Cricket 1912

310 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J uly 6, 1912. A NotableDerbyshire Club. e x p e n se s in o u t m a tc h e s, p a y fo r p ro fe ssio n a l a id , an d com e o u t o n th e r ig h t sid e a t th e e n d o f e a c h se a so n . W h at --------------- n u rsin g th is h a s m e a n t o n ly th o se w h o h a v e w o rk e d in B e l p e r M e a d o w s . sim ilar causes can estim a te, perhaps. M r. P y m , th o u g h o v e r 70 y e a r s o f a g e , s t ill a tten d s m o st o f th e m a tc h e s a n d p r a c t ic a lly a ll th e m eetin g s. H is in te re st in th e c lu b h a s n e v e r sla c k e n e d , th o u g h it m a y e a s ily b e g u essed t h a t h e is a b u s y m a n , fo r h e is C lerk to th e B e lp e r G u a rd ia n s, C le rk t o th e M a g is tra te s, C le rk to th e U rb a n D is tr ic t C o u n c il, a n d to s e v e r a l o th er b o d ie s. M r. D ic k e n h a s n o t o n ly b e en s e c r e ta r y th ro u g h o u t th e c lu b ’s c a re e r, b u t fo r s e v e n te e n y e a r s h e w a s c a p ta in a n d fo r th re e y e a r s v ic e -c a p ta in o f th e first e le v e n . H e w a s b o m in L iv e r p o o l in M a rc h , 18 5 6 , c am e t o liv e in D e rb y sh ire in 18 6 8 , w a s a p p o in te d R e lie v in g O fficer to th e Belper U n io n in 18 7 9 a n d R e g is t r a r o f B ir t h s an d D e a th s in 18 8 6 , a n d s e rv e d in 1 9 1 0 a n d 1 9 1 1 o n th e D e rb y C o u n ty C r ic k e t C o m m itte e , b u t re sig n e d o w in g to p ressu re o f w o rk . H e h a s p la y e d in som e 400 m a tc h e s fo r B e lp e r M ead o w s, h is h ig h e st sc o re b e in g 7 6 , a n d t h a t h e w a s a p r e t t y g o o d b a tsm a n in h is y o u n g e r d a y s m a y b e in ferred from th o fa c t t h a t h e w a s on e o f th e first p a ir to m ak e a th re e fig u re s ta n d fo r th e c lu b , h e a n d W . T . P a lm e r a d d in g 1 1 0 fo r th e t h ir d w ic k e t v . M a tlo c k in 1 8 8 1 . T h e b ig g e st p a rtn e rsh ip e v e r re c o rd e d fo r t h e c lu b , b y th e w a y , is 2 2 5 fo r th e firs t w ic k e t b y J . R . B u rro w s F o rm e d a t th e e n d o f t h e se a so n o f 18 8 0 , th e B e lp e r M e a d o w s C .C . p la y e d its fir s t m a tc h o n A p r il 3 0 , 1 8 8 1 , a n d s u c c u m b e d to D e r b y M id la n d fo r 2 0 . T h e sid e h a s n e v e r s in c e b e e n d ism iss e d fo r so lo w a sco re. It s h ig h e st M r. JO S E P H PYM , C hairm an of C o m m ittee, B elp er M ead o w s C.C. is 4 0 2 v . W irk sw o rth (D e rb y sh ire C u p m a tc h ) in Ju n e , 18 8 8 . U p to th e e n d o f 1 9 1 1 i t h a d w o n 2 8 4 m a tc h e s, lo s t 1 1 2 , tie d in 3 , a n d d r a w n 2 1 6 . B u t th e m o st re m a rk a b le fe a tu r e o f th e c lu b ’s h is to r y is t h a t M r. Jo s e p h P y m , w h o w a s e le c te d C h a irm a n , a n d M r. A rth u r D ic k e n , w h o w a s c h o se n a s H o n . S e c. a t th e in a u g u r a l m e e tin g , a r e s t ill in o ffice, a n d h a v e b e e n so th r o u g h a ll th e y e a r s s in c e 1 M o re o v e r, M r. J o h n H u n te r , th e n e le c te d T re a s u re r, h a s re ta in e d t h a t p o st to th e p re se n t d a y , th o u g h th e b u rd e n o f w o rk t h r u s t u p o n h im h a s n o t b e e n a s g r e a t a s t h a t c h e e r fu lly b o rn e b y s e c re ta ry a n d c h a irm a n . A c om p le te re c o rd o f t h e ir a c t iv it ie s is n a tu r a lly o u t o f th e q u e stio n h e re . S o m e fe w in d ic a tio n s m u st su ffic e . T h e m o n e y n eed ed fo r th e b u ild in g o f th e p a v ilio n (18 8 4 ), fo r p riz e s a t th e s p o rts (18 8 6 ), a n d fo r th e e x te n sio n o f g ro u n d a n d im p ro v e m e n t o f p a v ilio n a t v a rio u s tim e s, to th e t o t a l am o u n t o f £ 5 5 0 , h a s b e e n c o lle c te d p rin c ip a lly b y th e m . T h e c lu b b e g a n w ith 40 m em b e rs, a tw o a c re g ro u n d re n te d a t £7 1 0 s . p e r a n n u m , a n d n o d ressin g -ro om . I t n o w h a s a g ro u n d o f 4 1 a c r e s , a g o o d p a v ilio n , re fr e s h ­ m e n t b a r a n d te a -ro o m , a n d p a y s n e a r ly fo u r tim e s 5th e o rig in a l re n t. I n its e a rlie r y e a r s it s tru g g le d a g a in s t d e fic its, n e v e r v e r y la r g e , it is t m e ; n o w a d a y s i t c a n s e ttle p la y e r s ’ M r. A RTHUR D ICKEN, H on. S ec. B elper M eadow s C.C. a n d J . A . M c D o n a ld v . th e G ra ssh o p p e rs in 19 0 4 . In 18 8 8 B u rro w s a n d H . A . M o rle y r a n u p 2 1 7 fo r t h e th ird v . W irk sw o rth . I n 18 9 7 B u rr o w s a n d H . S p e n c e r m ad e 2 0 7 to g e th e r fo r th e _th ir d v . T ib s h e lf C o llie ry . I n 19 0 5 J . A . M c D o n a ld a n d 'E ls e se n t u p 2 0 5 fo r th e fir s t v . M ill- h o u se s. A ll o f th e se m e n h a v e p la y e d fo r D e rb y sh ire a t on e tim e o r a n o th e r. B u rr o w s a n d E ls e in 19 0 2 h a d th re e