“Years ago my father told me that in 1886, when he was only a lad of seven, my grandfather became a founder member of the first White Waltham Cricket Club”. A testament to the longevity of his family’s membership is that present day life member Malcolm Eaton is the nephew of Tom Blay providing a direct link to the Clubs founders.

Not without its ups and downs it has survived until today with just short breaks for two World Wars.

The ground is generally accepted as one of the more attractive (and in more recent years one of the best wickets) in the County. The original pavilion was situated at the closest point to the pub, The Beehive, with an extra wide wicket gate, (only removed in recent years), for players struggling to find their way back after the post match revelries. It was a small, green painted, timber building originally about twelve feet by eight feet consisting of a single dressing room and a tool shed, extended to provide a further dressing room in the 1920s’. Tom Blay, reminiscing about his early years at the club gives and interesting picture of life as a young member then:

“My own love for cricket, and for this Club, began in my early teens (1921) when it was “do this my boy” and we boys did. We would frequently scamper about for the occasional reward of a couple of overs of lobs in the nets after it had become too dark for the seniors to see the ball, or perhaps for the privilege of helping to pull the roller or even be allowed to lead the pony in his leather shoes as he pulled the mower up and down the square. In those days the square was the only part of the ground which was close mown. We then graduated through scorer, too twelfth man, to a place on the team and a seat to some away games in the “Beehive” landlord’s wagonette.

From about 1928 the Club became a little more prosperous. A groundsman was employed and with the Union Jack flying over the pavilion at home matches , it became an attractive place to enjoy a game of cricket. For part of this period our President, Raymond Oppenheimer, was a popular and successful skipper. Often there was a festive touch to the scene with several M.C.C., Harlequin, Zingare or other colourful blazers on display.”

In 1939 the ground was requisitioned by the R.A.F. for training purposes but always treated considerately by them. Later they used it for recreation and a few village cricketers still available were invited to join their team. A sad reminder of both Wars and the toll on village life, and relatives of Club members exists today with the War Memorial at the top of the ground. White Waltham airfield was a supply field during the Second War distributing replacement aircraft of all types – bombers and fighters, to where they were needed. Metal mesh reinforcing has only in recent years been removed from some of the airfield and runway lights were also found during recent excavations.

The Village club was re-started after de-requisitioning.

In the mid 1960s’ the ground underwent a major levelling operation with a “wedge” of ground being excavated from the top side of the ground (the original ground level still existing today being the top of the bank by the road) and deposited on the bottom, lower side. This may be why the bottom side of the ground drains better today and is when the land drains, the herring bone shape and line of which can be seen in dry weather, were laid.

For this period the club played on the R.A.F. sports ground (now the meadow behind today’s pavilion) and even today remnants of the ground still exist - the concrete base of the R.A.F. pavilion can be seen just over the ditch in the bottom corner behind the seat , a gate post from the old footbridge (still there in the early 1980s) still leans precariously near this point, and the concrete slab bases for the nets are under the grass behind the oak tree by the car park (used in the 1980 during the Village Fete for “bowl the cricket club batsman” stall –they used the clubs then movable mat for the net and facing bowling other than very slow on the slabs which were then very uneven was quite and adventure – remember just gloves pads and box – no helmets or arm guards or thigh pads and). Somewhere in the meadow the base of the square is still thought to exist.

In 1968 after the levelling was completed and the erection of the new pavilion (the timber faced pavilion forming the front half of today’s pavilion), it became one of the best grounds in the area. The opening of the new pavilion was celebrated with an invitation match the Club versus the then President, R.H.Oppenheimer’s Xl which included several famous cricketers including Alec Bedser and Dennis Compton who reportedly scored a typically classy half century when the Presidents Xl lost 3 early wickets cheaply.

The other major change seen on the ground in this period occurred in the mid to late 1970s when the elm trees, so long a feature of the bottom boundary, fell victim to Dutch Elm disease and had to be cut down. For many years after elm suckers would still grow before wilting and dying from the virus. In her programme notes from the Club’s Centenary Match played against a Celebrity Xl on Sunday 24 June 1979, long time member Jan Mackenzie noted :

“These trees, as well as giving character to the ground, provided welcome relief from the hot sun (would you believe) and shelter from the occasional cold wind. In the last three years the boundary of the ground has been re-planted with maple trees which we have been assured have a ‘rapid growth’……..”.

For those who played at the ground in the shelter of the elms it could also be very cold in the spring and autumn games out of the sun, and they dropped huge quantities of leaves on the ground. The maples – well, several mature specimens now bound the ground.

Village fetes and the junior school’s sports days continued to be held on the ground into the 1980s’ when , as with many village activities around the country, the practice fell into decline.

The Club continued to develop through the seventies and eighties. In 1974 the Lords Taverners visited and photos from that day are still on display in the club, most notably that of the former England wicket keeper Godfrey Evans walking down the pavilion steps on his way out to bat. In the early 1980 the Club doubled the size of the pavilion , extending the showers, extending the club room. The new kitchen, had an internal window installed so the ladies doing teas could watch the cricket – indeed the original 1968 Pavilion was designed, at their insistence, so the ladies could watch the cricket from the then Kitchen’s location and that window still exists at the end of the wooden part todays pavilion.

The Club also saw tragedy when in the early 1980s Colin Kemp collapsed and died while batting on the ground. Colin was always encouraging younger players and his widow Francis donated the clubs “Young Player of the Year “ trophy in his memory.

Three benefit games were played against Middlesex, the first of these in 1988 When Mike Gatting, then captain of both the County and England, celebrated his benefit year. The Middlesex team entered fully into the spirit of the day in spite of poor ground & weather conditions, typified by Gatting himself when, advised that the landlord of the Beehive had bet £50 to charity he would not go to the pub, over he went. The popular England captain also spent time with children from the village primary school brought especially across to see him. The following year saw Roland Butchers benefit when the Club beat their county opponents. And in 1990 the Club hosted a match supporting Paul Downton’s benefit year. Although unable to run a match – the Club did support Middlesex’s beneficiary the following year, Simon Hughes, with a dinner which doubled as the end of season dinner (held in the pavilion in those days), giving an excellent speech and presenting the Young Player of the Year trophy.

In the 60s the Club followed the trend of all local cricket entering league cricket by joining the Berkshire League. In 1982 the Club left to join the Chilterns league defying many peoples predictions by finishing runners up in the 2nd Xl division in their first season (then only one division each 1sts and 2nds). The Club has seen mixed fortune in recent years in both 1st and 2nd teams in the league but both have been division Champions and in 2003 the 1st Xl achieved their highest placing 3rd in the premier division after being on top much of the season.

The Club has not fared as well in cup cricket only reaching one more final of the Julian Cup, having won in 1924 its inaugural year, losing to Cookham Dean in the 1984 final. The Club have however hosted several Julian Cup semi finals, and one final in 1988 between Marlow and Tudor Taverners. Perhaps the Clubs most notable cup run was in the 1976 Haig National Village Knock-out tournament losing by one run to Whiteley Village in the Regional Final (a win would have put the Club in the last 8 in the country).

In the last 20 years the Club has also, thanks to the efforts of a few invaluable members, run successful colts sides and today it is not unusual to see 50 young players running around on Tuesday and Wednesday evening coaching nights. Not bad for a sport which is supposedly in decline.

A number of famous players, teams and personalities have visited our ground over the years, among these:

Cricketers - J J Warr, Alec Bedser, Dennis Compton, Godfrey Evans, Vincent Van Der Bijl, Richard Hutton, Phillippe Edmunds, Mike Gatting (whilst England Captain), Roland Butcher, Angus Fraser, Clive Radley, Phil Tufnell, Ian Gould, John Embury, Paul Downton.

Teams - The Lords Taverners, Middlesex CCC.

Celebrities – Actors John Alderton, John Hurt, Jeremy Kemp, Charles Collingwood (the Archers Brian Aldridge), actor & singer David Essex, and disc jockey and radio presenter Mike Powell.

Several of the above, particularly John Alderton and Phil Tufnell remembered their visits to the club several years after the event, in particular the hospitality.

In her programme notes from the Centenary match , Jan Mackenzie, concluded her paragraph and article quoted above:

“… Maybe as the Club enters its second Century we can wish it to grow even more successfully along with our new trees.”

In over 25 years since those, perhaps prophetic words, the Club has continued to develop. Teams still seek top play on our lovely ground. Physically that period has seen an extended pavilion, improved practice and ground equipment including high quality nets, bowling machine and covers, There is active and competitive colts and league cricket. The Club has its own web site and team notification is done via e-mail.

It will be interesting to see what the future brings.

This article is an edited version of a Club History compiled to celebrate the Clubs celebration of its 125 years anniversary in 2005.