1891-1914

The Early Years

Stand outside the pavilion at Englands, look to the left and a couple of hundred yards away across the lane leading to Priory Farm a sloping field leads up to the trees surrounding Poulton Priory. It's difficult to believe with its undulations, and when it's covered with wheat and barley, that this was Poulton Cricket Club's home for many years. It was three fields then and the club used one of them - but it was a far cry from the carefully-tended square and outfield that today's Poulton cricketers enjoy.

   Poulton's first recorded game was on June 20th 1891 against Ampney United.  Sadly, Poulton lost, even though they had home advantage.  Poulton made 42 and 31, Ampney United scoring 52 and 23 for 0 to win by 10 wickets.  It was an unhappy day for Poulton's number 9 and 10 batsmen.   The scorebook records: "C Palmer b Colston 0; stumped 0. A Holder run out 0; run out 0".

    The following year, Ampney United did it again. Ampney, batting first, scored 35 and 32. Poulton managed only 18 in the first innings but improved to reach 36 for 3 in their second.  It didn't do them any good, however, because the result read starkly: "A victory for the visitors by 17 runs on the first innings".

    But then the first published victory, in August, away to Ashton Keynes. J Scarrott was the hero of the day, knocking up 57 runs in a total of 95 and then taking 7 wickets, as Ashton Keynes collapsed to be all out for 24.

    The next item in the paper read, tantalisingly and with no relevance to what had gone before: "The depression in the cotton trade is becoming most acute".

The social side of cricket is prominent in these early reports and the owner of the Poulton Priory, Mr J Joicey, clearly intended to make life pleasant for the players. Of Saturday August 8th, 1896, we read: "Poulton Village v Poulton Priory.  Played at Poulton, a well contested game resulting in a victory for the village team by 54 runs.  Mr J Joicey kindly provided refreshments." And he took a catch and got one run.

    In that same year Mr Joicey started the East Gloucestershire and North Wilts Cricket League to try to improve the standard of village cricket.  He presented a cup and some familiar names competed. Barnsley won in the first year, and Bibury in the next two.  Poulton didn't shine in those early years: "Poulton, who lost the services of one of their best players, Mr Rowland, a very promising cricketer, are at the bottom. But they are the only team competing who have had the honour of beating Bibury, the visitors."

   Not all of those league games went easily, though. In June 1897 Poulton travelled to Castle Eaton, quite a journey in those days, and won by an innings and 10 runs. Criticism of the pitch and an injury featured in the report of the game.

    "Bishop, J Turner and Pollard batted well for the visitors and had the ground been in a better condition no doubt their opponents' bowling would have been more effective. The honorary secretary of the Association, Mr T Leader, who was acting as umpire, sustained a nasty cut on the head during the game and have to leave the field."

    It seemed to be that kind of season. In August for example, "Kempsford v Poulton. A match was played at Poulton between these club and resulted in a tie on the first innings. Owing to a misunderstanding the home captain (J Rowland) would not field second innings. Score: Kempsford 41; Poulton 41 and 24." But there was one bright spot. Not for the first time, "Mr Joicey kindly gave tea and refreshments".

    Later in August, another problem. When Ampney came to play Poulton: "The visitors came with only 8 players, 2 of whom were boys." Not surprisingly, Poulton won easily - and it proves that team secretaries had similar difficulties then to those they have now.

    Poulton continued to enjoy their cricket and to expand it. In the local paper on Saturday 18th 1897, appeared a report of a game billed as Poulton v The Mansion. "An interesting game was played on Saturday last between teams representing Poulton and men employed on the large mansion in the course of erection near the Priory and which ended in a decisive victory for the residents by an innings and 3 runs." That 'large mansion' is the present Priory.

    In June 1899 a two-innings game at Bibury ended in a tie, Poulton scoring 35 and 28, Bibury 33 and 30.

    In the early years of the 20th Century, the number of players increased and in 1902 came the first recorded second team game for Poulton, Ashton Keynes 2 XI being the visitors. Unfortunately, they won by 37 runs when Poulton managed only 32 in reply to the visitors' total of 69.

    The junior team didn't do any better playing against Ampney Juniors on July 6th at Ampney Crucis. The scores, under an advertisement describing Cadbury's Cocoa as "Delicious, Soothing and Easily Digested", show that Poulton succumbed in a two-innings game by 63 runs.

    The seasons came and went. There were landmarks - in 1906 the first victory over Fairford, by 19 runs. A couple of weeks later a comfortable victory over Kempsford, with Norman taking 4 Kempsford in 4 balls, a feat beaten 5 years later. "Poulton v Ashton Keynes. Played at Poulton on Saturday. Before the match the Poulton captain presented to W. Ash a cap, he having taken 5 wickets with 5 consecutive balls on August 5th against Eastington."

    Politics were intruding onto the square. The Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, Saturday 8th 1914, records War in Europe. It was put in Gloucestershire perspective by a second headline: "Tetbury Show. The Shadow of the War Curtailed Programme and Lessened Attendance."

    The cricketers drew stumps and went off the fight in the Great War.

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