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A Short History
Charlesworth cricket Club was founded in 1861 and Chisworth Cricket Club in 1867. The reason why the latter village lagged behind Charlesworth in the provision of sporting activities was apparently due to the fact that it was held in the grip of a powerful temperance and total abstinence society which frowned upon the game of cricket and its associated evils of alcoholic refreshment. The 'Clubhouse' for the Charlesworth team was at the house of Mr Peter Wild, of the Horseshoe Inn (now Charlesworth Garage) where the annual dinners were delightful occasions "spent in singing and dancing, with solos on the celestial organ". In the sixties, the social life was apparently better than cricket. The contemporary newspapers record that they usually managed to beat teams from kinder, Whitfield, Glossop wesleyan Amateurs and Glossop Beehive but struggled against the older established clubs such as Hollingworth, Brookfield and Tintwistle. Chisworth, a thriving colliery village, had a comparatively different fixture list which involved games with such teams as Compstall, Mellor and Thornsett. They too were mediocre side and there were many occasions when an opponents score of under 40 runs proved to be an unattainable target.
League Cricket
In 1890, officials of the club attended a meeting of the North Derbyshire and Stockport District League, but after a general opinion poll decided to continue playing frendlies. With similar feelings, they stayed out of the Glossop and District League in its first season in 1893. The decision was reversed in the following year and the club, reinforced by members of Chisworth and Kinder Lee Mill teams joined along with Dinting, Mottram and Tintwistle. Chisworth continued for one season as a separate club, but in 1895 saw the amalgamation of the two clubs to form the present Charlesworth & Chisworth Cricket Club.
A New Ground
Previously the Charlesworth club had rented a meadow next to Gamesley railway sidings (opposite St. Margarets School), and for 30 years.Thomas Davenport, the licensee of the Grey Mare Inn was groundsmen. He also provided most of the refreshments for the games and is reputed to have rolled the wicket with beer barrels before a roller was acquired. There was however growing disquiet in the club about the state of the pitch which was brought to a head in 1907 when the farmer turned out his beasts into the field on a Saturday morning after the wicket had been prepared. This was the final straw and it was decided to look for an alternative field. One was quickly found at Lee Head and terms for the lease of the present ground at Bankfield were soon agreed. the wicket was laid by the Derbyshire all-rounder Harry Bagshaw, who was quite well known in local cricketing circles. He had been professional at Glossop from 1886 onwards, and also played regularly for the county between 1887 and 1902.
Bagshaw laid the wicket and supervised the draining of the field and the 1908 season was awaited with visions of the highest achievements. But the hopes were soon dashed, and they continued to be in the subsequent years up to wartime. The league runners-up position in 1913 was the sole reward for the club's enterprise for laying a new wicket. In 1921, officials of the club paid a visit to Lord Howard's bailiff who was in charge of the sale of the local Howard estate. Bankfiled was one of the lots for sale at £120 and the cricket club had the first option. A fund was started on the following Monday with a cheque of £50 by Mr. Robert Moss, the club president, and by Thursday £123 had been raised. The officials returned to Lord Howard in consultation with his bailiff. He was so impressed at the speed with which the money had been raised and at the keen interest in local cricket that he instructed his bailiff to sell the filed for £100.
The Present and the Future
Since early days the clubs has developed its facilities based on standards demanded for a modern society, and in particular the pavilion facilities, which were extended in 1989. This was possible by some hard work and endeavour by volunteers and players, and a loan from the sports council, which still had to be paid back, thankfully this was achieved some years ago. The main source of our income and a reason for our present solvency, was the introduction, in the mid-eighties, of the '250' club, which allows members and friends to support the club throughout the year with the possibility of recovering the stake each month. Other sources of income from match ball sponsorship and football cards. The main asset however are those people who give up their free time to help with the administration, maintenance and coaching of players both senior and junior. The latter function is most important in taking over from schools who have removed cricket from their curriculum.
With the millennium in sight the committee considered further developments at Bankfield. in providing facilities for the community as a whole, which included two all weather practise nets and renovating the existing pavilion and score box. All this required the services of local firms and professional people who offered a small service, in kind, which was offset in the form of club finances to support the grant from the sports council and the National Lottery.
With thanks to Dr D Shimwell.
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