Dimming of the Day

working club secretary in the years running up to the outbreak of war, but had been one of the first to volunteer. On 25 September 1915 he was killed in action. The club recovered and was playing again by 1920. Turning to Kent, on Saturday 1 August the Herne Bay Press was reporting normally on two of Herne Bay’s games against Gillingham and Whitstable Westmeads. It also reported – on the front page – two meetings of the non-militant wing of the Suffrage movement. There was no mention of international events. By Saturday 8 August the front page was devoted to the war and its consequences as it spoke of the ‘shadow of war over the holidays.’ It quoted at length (still on the front page) the sermons delivered by various clergymen, C of E and nonconformist. Even the Catholic Church got a brief mention. Remarkably enough, it did the same the following Saturday. The Herne Bay Gas and Electricity Company saw an opportunity to suggest that people ‘stock their cellars with coke’. The Herne Bay Press reported Herne Bay’s matches. The Town Clerk of Margate said it was not true that civilians had been ordered off the seafront. Be that as it may, the Dartford Chronicle on Friday 7 August was showing a full fixture list for local cricket – 13 games on the Saturday and two midweek games. The same was true for the editions of the 14 and the 21, though the 28 August edition only carried one match report suggesting that not all these games were played. The 4 September edition listed nine fixtures for the following day, but neither this nor later editions carried any scores or match reports. On 15 August the Herne Bay Press reported that a farmer had been shot and injured by a supposed German spy. At 3.45 am (getting ready for work) Mr Taylor had been accosted ‘in guttural accents by a man of decided Teutonic appearance’. A main interest for the Kent papers was on the condition of the hops. Flower shows were everywhere before the end of August. The Kentish Express opined on 15 August, We are in a state of War and economy must be exercised in everything. Hence, the reduced size of the paper this week. Consumers have agreed to husband the resources of the country and to prevent a famine later on are already bring out their papers in smaller size. It was reported that, The Ashford Beaver Cricket Club are patriotic. Eleven of the number are now serving their country, comprising three Reserves, six Territorials and two Policemen. Needless to say the club’s remaining fixtures have been cancelled. Ramsgate St George’s cricket tour of West Kent (Tonbridge, Southborough etc…) was abandoned as soon as war was declared, having played three matches. Recreational Cricket 107