As requested HM! From season 2018/19....
The previous article covered the early history of Hampton Hill Cricket Club from its inception until 1900 - my interest brought about by two of my grandchildren, Tommy & Felix, playing for them during the past summer. This article covers the period from 1900 to date, a period encompassed by two World Wars.
Between 1900 and 1914 Hampton Hill CC joined a local league, the Richmond & District League - moving from friendlies to competitive cricket. There was even a Wednesday afternoon team. Back in the day, Wednesday was half-day closing, with many shops closing at lunchtime, enabling sporting opportunities for cricket in the summer (and football etc during the winter).
The First World War brought an end to such summer pursuits. No cricket was played in Bushy Park, especially as most of the outfield was turned over to growing vegetables. As with many sports many cricketers volunteered for the armed forces, but, unlike first class players, there are no easily identifiable records for club cricketers.
It would be several years, following the end of the war, before cricket would be played at Hampton's ground as the vegetable patches needed to be turned back into a cricket ground. For a while, Teddington Town's ground was used.
Life settle back into (occasional) long hot summers as the twenties passed into the thirties and world war returned once again.At least the ground wasn't commandeered for agriculture this time, the authorities recognised that some sort of sport should be carried on as it was good for morale. Like other sports the club made use of servicemen on leave to augment the teams from time to time. Meanwhile members struggled to keep the club going.
Durring WW2 things were much different to the 1914/18 conflict. Whilst there were Zeppelinn attackes during WW1, aerial warfare had moved on. Bushy Park became a target due to the nearness of the National Physical Laboratory located as it was just across the way. The NPL became a target for German Bombers, so the local area suffered as a consequence. Indeed not far from the boundary is the residue of a bomb crater - now filled with water and surrounded by willow trees!
Following the cessation of hostilities, once again, the sound of leather on willow was heard. Ex-Surrey cricketer, Stan (Harry) Squires - featured in an article last season - became President of the club (he was owner of the Duke of Wellington Pub, and players could use a 'net' in the pub garden).
A new pavilion was bulit to commemmorate the club's centenary. The then President, Tommy Rains, owned a demolition company, so you can guess where most of the materials came from.
The cricket club benefited by an infusion of new blood around 2000 following Hounslow Crickey Club losing their ground. In 2005 the club played against, and beat, Cross Arrows on the Lords Nursery ground. In October 2010 the pavilion burned down follwowing an arson attack and it took many years of hard work by the members to realise the dream of a new pavilion which opened in 2013.
This summer HHCC hosted a match between the MCC and the Iceland touring team - who knew Iceland played cricket. A successful afternoon of INternational Cricket was watched by a goodly crowd.
And, yes, Deer did stop play!
The Old Historian
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