Trouble at Potton’s Sandy Road Recreation Ground in 1871

History

Trouble at Potton’s Sandy Road Recreation Ground in 1871

By Peter Ibbett

The early 1960’s map of Potton shows the Sandy Road ‘Rec’ used by several generations of Potton folk for football, cricket and general enjoyment. A recent addition to Potton History Society archives throws light upon its origins:- ‘The Potton poor and others act very childishly with regard to what is persistently called the “recreation ground.” The poor, through their trustees, let the piece of ground on the Sandy Road, which was bought with money received from the railway company (mid 1850’s) in compensation of sundry land taken by the said company from the Poor’s Common. The said trustees were properly appointed, the land was conveyed to them, and in the course of time let it to Mr. Manning of the Red Lion inn, and he re-lets it to the cricketers. If this be so, and we have no ground for disputing it, why do the poor want to continue their use of it, as if it were in their own occupation. They have sold their plum-cake, and think that they still have a right to feast on it, like spoilt ignorant children. “We have as much right here as the cricketers,” they say. Indeed, when they pay you for it. Pooh, pooh, Potton poor. Let such ignorance lie dormant. You know that the ground is no more yours than the crops on that part of the common let off to some of your own numbers. Why do you not go to Over (Potton Charity owned land in the parish of Over), and claim the crops there? If you are men, put away such childish thoughts, and when you want to enjoy their cricket ground, do so in deference to those who have a better right than you have.’

This was discovered in the locally printed Potton Journal on Saturday 22nd July 1871 and was an editorial by C. J. Hercock, of Potton Market Square.