Dumbleton Cricket Club Building Better

Lives

Did you know

> A Dumbleton team first played in 1882 but the first home match was not recorded until 1885 and played on the existing ground which was originally a fenced off area in which Lady Monsell as a child kept her deer.

> Continuity has been maintained because of the support of the Eyres-Monsell and Hambro families to this day.

> Since those early days, matches have been played against teams from Beckford, Sedgeberrow, Hinton-on-the-Green, Buckland, Toddington, Gretton, Alderton and Hampton, all of whom have folded due to lack of support. Stanton still has a ground which is maintained and occupied by St. Philips North Cricket Club from Cheltenham. Many other clubs across England are currently struggling to survive.

> A Cricket Week was held each season until 1935 but discontinued until 1985 when it resumed each year until the present day. A village cricket club staging a cricket festival week is very unusual and it hosts a team from the MCC every other year.

> In its centenary year, 1985, the club organised a sponsored cycle ride which raised £1,400 for the cobalt unit in Cheltenham. Subsequently donations of £4500 and £2100 to Winston’s Wish, [a bereaved children’s charity],

£1,580 to Help the Heroes, many different amounts to the Air Ambulance and other organisations in the village have been distributed culminating in December 2021 when £1,000 was given to the village Club, £500 to the Air Ambulance and amounts of £250 each to the School the Village hall and the Church.

> Socially the club welcomes the use of the pavilion for Village groups and private parties by arrangement. The club’s other functions are always well supported by members and local people and the annual Bank Holiday Fete now in its 51st year is run by club members but any organisation can participate for their own benefit. The ground is always available for special events and since 1902 has hosted most coronations and jubilees.

> The ground and Fishpond were purchased by the club in 1997 and are run by an annually elected committee of 15 members. The Trustees were born in the village and almost all current officers of the club reside or were born in the parish.

> Finally the club is unique amongst local cricket clubs as it has almost 30 life members and vice presidents who have earned their position and who have exceptionally strong ties to the village. Almost all are village lads who have spent a lifetime playing and supporting the club and the village but sadly many of them cannot afford the cost of housing in the parish.

> Cumulatively this group has donated about 1,500 years of support to one of England’s most remarkable village cricket clubs.