1914 Crofton Cricket club

[arantxa]

I bought this for a pound at the car boot sale Crofton Cricket club season 1914. I wondered if it impacted on the greatly the War and whether they even had a cricket season.

[The Scorer]

I can't find any records of the club, either in 1914 or currently, so I can't say whether or not they played in all or part of the 1914 season.  

I would guess, though, that they did start the season and closed in August 1914 after the declaration of war, missing all or part of the last two months. There are two clubs bearing the name at the moment, but one is in Wakefield and the other in Fareham, so they're not the ones. I've also looked for Southwark Weslyan CC with no success; there is a current cricket club called Southwark Park, but this was formed in 2014, so isn't the one.

If you really want to know more, it might be worth contacting the archivist at Surrey CCC as they have a large collection of information. This seems to be the general contact address

Membership Office and Customer Service: 0203 946 0100 or membership@surreycricket.com.

Best of luck!

[arantxa]

Thank you for taking the time to send me all that info.  I will ring them and again thank you I appreciate it 

have a good day …lashing with rain in Sussex now 

[The Scorer]

2 minutes ago, arantxa said:

Thank you for taking the time to send me all that info.  I will ring them and again thank you I appreciate it 

have a good day …lashing with rain in Sussex now 

My pleasure ... it's lovely and sunny here in South Wales (sorry)!

[PRC]

I did have a look at the British Newspaper Archive  when this was first put up, but drew a blank for searches in 1914 for "Crofton Cricket Club" "Crofton Park Cricket" and the like. Crofton Park threw up other teams playing cricket at that location as their home ground.

These latest posts drew me back and I was wondering if there was any mileage in looking for their opponents, particularly the Cheltenham College M. (M - Men perhaps I throught), and Rosslyn, both teams I thought likely to have archives and even websites, and so a check could be made to see if those matches went ahead earlier in the summer, or had the Crofton team already folded.

The mens Cheltenham College Cricket Team however appears to have been involved in a Cricketing festival in East Gloucestershire at the time they were supposed to be playing Crofton at Crofton Park on the 9th May according to that fixture list, and while they were in London playing cricket shortly after the date shown for the return match in the fixture list, it was against Haileybury - not some park side.

It didn't seem to make sense until when I tried some of the other opponents and started turning up references to a cricket team turned out by the Cheltenham College Mission that was playing in the Surrey area. That Mission apparently was set-up at Nunhead in 1892, although didn't last long after 1910. https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SRY/Camberwell/CheltenhamCollegeMission

Penge and Beckenham Co-op appear to have run a Wednesday team in the Bromley District League and a Saturday Team - all the fixtures are dated for Saturdays. I can't see the articles as I don't subscribe but scores and match reports appear in The Beckenham Journal for the period and so may provide an indication of whether these are League games or friendlies -  a decision by a League to cancel all remaining fixtures might be easier to find.

As for the members - and a potential red herring alert applies to all of them:

D.C. Cotterell - the 1911 Census of England & Wales records a 22 year old Douglas Cheney Cotterell, a Clerk for an Insurance Broker, born Kennington, who was living with his mother Emma Jane, two siblings and a nephew at 4a Brightside Road, Hither Green, Lewisham.  Lives of the First World War lists a Douglas Cheney Cotterell, born c1889, who served in the Royal Navy in the Great War - official number F22075. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/6248884

His statement of Seamans Services has him born 8th February 1889.  Doesn't look like he joins the Navy until 1916 and this source doesn't show religion. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6820242

However that is a Royal Naval Air Service service number, and his AIR79 record is available on FindmyPast. I believe those may state religious persuasion.

H. Cotterell. One of the siblings living with Douglas is his 25 year old brother Hesper Cotterell, a Milliners Warehouseman born Sheffield, Yorkshire. The Lives of the First World War website has a Hesper Cotterell who starts off in the ranks with the Royal Field Artillery, service number 150628 and finishing up a Captain. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/971153

He was released from his enlistment, (probably in the TF) on the 3rd September 1917 to take up a commission in the RFA (TF). He first landed in France on the 30th November 1917. When he formally applied for his medals in November 1922 he gave a contact address of 51 Alexandra Road, Hampstead, (London), N.W.8. Officers file would hopefully confirm religious persuasion.

R.W. Brice. Possibly the 30 year old Robert Walter Brice, a married Skin Merchants Clerk born Crawley, Surrey,who was recorded on the 1911 Census of England & Wales along with his wife of 9 years Edith and their two young children, (both born Brockley, London) as the visitors in the household at 2, Mantle Road, Brockey. The family appear to be on the 1921 Census of England & Wales, but not spotting any obvious military service for Robert.

R. Boone. There is a 33 year old Stock & Share Dealers Clerk Robert Boone, born St Giles, Camberwell, London, who was recorded as the married head of the household at 1 Ebsworth Street, Forest Hill, Lewisham, (London), S E. he lives there with his wife Alice Edith and their four children. There is a Register of Seamans Service for a Robert Boone, born Camberwell 3rd January 1878. Official number was M27492. Looks like his service begins in September 1917. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7056646

J. Wildon. There are several possibles in and around London but one caught my eye given the standard of the print work on the fixture list - a 43 year old John Wildon, born Scarborough and the Deputy Works manager at a Letterpress Printers was recorded as the married head of the household at 12 Whatman Road, Brockley, (London) S E. he lives there with wife Mabel and their 3 young children. No obvious military service.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 6 August by PRC
Typos

[arantxa]

Hi Peter

hope this finds you well….thats amazing research I’ve just read it but will re read it later so it sinks in better 

Thank you so much 

[PRC]

President S.K. Stamper, Esq.

Possible match from the 1911 Census of England & Wales is the 35 year old Sheridan Knowles Stamper, born Carlisle, Cumberland and running his own business as an Umbrella Manufacturer, who was recorded as the married head of the household at 98 Ravensbourne Road, Catford, Lewisham, (London), S E.

Apparently the Post Office directories for the Great War period still list him and his company, Evans, Stamper & Co – as umbrella manufacturers at 11 Falcon Ave, EC,
Currently the last comment on this online article https://spitalfieldslife.com/2015/10/04/the-lives-of-commercial-stationers/

However FindmyPast are showing three instances of service records indexed for a Sheridan Stamper, with two born Great Britain circa 1875 and stated to date from 1916 and one born Carlisle c1876 and dating to 1919 so probably discharge records.

Familysearch have the following indexed:-
Burnt series (WO363) for Sheridan Stamper, resident Gateshead, Kent, aged 40, records date to 1916, serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery, service number 105487.
Burnt series (WO363) for Sheridan Stamper, resident Gateshead, Kent, aged 40, records date to 1916, serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery, service number 358609.
Burnt series (WO363) for Sheridan Stamper, born Carlisle, Cumberland, resident Gateshead, Kent, aged 43, records date to 1919, serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery, service number 358609.

No obvious MiC.

Ancestry have something indexed as Service Records and something as Pension records, plus there is also a transcribed pension ledger card.

Cheers,
Peter