Fulmer Cricket Club was officially founded in
1895 and some of the first known records date from 1886, showing details of a
village side representing Fulmer against such local teams as Hedgerley, Farnham
Royal and Gerrards Cross to name but a few.
The first match played as Fulmer Cricket Club
was against George Green on 7 August 1886 and the scores were:
First Innings
Fulmer: 25 all out
George Green: 48 all out
Second Innings
Fulmer: 24 all out
George Green: 34 all out
Mr J Mowbray took 10 wickets for Fulmer in
the match. A photograph, which hangs in the pavilion, shows Mr Mowbray still
playing in 1908. The photograph was taken shortly before Fulmer made the
permanent move to the present site at Fulmer Common Road.
Prior to the move to King George’s Field,
games were usually played at Alhusen’s Field, Alderbourne Lane and records show
some matches were played at Gerrard’s Cross.
With the start of the First World War,
cricket was suspended at Fulmer. Sadly, another player in the 1908 photograph,
Private HJ Dancer, lost his life in the Great War.
Cricket resumed after the war. Bob Charlton
remembered the halcyon days when Algie Thompson, the deaf wicket keeper,
performed behind the stumps in the late 1920s. Algie was so hard of hearing
that his teammates had to appeal for him in the event of a caught behind.
At this time, the Head Gardener of Fulmer
Hall tended the pitch. An old shed located at the top of the field was used as
a makeshift changing room. In later days, the village hall was used for this
function. Teas were served at the Women’s Institute, which is now the white
bungalow on the left as you enter the village.
Whilst Bob was performing his magic the then
king, George V, died leaving a number of villages as beneficiaries in his will
in the form of a recreational fund. The funds were made available for the
furtherment of recreation and sports in these villages. This was commemorated
by the presentation of two plaques to each village included in the will which
depict a unicorn and a lion. These plaques located on the pavilion wall are
some of the few remaining examples.
Prior to the Second World War, Fulmer’s
fixture list grew to include Beaconsfield, Richings Park, Gerrards Cross,
Aspros, Slough Town, Datchet, Ditton Park and Salt Hill.
Bob Charlton served in Italy and the playing
fields he left behind were ploughed up for the war effort, although nothing was
ever grown.
At this time some of the characters that
still have an interest in Fulmer CC today began to make their mark on club
history. Two certain young ARP Wardens remember, whilst on duty at Fulmer,
being somewhat disconcerted by two large land mines being dropped from enemy
aircraft. One exploded and the other got caught in the trees. Needless to say
they reported the mines landing with incredible speed at their local reporting
office – The Black Horse! John Rodgers and Denis Watkins went on to do more
damage with their batting and bowling than the mines ever did.
In 1947 the start of the pavilion as we know
it was being constructed in readiness for the new season. The following people
planned and developed the building using the bricks from the original village
hall: R Charlton, D King, T Rodgers, L Cooper and E Elderfield. The changing
rooms were erected in 1951. Aspros and ICI supplied the building equipment
while Guillouds supplied the cricket equipment.
We were extremely fortunate to again take up
arms against some old rivals whom Fulmer had played since the very early years.
Records show that Denham, Farnham Royal, Cippenham and Slough were some of the
sides that reformed after the Second World War. In the years from the war to
the present day, many names have passed through the Fulmer Hall of Fame and
some are still active members while others have encouraged their children and
their grand children to join the club.
The clubhouse was extended in 1971 and again
in 1988 to its present state. All the work carried out again by members of the
Cricket Club. Denis Compton, cricketing legend and local resident, opened the
extension.
The club was fortunate to have the services
of Alan Barrett and John Liley during the 1990s. Their commitment and hard work
ensured that Fulmer Cricket Club was a thriving entity as it headed into the
new millennium. The club celebrated its centenary in 1995 and enjoyed a
fabulous week of cricket to celebrate. The club hosted four games of cricket,
which included games against the MCC, Stoke Green, a Local Selected XI and the
Presidents XI. The highlight of the week was possibly the Barn Dance, when 150
people danced the night away in a marquee erected on the recreation ground.
In 2001 a committee was formed, comprising
Fulmer CC members and Fulmer villagers, led by Ian Trott and Edward Guinness.
The aim was to raise sufficient money to pay for the installation of a new land
drainage system, a new children’s play area and a new pavilion. Through the
generosity of local people and numerous fundraising activities, all three
objectives were achieved when, in 2003, Edward Guinness formally opened the new
pavilion.
To the people mentioned in this short history
the club says thank you for helping to keep the club in such good order and to
those present day members also a very big thank you. To list the names of
everyone who had a hand in Fulmer CC’s history would fill a huge amount of
space so to those not mentioned we apologise, but assure you that you are not
forgotten.
K Hazell and R Uncle compiled this potted
history in 1995 to celebrate Fulmer Cricket Club’s centenary. T L’Angellier has
subsequently brought it up to date.