Cricket 1894

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron, N o. 3 5 2 VOL. X III. Registered for Transmission Abroad THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1894. PR IC E 2d. THE LONDON CLUBS HISTORY. ■THEIR THE BLACKHEATH CLUB. No history of the Blackheath Club would be complete without a few remarks on the two old olubs which may be called its progenitors, viz., the Blackheath Dartmouth and the Blackheath Paragon. The Blackheath Dartmouth Club, which was founded about the year 1830, had its ground on the heath, opposite Lansdown Place. One of its members is famous wherever cricket is played or known. This was Mr. Wanostrocht, who pla) ed under the name of “ Felix,” and was the finest bat of the day, as well as a first-class bowler. It is needless to add he was a prominent member of the All England Eleven, The Blackheath Paragon Club came into existence in 1840. One of its best-known members was Henry Wyche Andrews, who be­ longed to the club for twenty-five years, and was President from 1847 until December 13,1865, the day of his death. Mr. Andrews, one of the most popular cricketers Blackheath ever had, was a first-rate batsman, an excellent wicket-keeper, and, curious to say, always wore spectacles, whether he was behind the wicket or defending it. Other prominent members of the Paragon Club were Stephen Smith, Samuel Turner Prior, H. F. Stikeman, Charles Dyer, Francis Levien, James Terry, D, Christopherson, R. S Mason; E. W. Hawker, and R. Winch ; of these the five last-mentioned are directors of the present Blackheath Cricket, Football, and Lawn Tennis Com­ pany. In 1873, the Paragon amalgamated with another club, known as the Westcombe Park, and in the same year an eleven played a match on the Westcombe Park ground against Middlesex County, under the title of Blackheath v. Middlesex. Middlesex only won by six runs on the first innings, Blackheath scoring 126 against 132 by Middlesex. Amongst the Blackheath eleven were the brothers Penn, F. Stokes, and C. Sewell. Another club, started in 1863 under the name of the Blackheath Morden Club, had the following as its first comm ittee:—Messrs, M. Faber, E. McCreight, E. M. Prothero, C. Sutherland, F. W. Prior, and W. S. Valentine. The ground was situated on the heath, in front of St. Germain’s Place, Edward Weaver, commonly known as “ Jerry,” being the ground-man. “ Jerry Weaver ” served the club faithfully for a great number of years, both when it was known as the Blackheath Morden, and also for some years after it had developed into the Blackheath Club, and on his retiring from the post in 1890, Mr. F. S. Ireland, the honorary secretary, got up a testimonial in rocognition of Jerry’s invaluable servioes. Jerry was a MR. STANLEY CHRISTOPHERSON. From a photo by Hawkins a Co.t Brighton. first-rate bowler for many years, and although towards the end his bowling certainly lost some of its sting, there was one ball which not even a Stokes, an Ireland, or a Stewart could stand against, namely, Jerry’s “ Jamaica Peculiar.” This was a ball which there is some difficulty in describing, but it had an awful lot of “ devil” ’ in it—so Jerry assured us. The first captain of the Morden was E. M. Prothero,now captain of the Eltham Golf Club, and under his leadership the first season was a very successful one, nine matches being won, nine lost, and one drawn. In the following summer the Morden had eighteen fixtures on their card, and amongst other clubs played Stoke Newington, Totten­ ham, Battersea, Tavistock, Aldersgate, and the Blackheath Proprietary School. Of these clubs the last is the only one which still continues to play Blackheath. It is worthy of note in passing that of its matches with the School, the club has won twenty-two, lost eight, and drawn nine, and also that the School has not defeated the club since 1873, a period of twenty years. During the first ten years of its existence, the Morden Club won ninety matches, lost seventy-seven, drew thirty-nine, and tied in three, In 1867 F. W. Prior took the cap­ taincy, and held it continuously until the summer of 1883, a period of seventeen years. No one has done so much for Blackheath cricket as F. VV. Prior, and when his long term of office came to an end, the club entertained him at a banquet, and presented him with a hand­ some silver cup in recognition of his untiring zeal and energy. “ Fred Prior ” was a brilliant wicket­ keeper, probably the best the club has ever had. He used to “ take ” Stanley Christopherson, M. J, Druitt, and H. H. Francis without a flinch, standing well up to his sticks all the time. As a batsman he was a terrific hitter, and did not at all relish the Barlow-Scotton style. In 1870, against Lewisham, he made two huge drives for nine each, all run out, and in 1874 he had the honour of breaking the window of 9, St. Germain’s Place, the residence of Mr. Denvon, the ball travelling a distance of 122 yards. Amongst other leading lights of these early years were Samuel Lawford Prior, J. E. Shaw, R. Incledon, Robert Whyte, R. C. May, W . Auld, R. 0. Brocklebank, T. S. Carter, E. H. Rodwel!, Walter Gray, and J. H. Butler. From 1873 to 1882, the Club’s career was still more successful; 124 matches were won, 58 lost, and 67 drawn. The most prominent members during this period were the brothers Penn, the brothers Stokes, H. H. Francis, E. H. Rodwell, F. H. Lacey, and the Rev. J. W . Marshall. Of these the brothers Stokes are the most conspiouous in connection with Blackheath cricket. Fred Stokes was a grand batsman, besides being a good bowler. He twice repre*