A club with deep historical rootsHorsmonden Cricket Club have certainly been in existence for a long long time and we are lucky enough to have documented evidence to support this. During the 18th century and early 19th Century, a bowler delivered the ball to the batsman by rolling it along the ground under arm - hence the term bowling. The over-arm bowling action familiar today was not established until the 1860s. 1700s 1743: London v Horsmonden & WealdTwo early recorded games of cricket played at the Artillery Ground in Finsbury, London.The Artillery Ground is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds situated by the City Road just north of the City of London. It was home of the original London Cricket Club and for many years before the creation of the Hambledon Club in the 1760s, the Artillery Ground was the featured venue of all London cricket. Cricket throughout the 18th century was funded by gambling interests and attracted huge stakes and the Artillery Ground eventually fell into disrepute because of uncontrolled gambling and ceased to be used for major cricket, the last known match taking place in 1778 some years after the London Club had disbanded. London v Horsmonden & Weald Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London Monday 5th – Tuesday 6th September 1743 London won by 1 wicket (DC) Three runs were still required when the last man went in. London v Horsmonden & Weald Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London Monday 12th September 1743 London won (DC) No details were reported of this return match which London won perhaps without difficulty.
John Mills (dates of birth and death unknown) was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who played for Kent. He was referred to in the sources as the famous Kent bowler. He is known to have been a gamekeeper and he came from Horsmonden, where he played for the local cricket club. |
Horsmonden Team squad included:
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Coxheath Team squad included:
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1861: French Grey and Chocolate
At the Public Meeting held in 1904 (see below) Mr George Sawyer Senior stated that the original Club colours when he played in 1861 were French Grey and Chocolate.Late 1800s and Pre First World War
Famous poet Siegfried Sassoon played for his village as a youngster, and delighted in the 'local derby' between Brenchley and Horsmonden.1900
1904: Club Reformed
Commitee Meeting minutes note "The first business of the meeting was to decide what was to be done with the tackling which the management of the late Horsmonden Cricket Club generously handed over to this new club."
1914-18: First World War
Our records show that several HCC Players and Members were killed in WWI. We shall be creating a Roll of Honour to cover this to be published soon.1939-45: The War Years
Just before the commencement of the Second World War in 1939 the Club was disbanded and reformed in June 1945 as a Sports Club of which Cricket was an important part.After lengthy discussions the local farmers who owned the field, Captain H.St.G Rallings and H.J. Highwood Esq. presented the ground to the Parish Council on condition that it was leased as a Sports Ground at a Peppercorn rent. [QUESTION: Where were we playing prior to this?]
40s
Late 40's to Early 50's: When a Village Hosted Arsenal's Stars
During the summers of the late 1940's and early 1950's Denis Compton, the England and Middlesex cricketer and Arsenal footballer was a regular visitor to Horsmonden. Along with other members or the Arsenal football team, including his brother Leslie Compton, Denis Compton would exchange his boots for a cricket bat, and captain his team against Horsmonden representative side.The event was always well attended with more than 3,000 people attending the first fixture and was an opportunity for many young fans of the Arsenal team to get autographs and take photographs of their favourite players.
Scottish internationals Archie Macauley, and Alex Forbes, were among the 'greats' in the Gunners team in those days; Ronnie Rooke was a scorer of spectacular goals with regularity; goalkeeper George Swindin thrilled crowds with many brave saves and Jimmy Logie, bamboozled many a first division defence.
Friendship between members of the Horsmonden team, and the Compton brothers ensured the match became a regualr fixture, and any money raised through lottery tickets and collections, was given to various benefits, such as the Sports Club in the village.
Mr 'Punch' Knight, a former captain of the Horsmonden cricket team named members of the two teams in the photographs which appeared in an article and will be published soon.
50s
1950: A New Pavilion
In 1950 the Culverden Golf Club, Tunbridge Wells, disbanded and the Sports Club purchased the Pavilion which was removed and re-erected on the Sports Ground. The Pavilion was opened by Lord Cornwallis on 6th May 1951 when the Annual Cricket Match against Arsenal Football Club was held. The proceeds of these games were divided between the Club and various sports personalities...
1951: Arsenal FC vs Horsmonden Sunday May 6th
In 1951 most Football League clubs played cricket games against foreign opposition in the Festival of Britain matches, but Arsenal unusually decided to take part in a game of cricket against Horsmonden in May of that year.
The programme was a four-page card the cover as follows:
SCORE CARD 6d.
FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN
ARSENAL v HORSMONDEN
HORSMONDEN
SUNDAY, MAY 6th, 1951
Mid to Late 1950s Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic FC were regular visitors to Horsmonden with a fixture against HCC being one of three fixtures and part of their pre-season warm up. Addicks veteran Fred Lucas has told us about the many enjoyable visits he had to Horsmonden Cricket Club in the past and has kindly supplied this photograph of the Blackheath CC fixture which was played prior to the Horsmonden CC fixture, so the line-up would be pretty much the same.Charlton Athletic footballers beat Blackheath CC by six wickets at the Rectory Field on a Sunday. Left to Right: Kevin Barry, Freddie Lucas, Bobby Lumley, Cyril Hammond, Eddie Firmani, Ron Oosthuizen, Syd Ellis, Stuart Leary, Derek Ufton (Captain), Syd O'Linn (wicket-keeper) and Gordon Pembury.
60s
Memories of the mid-60s and early 70s
"I recall as a youngster back in the mid-60s to early 70s each season visiting your ground when Horsmonden played against my father's team the South Suburban Co-op Society CC in friendly Sunday fixtures. Horsmonden invariably won as they had at least one Kent County 2nd XI players in their side [Stuart Knight] he was the captain and an all rounder, but in my young opinion more of a bowler than batsman. I also remember that there was an old railway line running nearby with a deep cutting and tunnel which ran fairly adjacent to the cricket pitch. As children we would play in the cutting and dare one another to walk across the top brickwork of the tunnel - a drop of some 30 ft to the old track bed - health and safety bah humbug!!!My father Derek Timms, an opening bowler, sadly passed away some years ago but his cricketing heritage has continued with my son playing for Old Whitgiftians in the Surrey Championship.
Anyway I thought I'd share my memories with you-good luck to all your sides." David Timms
*The South Suburban Co-operative Society (SSCS) was a retailer in South London, Surrey and Kent. Now part of the Co-operative Group.
70s
1974: Mid-Kent League Years
Horsmonden Cricket Club join the Mid-Kent League [need confirmation of exact date].80s
1988: Chislehurst & West Kent CC 250 Year Anniversary Match
Wednesday July 6th Horsmonden play Chislehurst and West Kent Cricket Club to celebrate 250 years of cricket at Chislehurst Cricket Ground, which dates it back to 1738, close to 1745 when HCC note our first mention of Chislehurst.1989: First Club to Win the Double
Horsmonden win 'The Double' – the Courier Cricket Shield and Courier Weald Cup. We were the first club to achieve this and probably the last as far as we know.90s
1995: All Weather Pitch Opened
Horsmonden Cricket Club's new all weather cricket pitch was opened by Kent Under 13 cricket coach David Thorpe in August. The pitch was to be used by the club's Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 Colts teams. Around 25 players and coaches attended the opening as well as David Hollands of the Association of Kent Cricket Clubs.1997: Mid-Kent League Champions
Horsmonden Cricket Club win Division 1 of the Mid-Kent League with the 2nd XI Runners Up in Division 2.1998: Hubble and Freeman Invicta League Years
Horsmonden Cricket Club switch leagues and join the Invicta League.1999: Arsenal FC vs Horsmonden Sunday June 13th
A charity cricket game was played between Arsenal FC and Horsmonden CC at the Dog House Ground.The singer and actor David Essex also appeared in a game against HCC in 1999.
00s
2001
Twin-bay Cricket Nets Opened
Senior and Junior club members celebrated the opening of Horsmonden Cricket Club's new Twin-bay cricket nets. Former England cricketer Derek Underwood was the guest of honour, but not only cutting the ribbon but also bowling 14 overs at £5 each in the torrid heat to benefit both HCC and the Parity Club, a charity of which brings cricket to the partially sighted and the blind.Also present was Terry Cload chairman of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's leisure services committee, who presented a cheque for £2,000 towards the cost of the facility, and Graham Sellors, chairman of the West Kent Lord's Taverners, who added a much needed youth-section cricket equipment bag to the £1,690 already donated by them towards the cost of the nets.
The National Lottery Fund's awards-for-all section provided a giant presentation cheque for £5,000 in recognition of their support for the project, and Kent Cricket Board development officer David Sear was on hand to be acknowledged for his support in getting the all-important youth section up and running again after a three year hiatus.
"This is a great day for the club and signals a major revival for youth cricket in this area" said youth section co-ordinator and coach Nicholas Fairrie.
2002
HCC entertain Canadian Touring Side Calgary Titans July 20022003
Kent County Village League Years
Horsmonden Cricket Club switch leagues again with the 1st and 2nd XI are admitted to the Kent County Village League.
2006
The First Jimmy Adams Coaching Clinic
Jimmy Adams the former West Indies captain comes to Horsmonden CC for his first Coaching Clinic taking place in the HCC Cricket Week.Jimmy Adams plays in the first fixture against the Charlton Athletic Former Players Association with HCC winning the first fixture.