Upchurch Cricket Club 100 Years Ago in 1912

Upchurch Cricket Club 1912.

In 1912 Upchurch played at Holywell Meadow with the permission of farmer Mr. Stevens and had fifteen fixtures on their fixture card. Opponents included local village teams like Lower Halstow, Hartlip, Tunstall and Medway teams like the Army Service Core and MTE Chatham Dockyard. All matches were played on Saturdays as Sunday was regarded as a rest day. 

Holywell School headmaster Mr. J. H. Maltravers captained the team while George Holloway from Ham Green served as vice captain. The batting had been dominated by Mr Maltravers for some years but in 1912 Arthur Dartnell, a 21 year old shepherd who lived in The Street scored most of the runs. He was backed up by George Holloway and Alf ‘Snapper’ Clark from Ham Green, Edward Muggeridge from The Street and George Wildish from Rainham.

Arthur Dartnell and George Holloway dominated the bowling but Alf Giles a 34 year old farm labourer from Twinney also took wickets. He served as long term groundsman and character at the club and became affectionately known as ‘Uncle Alf ‘to the younger players. He went on to take many wickets for the club but was killed in an accident at Rainham Cement Works in 1923. Cecil Bishop also took wickets as a slow bowler and became a long serving player and official of the club.

Reverend Trew served as club president and Cecil Bishop from Forge Lane as honorary secretary while Alf Clark and Arthur Dartnell were elected on to the general committee in 1912. The main talking point of the year concerned a new pavilion with the hope that a small portable building could be purchased. After several local fund raising efforts by Mr Maltraver’s Minstrel troupe sufficient money became available for the purchase of a pavilion in early 1913. Without the facilities of the present village club a hand lawn mower was used to cut the wickets, the outfield was kept short by Mr Steven’s livestock that occupied the ground during the week and the club did not possess a roller so wickets were not as flat as today and scores were generally much lower than in modern times. 

Memories of Upchurch.

With a full fixture list Upchurch began the 1912 season on May 4th at Holywell Meadow with a good win against St Paul’s who could only manage 37 after Upchurch had set them 58 to win. Arthur Dartnell did most of the damage by taking five wickets. He also took seven wickets in the victory against St John’s Chatham, six wickets in the return match against St Paul’s and nine wickets in the two innings game against Hartlip. In the annual local derby against Lower Halstow Upchurch recorded their highest score of the season with 147. Arthur Dartnell scored 38 and George Wildish 27. In reply Lower Halstow could only manage 14 all out with George Holloway taking seven wickets.

With Upchurch winning the majority of their games at a time when league cricket did not exist, the men who played for the club had a welcome break from hard physical work they endured on local farms, in the cement works or in the brickfields where most worked.

About David:
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village. David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk
price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood
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