Cricket 1899

68 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pril 20, 1899. offensive place, being a general laystall, a rotten moorish ground....................This field, and tw o others adjoining, had been infectious and very grievous to the city and to passengers, who by all means en­ deavoured to shun those fields as loath­ some both to fight ard smell.” The ground, it may be sta'ed, was afterwards greatly improved by Sir Leonard H olli­ day and Mr. Nicholas Leate, especially b y the latter, who improved the highway s, etc., at his own expense. In October, 1689, games were forbidden to be played on the ground. Tbe Company stated that it “ should not suffer any person to try engines or play at pall-mall, or make any other use of it than what had been formerly allowed.” Nomention was mt.de of cricket, but it is quite possible that the game was played there even before 1689. Two noteworthy events occurred in the Artillery Ground in 1744. Firstly, a meeting was held at which the laws of the game were drawn up, and secondly, on the ‘ eighteenth of June Kent beat England b y one wicket, several persons of distinction, including their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland, being interested on-lookers. Even in those early days admission was charged to the ground. The usual charge was twopence, but, when the match was an important one, this was increased to sixpence. Matches to beplayed ontheground were frequently advertised, as the follow ing taken from The Daily Advertiser of 1754 will sh ow :— “ Artillery Ground, London. On Monday next will be played a Cricket Match of five a side : Faulkner and the two Harrises, John Frame and Barling, against John Mansfield, John Bell, John Bryant, little Bennett, and William King, for a guinea a man. The wickets to he pitched at twelve o’clock. The match to he played out.” In The Connoisseur, No. 132, dated 1756, we come across a Mr. Toby Bumper, who “ is frequently engaged at the Artillery Ground, with Faulkner and Dingate at cricket, and is esteemed as good a bat as either of the Bennets.” Faulkner, men­ tioned above, was celebrated as a boxer as well as a cricketer. He was a fast bow ler and came from the Midlands. A few years later the ground, for some reason or other, seemed to become unpopu­ lar as far as cricket was concerned, and th e game wbich the gentlemen had learnt in the Artillery Ground they afterwards practised in the White Conduit Fields. The White Conduit Tavern was erected as early as 1648. When the game was first played in the Fields will probably never be known, but the vicinity was noted for its cricket-matches upwards of one hundred and eighty years ago. The D aily Advertiser of August 10th, 1754, contained an advertisement, inserted by Robert Bartholomew, + proprietor of the Tavern, winding up w ith :— “ Note —My cows eat no grain, neither any adultera­ tion in the milk or cream. Bats and balls for cricket, and a convenient field to play in.” An All-England match is stated to * I will take this opportunity of informing “ Fire­ fly ” that I was correct when I stated, in the November issue of Cricket that June 18th, 1744, fell on a Monday. t Bartholomew died in 1766. have been played in the Fields the same year (1754). Ih e White Conduit Club was established in or about 1780 b y Lord Winchelsea, Sir Horace Mann, and other leading patrons of the game. In addition to the cricket-ground there were Dutch- pin grounds as well as a bow ling-green. One of the attendants engaged by the club was Thomas Lord, a Scotchman, who, being promised support, took a piece of ground in 1787 which soon went by the name of “ Lord’s.” This ground, the first of the three known as “ L ord’s,” was situated where Dorset Square now stands. As the Artillery Ground had been deserted for the White Conduit Fields, so now was the latter place for Lord’s. In the middle of last century, and far into the present, the game was fre­ quently plajed in Copenhagen Fields, e o possibly a few remarks concerning that place will prc.ve of interest. T o­ wards the beginning of the seventeenth century, upon some political occasion, great numbers of Danes were induced to leave their kingdom and take up their abode in London. This was probably in the reign of James the First, who was visited in London by his brother-in-law, the K ing of Denmark, upon which occa­ sion it is veiy probable there was a con­ siderable influx of persons from the Danish capital. One of the wanderers from Copenhagen opened a house, which he called *“ Copenhagen House,” and which very soon became a place of resort for his fellow-countrymen in the metropolis. Copenhagen House, like the White Conduit Tavern, was a favouiite halting-place for those who had walked out a short distance from London. Amusements were, of course, provided, but cricket does not appear to have be en indulged in until far into the eighteenth century. A game called hop-ball was often plaj ed in the fields by the Highbury Society. On a board, dated 1734, used for marking the game, the follow ing was engraven: “ Play justly, play moderately, play cheerfully : so shall ye play to a rational purpose.” Fives playing at Copenhagen House is recorded in a memoir of Cavanagh, Ihe famous fives players, by Mr. Hazlitt, which first appeared in the Examiner of February 17th, 1819. Cavanagh was an Irishman: “ he used frequently to play matches in Copenhagen House for wagers and dinners. The wall against which they play is the same that supports the kitchen chimney : and when the walls resounded louder than usual the cooks exclaimed, ‘ Those are the Irishman’s balls ! ’ And the joints trembled on the spit.” * Coopen-Hagen is the name given to the place in the map accompanying Camden’s Britannia, fol. 1695. REVISED FIXTURES FOR 1899. APRIL. 24. Nottingham, Notts Colts’ Match 28. Bristol, Gloucestershire Colts’ Match 28. Southampton, Hampshire v. Capt. Hoare's X I. MAY. 1. Oval, Surrey v. Leicestershire 1.Barnsley, Yorkshire Colts v. Notts Colts 1.Oxford, Oxford University Seniors’ Match 1.Cambridge. Cambridge University Seniors’ Match 3.Lord’s, M.C.C. Annual Meeting and Dinner 3. Lord’ s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Sussex 4. Oval, Surrey v. Derbyshire 4. Worcester, Worcestershire v. Yorkshire 4. Manchester, Lancashire v. Warwickshire 4 Oxford, Oxford University Freshmen’s Match 4. Cambridge. Cambridge Univ. Freshmen’s Match 6. Swindon, Wiltshire v. London County C.C. 6. Blackheath, M.C.C. and Ground v. Blackheath 8. Lord’s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Yorkshire 8. Nottingham, Notts v. Lancashire 8. Birmingham, Warwickshire v. Leicestershire 8. Oxford. Oxford University Trial Match 9. Oval, Surrey Colts v. Mitcham 11. Lord’ s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Lancashire 11. Leicester, Leicestershire v. Surrey 11. Bath, Somerset v. Yorkshire 11. Worcester. Worcestershire v. Notts (2 days) 11. B'ackheath, Kent v. Oloucestershir-i 11. Cambridge, Camb. Univ. v. Mr. A. J. W ebbe’s X I 11. Oval. Surrey Colts v. Battersea 15. Lord’s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Leicestershire 15. Derby, Derbys' ire v. W arwick hire 15. Oxford, Oxford Univ. v Mr. A J. W ebbe’s X I. 15. Manchester, Lancashire v. Hampshire 15. Bristol, Gloucestershire v. Yorkshire 15. Catford, Kent v. Notts 15. Brighton. Sussex v. Worcester*hire 15. Leyton, Essex Club and Ground v. Srrrey Club and Ground 17. Newcastle, Northumberland Colts’ Match 17. Richmond, Surrey Club and Ground v. Richmond 18. Lord’ s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Derbyshire 18. Cambridge, Cambridge University v. Yorkshire 18. Oval, Surrey v. Gloucestershire 18. Oxford, O xfoid U» ivei&i y v. Somerset ]8. Leyton, Essex v. Sussex 18. Eastbou'ne. South of England v. Australians 19. Crystal Palace, London County C.C. v. M.C.C. and Ground 20. Crystal Palace. M.C.C. & Ground v. Crystal Palace 22. (W hit Monday) Lora’s, Middlesex v. Somerset (W . Flowers’s tenefit) 22. Brighton, Sussex v. Gloucestershire 22. Nottingham, Notts v. Surrey 22. Leyton, Essex v. Leicester 22. Manchester, Lancashire v. Kent 22. Southampton, Hampshire v. D jrbyshire 22. Birmingham, Warwickshire v. Worcestershiie 22. Northampton, Nor bants v. Herts 22. Oval, 8urrey (2nd X I.) v. Lancashire (2nd X I.) 22. Newcastle, Northumberland v. Durham 22. Ryde, Hsmpshiie (2nd X I.) v. Sussex (2nd X I.) 22. Cambridge. Cambridge University First X II. v. Next Sixteen 24. Northampton, Nortbante v. Staffordshire 24. Reading, M.C.C. and Ground v. 'Jhe School 24. Blackheath, M.C.C. and Ground v. Royal Nava College 24. Oxford, M.C.C. and Ground v. Magdalen College 24. Oval. Surrey Colts v. Honor Oak 25. Lord’s, Middlesex v. Gloucestershire 25. Birmingham, Warwickshire v. Kent 25. Leyton, Essex v. Yorkshire 25. Leicester, Leicester hire v. Derbyshire 25. Brighton, Sussex v. Somerset 25. Oxford. Oxfoid University v. Worcestershire 25.rCambridge, Cambridge University v. Surrey 25. Burton’s Court, M.C.C. and Ground v.Eousehold Brigade 29. Lord’s, Middlesex v. Yorkshire 29. Gravesend, Kent v. Essex 29. Worcester, Worcestershire v. London County C.C 29 Oval, Surrey v. Somerset JUNE. 1. Manchester, Lancashire v. Leicestershire 1. Southampton, Hampshire v. Yorkshire 1. Birmingham, Warwickshire v. Fuirey 1. Lord’s, M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent 2. Uppingham, M.C.C. and Ground v. Uppingham School 3. Kensington, M.C.C. and Ground v. St. Paul’s School 3. Oval, Surrey Colts v. Stanley C.C. 5. Chesterfield, Derbyshire v. Surrey 5. Sheffield. Yorkshire v. E-sex 5. H irmingham, Warwickshire v. Lancashire 5. Leicester, Leicestershire v. Worcestershire 5. Tonbridge, Kent v. Sussex (Tonbridge Week) 5. Oval, Surrey (2nd X I.) v. Hampshire (2nd X I.) 5. Portsmouth. M.C C. & Ground v. United Services 6. Bradfleld, M.C.C. and Ground v. The College 6. Walthamstow, M.C.C. & Ground v. Forest School 6. Merton, Surrey Club and Ground v. Merton 8. Lord’ s, Middlesex v. Sussex 8. Leyton, Essex v. Hampshire 8. Bristol, Gloucestershire v. Notts 8. Tonbridge, Kent v. Somerset (Tonbridge Week) 8. Manchester. Lancashire v, Surrey 8. Dewsbury, Yorkshire v. Derbyshire 10. Chelmsford. M.C.C. and Ground v. Chelmsford 12. Lord’s, Middlesex v. Kent 12. Cambridge, Cambridge Univ. v.M.C.C. & Ground 12. Birmingham, Warwickshire v. Gloucestershire 12. Portsmouth, Hampshiie v. Somerset 12. Brighton, Sussex v. Notts 12. Manchester, Lancashire v. Derbyshire 12. Oxford, Oxford University v. Surrey 12. Stoke, Staffordshire v. Northamptonshire