold Waterton, the past president.

In contrast to the Under 13 side of 1984, a photograph of the 1930 school cricket team at Kingshill School is shown in which Charlie Matthams, the headmaster, proudly presents his team. In those days Kingshill School taught children up to the age of fourteen, but the young hopefuls in the photograph are more in the nine to eleven years age range. Cricket whites which are now commonplace were unheard of in a village school at that time and what equipment there was had probably found its way from the Kingshill Cricket Club bag, Charlie Matthams being a long standing player and member of the cricket club. However, no doubt the lack of equipment and facilities was more than made up for by natural talent and enthusiasm.

It is sad to relate that several boys at Kingshill School of that generation did not survive the second world war; Alf Lacey for instance, probably the youngest boy in the photograph (bottom left), was thought by many to be the best all round cricketer and footballer in the village at the outbreak of the war. One cannot help wondering how many more triumphs the cricket club might have achieved had the likes of Alf Lacey and Jeff Janes, to name but two, not lost their lives during the war.

Returning to the present time, there can be no doubt that the youth coaching policy over the past fifteen years has contributed greatly to the playing strength of the first and second elevens and to the general prestige of the club in the village and elsewhere. The club is indeed fortunate that David Flack's efforts have been continued by Richard Bruton with the help of other senior club members. It involves a great deal of time and effort on the part of these members and one only has to see what has happened at Prestwood in the last few years to fully realise the importance of such a youth policy. Apart from the success of the youth teams, the seniors have more than held their own in the Mid Bucks League since its formation, the first team winning the Division I Championship in 1976, 1980 and 1987. The second team have been less successful, partly because, unlike some clubs, it has always been the policy in Kingshill to draft players from the second eleven to the first eleven when merit demanded rather than retain a second team simply to win some trophy or other. Nevertheless, the second eleven has played some good and enjoyable cricket at times and no doubt their turn will come in the not too distant future.

Turning back the clock to 1976 when Kingshill became the Mid-Bucks League champions for the first time, one particular game sticks in the memory as played at Booker on the hottest day since records had begun at the London Weather Centre, 95° F being recorded in London. The score-card is set out below but does not tell the full story. On being invited to field by the opposition, a certain member of the Kingshill team, fresh with ideas from physical training college produced some salt tablets in the changing room which he strongly advised that the whole team should take before going out into the sun. The old hands in the team very wisely declined the invitation but some of the younger ones were persuaded without being told that the tablets should always be taken with water and preferably lots of it. Consequently by mid-afternoon several of the more active Kingshill fielders were feeling unwell and it was not a particularly comforting sight for a hot and tired bowler to see his cover point being physically sick on the pitch. Fortunately, as will be gathered from the score-sheet, there was a complete recovery during the tea interval and Kingshill ran out worthy winners thanks to an unbeaten century by John Hogg (one of the salt table victims) ably supported by Terry Lawner and Michael Nash.

BOOKER

J. Newport ct B. Halson b N. Timpson .........88

P. Winkworth ct C. Waterton b P. Waterton........9

P. Bates ct T. Lawner b C. Waterton......34

D. Bullock    Not Out  .........40  

O. Carter ct and b N. Timpson.......2

C. Pearce ct and b N. Timpson.........9

K. Pitt Not Out  

Extras......0

Total..........209 for 5 declared

GREAT KINGSHILL

T. Lawner b J. Newport.............50

J. Hogg   Not Out................102

D. Flack    b D. Kruger..................5

M.J. Nash b O. Carter.............30

G. Free Hit Wicket b d. Kruger...... 4

V. Hogg   Not Out.................7

Extras.......................  14

Total.................... 212 for 4

Incidentally the game which clinched the title that year was against Prestwood when, facing a modest total of 99, Kingshill were in desperate straits at 90 for 9 when the last man, Chris Waterton, strode to the wicket to join the opening batsman, David Flack, who was then 43 not out. That year Chris topped the bowling averages for the first eleven but his batting, to put it kindly, was questionable and had yet to be proven. In fact, such was the strength of the Kingshill batting that year, Chris had not been called upon to bat in the seven previous games. As one can imagine, not many players in the Kingshill camp forced themselves to watch the last agonising moments; but they need not have worried, David Flack carried his bat for 48 and Chris somehow negotiated two priceless runs.

The first eleven photograph of that year, 1976, shows one or two old-fashioned hair styles and one wonders how John Hogg survived that very hot day at Booker. The photograph is of further interest in that it includes two father and son combinations, one father and daughter and two sets of brothers. The 1980 championship team alongside includes Fraser Morgan who took more league wickets in four years, 1980-83, than any other first eleven bowler since before the last war. It is not hard to imagine why, judging from his general physique compared with the rest of the side.

The first eleven did win the Premier Division again in 1987 under the captaincy of Martin Lewis but, unfortunately, there is no photograph to record this last triumph. The year was important in that the youth training programme of the previous years was having a marked influence on the make-up of the first and second elevens with Robert Lester, Martin Flack and Andy Swain making significant contributions in the first eleven and Lee Priestley, Mark Turner, Richard Flack, Peter Jackson and Nick Beal in the second eleven.

That same year another event occurred on the 1st August which bordered on the unbelievable and made its way into the national newspapers. In a second eleven match at Cadmore End, Kingshill batting first were struggling at 17 for 4 after eleven overs when Richard Purssell strode to wicket. After another twenty-three overs Richard had scored 200 not out, Kingshill declaring at 257 for 6 wickets. Admittedly there are some short boundaries at Cadmore End, but to hit sixteen sixes and seventeen fours off eighty-three balls received is quite staggering considering the circumstances. This feat was in sharp contrast to an innings by Vernon Hogg batting for Lane End against the first eleven in that very same month of August when, facing a total of 167 for 5 wickets off a mere thirty-five overs, Vernon, opening the innings for Lane End proceeded to score 30 off one hundred and forty-one balls received. Needless to say, the game petered out to a draw, Lane End finishing with 91 for 5 wickets off fifty overs and it was sometime before diplomatic relations were fully restored.

For some inexplicable reason, the club has never progressed very far in the National Village Knockout Competition and it would be nice to reach, say, the fourth round one of these years. The annual cricket tours to South Devon, first promoted by Kingshill in 1981 and now organised (by Kingshill) under the name of Mid Bucks Nomads have proved both enjoyable and, in some cases, unforgettable experiences for both young and old players alike.

A club history should not be merely concerned with playing achievements, it should also be about its social activities, fund-raising events and above all some of the more dedicated members who have served the club well over the years. To single out individuals is open to many pitfalls but since the club records are generally in such poor shape, no reflection on the current secretary, it would be a lost opportunity not to make the attempt and mention but a few. It also provides an excuse to show yet more photographs which might not otherwise be included.

Firstly, the past president, Harold Waterton, has already figured in this account and his influence on the club's affairs since 1946 cannot be overemphasised. Following his death in 1987 the following tribute was included in the December issue of the club magazine 'Owzat':-

"Harold Waterton was closely associated with the Great Kingshill Cricket Club for forty-three years:

During that period in the club's history, which the old guard remember as the so called glory years after the last war, Harold took on the somewhat unenviable and unglamorous role of captain of the second eleven from 1947 to 1955. This he did without complaint or rancour and those who played under his captaincy in those years remember him with affection.

However, it was on the administrative side that Harold made a more lasting contribution to the club's progress over the years. He became match secretary in 1946 and held the post of General Secretary from 1950 to 1954. He was Chairman of the Great Kingshill Pavilion Fund Committee from 1953 to 1961, the culmination of the committee's efforts being the completion and opening of the present pavilion in 1957.

Harold discarded his wicket-keeping gloves and pads at the close of the 1960 season and not long afterwards he became a member for the Kingshill Ward on the Hughenden Parish Council where he kept a watchful eye on the Recreation Ground and, of course, the Cricket Club. In 1969 he was elected president of the club and continued to hold this office with a more than usual interest in the club's affairs until his recent death. It is, indeed, a sobering thought that Harold was elected president before some of the younger players in the club were born.

Harold will be sadly missed by all those who have been connected with the club since the war and his example of long-standing service, help and guidance in the club affairs over the years will be hard to follow."

It was a happy coincidence that, in this centenary year, Harold's son Phillip was re-elected as captain of the First Eleven.

It will be seen from the fixture cards that there are four life members appointed for past services. The first of these, George Moreton, played a very active part in the affairs of the club in the 1930's as a player, groundsman and secretary. It was a common sight in those days to see George setting out on his push-bike to some 'away', match with the club bag balanced precariously on the carrier over the back wheel. He played for one or two years after the war and then became chairman of the committee and later president from 1960 to 1969. He was better known in the area generally for his sterling work on Hughenden Parish Council for some 40 years and he was chairman of that body for 25 years before his retirement in 1977. As already mentioned, he played an important part in the acquisition of the Red Lion meadow for a car park and allotment purposes which paved the way for the enlargement of the recreation ground in 1980.

The 1963 first team photograph, winners of Wycombe and District League Division I shows George in his presidential capacity.

It is rumoured that another life member, Garth Free, currently holds the blue riband for the longest service on the cricket club committee in one capacity or another, being 33 years at the last count. He would be the first to acknowledge that his attachment to the club and recreation ground stems from his father, Gerald Free, who was president of the club from 1951 to 1959 and had kept a watchful eye on the ground during the war years. In his younger days Gerald could throw a cricket ball further than most and one of the more endearing Kingshill legends concerns his throwing the occasional rotten orange from his shop over the elm trees which then skirted the main road, so as to land on the forecourt of the Red Lion at closing time. Old Waggle Crutchfield was often heard to say on exit from the pub 'it's only that b... Gerald agin'.

To add a touch of nostalgia for the older Kingshillians a photograph of Gerald Free taken outside his original shop with his young assistant Harold Biggss (Ray Biggs father) is shown overleaf. A second photograph taken at the same time i.e. circa 1922 or 23 shows those very elm trees alongside the main road and an old Thames Valley bus with solid tyres standing in the road. It was a bumpy and somewhat hazardous ride up Cryers Hill which was very steep at the top in those days and long before the bull-dozers went to work in 1937-38 to sweep away old Mrs Janes sweet shop facing the pond at the top of Cryers Hill and the two old cottages standing in front of the White Lion.

Returning to Garth, will he keep his long service record on the Cricket Club Committee or will someone eventually overtake it.

The third life member, Horace Cummings, or "Hoppy" first played cricket for the club in 1939 and then took a more than active part in the running of both the cricket and football clubs for the next forty years or so. In the early days he was instrumental in breathing new life into the old 30-inch Ransome motor mower at the beginning of each season, which was then flogged to death cutting the whole of the outfield in addition to the square. To make matters worse, the mower was sometimes used to clear the ground between the rows of raspberry canes at Cherry Tree Farm and had to be driven over the very rough ground of New Road, before it was made up, into the village hall shed.

Horace was also greatly involved with the pavilion and spent many long hours in its general upkeep and maintenance over the years. He is, of course, better known to the younger members for his umpiring duties in the latter years, which unfortunately he is no longer able to perform.

Modesty prevents too much mention of the remaining life member, except to say that, before defecting to Princess Risborough for nine years from 1967-75, he was captain of the first eleven for fourteen years, a fact which his better half will confirm with some conviction and is probably a record which is even safe from Bill Humphrey. He was also heavily involved, together with Harold Waterton and George Adams, in raising the money for and the building of the pavilion and sat on the League Council of the old High Wycombe and District Cricket League for some ten years.

One little cameo regarding this person, which is worth recording simply because he is frequently reminded of it, concerns a certain game against the Caribbeans at Kingshill in 1963. On being asked to open the batting, he was clean bowled first ball, or rather his middle stump was uprooted by a certain Uriah Painter steaming down from the top hedge. Kingshill struggled to 60 all out. In reply, the Caribbeans also found runs hard to come by with Wally Styles, all fire and aggression, bowling from the top end and the said person bowling from the bottom end, for some unaccountable reason. With the Caribbeans on 37 for 4, Uriah arrived on the scene to hit the very first ball he received from the said person straight through the front door of the Red Lion. He then proceeded to hit two further sixes before being clean bowled, scoring 22 in 14 deliveries. Alas, when Uriah left the scene, the Caribbeans were on 59 for 6 and the damage had been done.

There have been since 1951 two further life members who, sadly, are no longer with us. Firstly Will Lacey, father of Alf in the 1930 school photograph and of Maurice who was in the 1951,52 and 54 championship sides, and was treasurer of the club from 1946 to 1953 and probably before. In his quiet unassuming way he was regarded as an elder statesman of the cricket club before and after the war. An old 1935 fixture card shows that Will was on the cricket club committee at that time and Maurice, at what must have been a refreshingly tender age, was captain of the first eleven.

Secondly Fred Hall, whom many will remember as an umpire, was involved with the club from at least 1924 to 1974, when he was presented with a carriage clock to commemorate his long service.

He acted as groundsman for some years and was a staunch member of both the second and first elevens before and after the war. The term staunch fits easily on Fred's shoulders and there are many stories of his collisions with various obstacles and players on the field. The photograph overleaf shows Fred together with a very youthful looking Harold Waterton admiring the old Division I cup in 1954. The then well known figure of Billy Crutchfield is also looking on in the background which shows the old village hall before it was vastly improved and extended in 1977, old Mr. Edwards on the left who used to go round with the collection box at home matches in those days and Tuppeny Sturgess at the rear. Apart from the life members there are many others who have given their valuable time and service in running the club's affairs since 1951. Ron White, for example, was captain or vice-captain of the second eleven in the sixties and seventies and treasurer from 1976 to 1981. Likewise, Denis Tack was treasurer to the club for twelve years, to the village hall committee for an even longer period and still audits the cricket club accounts.

Keith Perrin was secretary for nine years before his beloved dahlias finally took over. Harold Fittall was chairman of the committee for twelve years, ten of those consecutive — surely another record — and was seen officiating yet again behind the bric a brac stall at the last jumble sale.

Ken Ewbank, better known for his occupation of the crease and his judgement of a single on the last ball of an over, sat on the committee for a long time. There is a strong rumour in this centenary year that Ken has hung his boots up after 40 years but this could well be a false alarm, yet again.

Maurice Nash, or Mole to many of us, whose judgement of a run was less sure than Ken Ewbanks and usually catastrophic for his batting partner, also served on the committee for many years.

Turning to the present Committee, Mike Botell was club secretary between 1976 and 1980 and is actively involved in the clubs affairs as is Bob Lester who was club Treasurer between 1982 and 1986.

There are many other names worthy of mention but there is limited time and space to include them all. A special place has been reserved, however, for Michael Nash, Basher to the irreverent, and to Bill Humphrey or Willy. It may come as a surprise for some to learn that Michael Nash was captain of the first eleven for five years in the early seventies and also of the Sunday eleven for some years before when Kingshill were going through a bit of a lean period; the most difficult time for any captain. His youthful countenance can be seen on the 1961 second team photograph together with that of Tony Priestley who is also still actively involved in the club. We now know him as 'the groundsman' and the ground which he has tended, cosseted might be a more apt word, since the sixties has never looked better than it did in this centenary year. Kingshill is not particularly noted for its picturesque character or charm, it was far too scattered in the old days, and one cannot imagine its picture being incorporated into a set of table mats or included in a calendar of 'Villages in Britain'. The recreation ground or common, however, is its main redeeming feature and it is a delight simply to walk across it on a summers day. It is a great pity that some dog owners, horse riders and potential golfers do not always treat it with the respect it deserves and just stop and think how much work goes into its upkeep.

The pitch itself is hard and subsequently faster than most village pitches but has always provided a good balance between bat and ball which is more than can be said of some of the so-called first class wickets over the years. All this has been mainly due to Michael Nash, in the past twenty years or so, and one can only live in hope that he will continue for another twenty years.

It will not have escaped the reader's notice that the name of Bill Humphrey has previously cropped up in this narrative and it has not been easy to keep him in the background. There has been a strong temptation to allocate a separate chapter or Part IV entitled 'The Bill Humphrey Era 1955 to 1990', but this would probably cause acute embarrassment to some, not least to Bill himself. His early cricketing skills were forged at Downley of all places under the guidance of such men as Gill Langley and Joe Meakes who used to bat gloveless and only wore pads to save his trousers. It was there that Bill discovered how to ignore pain when hit by a cricket ball and subsequently became a wicketkeeper. As a result Bill has kept wicket for the first eleven continuously since 1961, apart from a short experimental period in the second eleven in 1988, and has captained the side eleven times since 1963.

He has had his detractors as captain, like others before and after, and it has been said that, had a Ray Illingworth or Derek Underwood been in the side, they would only have been called upon to bowl as a last resort. It is easy to sit in judgement and it should be remembered that many County captains including Graham Gooch have shown a similar reluctance to use slow bowlers in the past.

Apart from his wicketkeeping, it is Bill's activities off the field where he has really left his mark and it is hard to imagine that there has been a more dedicated club man. The annual 'race nite' which is the club's biggest single money spinner is his particular specialty, but he is never far behind in helping out or organising any other club event or work which needs to be done. He was largely responsible for the successful conversion of the equipment shed to a tea-room, Michael Nash being allowed to help where necessary, and had something to do with the new score-box, including the 're-arrangement' of the electric wiring.

He has, of course, enjoyed every minute of it, as have those who may have been unwitting victims of his misdemeanours and little diversions off the field

Before closing the roll of honour it would be a sorry and unforgivable omission not to include the ladies who over the years have acted as scorers, provided the teas, washed and ironed their loved ones' cricket gear, including the smelly socks and other unmentionables. They have also endured the endless post-mortems after the match, including the all too familiar excuses of the one that came back off the seam, got up off a length, kept low or went through the gate.

The new tea room, happily, has resulted in the ladies becoming more involved and this can only be to the general good and well-being of the club in the future.

The centenary year 1990 got off to a successful start with a concert of piano music given by John and Kathryn Lenehan and one cannot recall an occasion when a more talented pair of musicians appeared live in the village hall. Their performance was given free of charge, thanks to the persuasive powers of that well known impresario, Uncle Bill, who, believe it or not, studied the piano in his formative years.

The club's jumble sale, an annual event which is now competing with numerous other jumble sales, was its usual success although there were mountains of unwanted clothes to be disposed of at the end.

The Mid-Bucks Nomads tour of South Devon was again a very pleasurable experience being expertly organised by Tom Wilks and blessed with fine weather for most of the week. Action photographs of the cricket played are hard to come by unlike other activities off the field such as those shown opposite which really need little further comment.

The tour was also blessed with a surfeit of umpires, a most unusual state of affairs. Those much maligned gentlemen seldom take the limelight but the three wise men. Ted Dell, Tom Wilks and Leo Morris seem to be particularly pleased with life.

Ted Dell, of course, is a very old campaigner who figured largely in the Hampden triumphs of 1949, 1950 and 1953 and also for Prestwood before the war. It will be seen from the score-sheet of the game between Kingshill and Hampden in 1951, as included in Part II of this history, that Ted captured six of the Kingshill wickets to fall in that game.

The centenary cricket week held in the last week in July was a great success being blessed with glorious summer weather throughout. The week was preceded by the annual President's match on the Sunday in which the President, after a long lay-off, made a somewhat undistinguished appearance, the bowling arm being a good deal lower than it used to be.

On Monday, David Flack organised, assembled and captained a 'Past' Kingshill side against a 'Present' Kingshill side and the match resulted in an overwhelming victory for the Past eleven. Details of the 'Past' side as they appeared in the glossy match programme are set out opposite and a photograph of the team characters is shown overleaf.

 CENTENARY CRICKET MATCH — 23 JULY 1990

"Great Kingshill Past" v "Great Kingshill Present"

GREAT KINGSHILL PAST XI

DAVID FLACK (Captain): 1976-87. Batsman. Member of Mid Bucks League and Cup winning teams of the 1970/80s. Youth Organiser 1978-87. Now playing for Bewdley, Worcestershire.

JOHN HOGG (Vice Captain): 1976-87. Batsman and "wily leg spin bowler though underused." Member of Mid Bucks League and Cup winning teams of the 1970/80s. 1st XI Captain 1984/5. "Had two rules which stood him in good stead; never argue with Bill Humphrey and never borrow his jockstrap.

KEN EWBANK: 1944-84. Batsman who can bowl a bit. Member of the Championship Winning teams of the 1950s. Former Sunday XI Captain. As groundsman Ken took the whole of each Friday off from work in order to mow the outfield with a 24" Dennis! He still plays at Hampden.

GREG HARVEY: 1977-83. Batsman. Member of the U16 Championship team of 1979. Since 1983 has played at Hampden.

MARTIN FLACK: 1979-87. Batsman. Twice winner of the U17 single wicket. Half of the father and son opening partnership in the Championship team of 1987. Now playing for Bewdley.

ROBERT LESTER: 1977-89. All rounder. Member of the U16 Championship team of 1979 and the Championship team of 1987. Now plays for Milton Keynes City. Once scored 56 in 28 balls.

MORRIS (MOLE) NASH: 1947-82. Bowler who batted a bit. Member of the Championship teams of the 1950s. Once given out "feeding the pigs" when he failed to return after tea in time to complete his innings.

RICHARD FLACK: 1981-89. All rounder, but primarily a bowler. Captain of the U13 Raffety Buckland winners of 1984 and member of the U17 winning teams of 1986/7. Now playing for Bewdley.

ADRIAN ROSE: 1977-84. Batsman. Member of the first Kingshill U16 team, and of the Double winning team of 1980. Now plays at Kimble. Years ago his grandfather, Ted Crutchfield, played at Kingshill.

ROBERT TIMPSON: 1967-77. Member of the Championship winning team of 1976. Sunday XI Captain 1972. He says of himself (modestly); "In his day a medium pace swing bowler, a forcing middle/late order batsman, and devastating in the field." (In other words a trundler and a slogger, who took the occasional catch).

CHRIS WATERTON: 1974-81. Member of the winning teams of 1974 (Reserves) and 1976. Sunday XI Captain 1980. A bowler whose most vivid memory is of batting — in a match winning last wicket stand against Prestwood that virtually clinched the 1976 league title. Now plays at Penn.

DOREEN TIMPSON (Scorer): Recalled to wield the pencil again after an absence of 20 years. She has just celebrated 40 years of marriage to the Club President. Doreen was the official scorer for 9 years in the '60s.

ANDREW TIMPSON (12th man): In charge of drinks and umpiring Andrew will do a stint of fielding (with a promise of 3 overs bowling). He played as an 11-13 year old before going to Princes Risborough and now captains Blandford Forum in Dorset.

On Tuesday, the club played a representative side from the mid-Bucks League when well over 400 runs were scored in a drawn match, Lee Priestley coming back into form with 78 not out.

The highlight of the week was undoubtedly the Club Day on the Wednesday to which former playing members far and wide had been invited and there was a good response from those in such far away places as the Yorkshire Dales and the Cotswolds as well as those nearer to home.

It was good to see so many old players and their wives from the fifties and sixties and one or two from the forties such as Charlie Mason who captained the first eleven in 1947 and is the only player to have scored two separate hundreds in league matches in the same year, at least since the war. There were five old players present from the 1951 championship side and as many as ten from the 1963 side.

Two "exhibition" matches were played, one each side of the barbecue, when unused muscles were called upon, somewhat unfairly, to perform movements far beyond their capabilities, and throughout the day many old acquaintances were renewed and old tales swapped until the beer tent was dismantled around midnight. Despite some apprehension expressed by certain fainthearted members, including the president, concerning the apparent lack of organisation of this particular event, it turned out to be a great success. The photographs need no further comment.

THE BEER TENT GANG MAKING READY

GENERAL VIEW OF BEER TENT SUCCESSFULLY ERECTED

Thursday saw another high-scoring draw against Send Occasionals with the Priestley brothers contributing 160 runs between them out of 220 for 5 declared, and the final game on Friday against David Parker's eleven produced yet another run feast. In fact, the four games held during the cricket week produced a total of 1,564 runs in eight innings, which must say something about the wicket, although it must also be said that the outfield was as fast as it had ever been.

The final of the Mid-Bucks First Eleven Knock-out Competition was staged at Kingshill on the last Sunday in August as a tribute to the club and ground during its centenary year. The weather was excellent but the game, which was between Prestwood and Penn & Tylers Green did not live up to expectations as is so often the case in such matches, and Prestwood ran out easy winners thanks almost entirely to two talented West Indians, Melville Ellis and Tracey Edwards. Prestwood also finished up as champions of the Premier Division with Great Kingshill as runners-up and the second eleven finished a creditable fourth in the Reserve Section of the Premier Division.

At the time of writing this last and almost final word, it is evident that the Mid-Bucks League is engaged in yet another possible re-adjustment of its constitution and it seems a pity that a few years of calm and stability are so hard to achieve.

In conclusion, whilst researching the old Kingshill (Brands Fee) scoresheets of 1864 in the South Bucks Free Press, an extract from a piece written in the Morning Star in 1864 and published in the same newspaper came to light. Some readers may find it a little 'over the top', to use a modern expression, but it must be remembered that it was written long before the County Championship or International cricket became established. Hopefully it will strike a chord in anyone who really loves the game and seems a fitting end to this short history of Kingshill cricket.

CRICKET

Though the Volunteer movement has become naturalised among us, and affords manifold opportunities of out-door exercise, it does not seem—judging from the claims made on our columns for reports of matches—that any of the old love for cricket has been diverted into the more recent movement. Cricket has from time immemorial been a genuine English institution, and no doubt tends to develop the physical powers, and promote manliness of character and the health of the people. Our readers will thank us for the following extract from the Morning Star, so appropriate to the subject:-

"For four centuries cricket, under one form or another, has existed in this country; and, unless Dr. Cumming's predictions should be too literally fulfilled, it bids fair to flourish for hundreds of years to come. It is a game thoroughly manly, essentially English. It is impossible to conceive of its decay unless the national character should degenerate and popular sports cease to be attractive. It is already so venerable as to claim a place among the most cherished and time-worn of our institutions. Although not so old as Magna Charta, it secures quite as much reverence on the part of the majority of those who love the traditions of their fathers. But respect for its antiquity has not prevented it undergoing a steady improvement. Like the British Constitution itself if has been modified by the laws which experience and the altered circumstances of the times have rendered necessary; and as long as it retains this flexibility, and the grave and youthful seigniors who administer its affairs exhibit the wisdom which is begotten of prudence, so long will it continue to thrive like the great system by whose example it has benefited. The principles of the game have remained the same for a long succession of years, but after serious and weighty deliberations new laws have from time to time been promulgated; and these laws have as loyally obeyed as any statute of the realm."

"Cricket is, and must be for a long time to come, an almost exclusively British sport. Lord's and the Oval will remain without a rival in foreign lands. The muscular force, combined with so much of true science, which we see exhibited on those broad springy acres of turf, can only be acquired by the steady training of generations of players from childhood upwards. Here the ranks of the great players are always led from ten thousand village clubs. During the summer months the green fields of every hamlet are dotted with cricketers, and once or twice at least in every season rival villages try their mettle in hard-fought conflicts, and endeavour to pluck, the one from the other, the laurels which the victorious alone can wear. Nor are the great towns behind the rural districts. Manchester. Sheffield, and Nottingham make up county and All-England matches, which are every whit as successful as those which attract thousands to the regions of St. John's Wood and Kennington. What wonder, then, that wherever England establishes a colony cricket is the pastime of the earliest settlers, and prospers with their prosperity? Australia and New Zealand have twice demanded "a team" of the picked players of the mother country: and, after giving ample proofs of their prowess in every colony, some of them have remained behind to teach the young idea, not how to shoot, but how to bat. On Antipodean prairies and meadows games are lost and won; and the scenes and associations of the old country are one by one revived on a continent which, less than thirty years ago, was a desert. Long may cricket flourish there and here, giving Anglo-Saxon youth legitimate recreation and hardy exercise, and training them for those sterner battles of life which require all their courage and powers of endurance!"