There are some reports of cricket matches taking place in Chorlton-cum-Hardy during 1869 and 1870.
The earliest one I have so far discovered is from a meeting of the home team and the curiously named Bristol Perseverance, which incidentally the visitors won handsomely, on Saturday 20th May, 1869.
On 3rd September, 1870 these same two sides met again and Chorlton-cum-Hardy got their revenge scoring 97 (thanks to a contribution of 30 runs from R. Fowler of whom more shortly) and then dismissing their opponents for 73.
This scorecard of the match between Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Broughton College which took place on Saturday 22nd April, 1871 is the earliest instance I have found of the full details of a cricket match in Chorlton-cum-Hardy being reported in the press.
The date being so early in the cricketing year together with the fact that Chorlton-cum-Hardy’s Brass Band was in attendance would strongly suggest that this was indeed in some manner an inaugural match of an organized cricket club in the area.
Cricket, and other sports, fixtures were not in an organized format at this time being mostly arranged in an ad hoc manner. However as the 1870’s and 1880’s progressed societal changes led to a great increase in sporting activity and the origins of many present day clubs can be found in this era.
Scorecards from games played by Chorlton- cum-Hardy continued to feature in the local press throughout the late Victorian era and an analysis of the various names included is of some interest to social historians / sociologists.
Many members of the Chorlton-cum-Hardy teams were residents of the large houses along Edge Lane which were occupied by wealthy Manchester Merchants and their families. Interestingly,(1) though other team members appear to have been clerks or working men residing in Acre Lane, Church Road and the like. Among the former were:-
1) Robert David Fowler the “star batsman”, a provisions merchant who lived in Waltham House.
2) Alexander H. Gilbody who was a zinc merchant and a captain in the local rifle volunteers and lived in Barway Villa.
“Barway Villa”
3) Edward Overall Bleackley, an exceptionally wealthy (2) cotton merchant of “The Oaks”, Edge Lane.
In 1871 he had moved into newspaper publishing with Manchester Evening Chronicle and The Manchester Sunday Chronicle. His most lucrative title though was The (Manchester) Sporting Chronicle, which filled a gap in the market when the three main Manchester newspapers opted to suppress betting and racing news.
His partner in this latter venture was a former printer on the Manchester Guardian Edward Hulton of Clarence Villa, Alexandra Road, Withington, Manchester. Edward Hulton’s youngest son also Edward expanded the business to such an extent that on his death in 1923 it was sold to the Daily Mail Group for £6,000.000.
He also owned racehorses and was briefly the chairman of Manchester City F.C.
4) John Roscoe Falconer, a paper merchant lived at “Richmond House” also played Lacrosse and founded the Chorlton-cum-Hardy Lacrosse Club in 1877. Many cricketers are also listed among the Lacrosse players
5) Nicholai Christian Schou, a shipping merchant of Norwegian origin and his sons who were later residents of “The Oaks” Nicholai Christian Jun one of the sons, helped found the Lacrosse Club in 1877.
6) Edwin Woolaston an oil merchant of “Westbrook” Edge Lane and Thomas Roland Woolaston, his son.
7) Arthur and Alfred Hough sons of John Hough J.P. a woollen merchant and prominent official of local branches of the Conservative Party, residing in “Meadow Bank” Edge Lane.
8) Sidney Macbeth of “The Hollies” son of George Macbeth a clothing merchant – mostly noted for his Lacrosse playing, in which he represented Lancashire.
“The Hollies”
Unsurprisingly, given its proximity to the residences of the leading members of the team these early matches were played on a ground at “Cow Lane” shaded red on this map which also shows some of the named houses as stated in Andrew’s post on this subject, dated almost exactly 6 years ago,
The precise location of the ground is unknown but the prime location would have been the plot of land adjacent to “Meadow Bank” and to the rear of “The Hollies” and Barway Villa”. Somewhat appropriately this site is now the approximate location of the Longford Athletics Stadium.
The Chorlton- cum-Hardy club continued to develop and grow during the 1870’s and some subtle changes began to occur. Teams became less dominated by “gentlemen” and more formal committees began to appear.
”Cow Lane” as it is today – Hampton Road
An indication of this change is that by the end of the decade the clubs first XI began to play matches against 13 or even on one occasion 16 “Gentlemen of the District”
One of the first Treasurers of Chorlton-cum-Hardy Cricket Club was Robert Hall Ford a member of the firm of Batty & Ford Solicitors of Mosely Street, Manchester. Robert was also a keen lacrosse player for the Owens College Club. He was the son of Everard Haydon Ford a silk merchant living at “Riversdale”, Edge Lane when he died on 28th May, 1888 at the tragically young age of 26.
The strongest indicator of how the cricket club had now become a seriously competitive enterprise was the appointment of a club Professional. In 1888 this was Nottinghamshire born Amos Towle.
Tony Goulding © 2019
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; sourced by Tony Goulding
NOTES
1) The integration of social classes was a limited one, extraordinary lengths were taken to maintain social distinctions between “Gentlemen” (Amateurs –mostly of the Upper/ Middle classes) and “Players” (Professional cricketers regarded as workers)
Scorecards would normally only show the surname of a “Player” whilst a “Gentleman's” name would be prefixed by a “Mr.” and his initials. A distinction echoed still today on racecards to indicate that a horse is to be ridden by an amateur rider. Some grounds had separate changing rooms and even entrance gates to both the ground and the playing area. Team captains would always be a Gentleman/amateur, Change was slow to come to cricket England did not appoint a Professional Captain until (Sir) Len Hutton in 1952 and the bi-annual fixture “Gentlemen Vs Players” continued until the last was won by the players at Scarborough on 8/10/11th September, 1962.
2) Mr Bleackley’s personal wealth was
revealed by his will in which he bequeathed £184,824-13s-8d.
 |
| SCORECARD Manchester Evening News April 24 1871 |
On 3rd September, 1870 these same two sides met again and Chorlton-cum-Hardy got their revenge scoring 97 (thanks to a contribution of 30 runs from R. Fowler of whom more shortly) and then dismissing their opponents for 73.
This scorecard of the match between Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Broughton College which took place on Saturday 22nd April, 1871 is the earliest instance I have found of the full details of a cricket match in Chorlton-cum-Hardy being reported in the press.
The date being so early in the cricketing year together with the fact that Chorlton-cum-Hardy’s Brass Band was in attendance would strongly suggest that this was indeed in some manner an inaugural match of an organized cricket club in the area.
Cricket, and other sports, fixtures were not in an organized format at this time being mostly arranged in an ad hoc manner. However as the 1870’s and 1880’s progressed societal changes led to a great increase in sporting activity and the origins of many present day clubs can be found in this era.
Scorecards from games played by Chorlton- cum-Hardy continued to feature in the local press throughout the late Victorian era and an analysis of the various names included is of some interest to social historians / sociologists.
Many members of the Chorlton-cum-Hardy teams were residents of the large houses along Edge Lane which were occupied by wealthy Manchester Merchants and their families. Interestingly,(1) though other team members appear to have been clerks or working men residing in Acre Lane, Church Road and the like. Among the former were:-
1) Robert David Fowler the “star batsman”, a provisions merchant who lived in Waltham House.
2) Alexander H. Gilbody who was a zinc merchant and a captain in the local rifle volunteers and lived in Barway Villa.
 |
| Barway Villas |
3) Edward Overall Bleackley, an exceptionally wealthy (2) cotton merchant of “The Oaks”, Edge Lane.
In 1871 he had moved into newspaper publishing with Manchester Evening Chronicle and The Manchester Sunday Chronicle. His most lucrative title though was The (Manchester) Sporting Chronicle, which filled a gap in the market when the three main Manchester newspapers opted to suppress betting and racing news.
His partner in this latter venture was a former printer on the Manchester Guardian Edward Hulton of Clarence Villa, Alexandra Road, Withington, Manchester. Edward Hulton’s youngest son also Edward expanded the business to such an extent that on his death in 1923 it was sold to the Daily Mail Group for £6,000.000.
He also owned racehorses and was briefly the chairman of Manchester City F.C.
4) John Roscoe Falconer, a paper merchant lived at “Richmond House” also played Lacrosse and founded the Chorlton-cum-Hardy Lacrosse Club in 1877. Many cricketers are also listed among the Lacrosse players
5) Nicholai Christian Schou, a shipping merchant of Norwegian origin and his sons who were later residents of “The Oaks” Nicholai Christian Jun one of the sons, helped found the Lacrosse Club in 1877.
6) Edwin Woolaston an oil merchant of “Westbrook” Edge Lane and Thomas Roland Woolaston, his son.
7) Arthur and Alfred Hough sons of John Hough J.P. a woollen merchant and prominent official of local branches of the Conservative Party, residing in “Meadow Bank” Edge Lane.
8) Sidney Macbeth of “The Hollies” son of George Macbeth a clothing merchant – mostly noted for his Lacrosse playing, in which he represented Lancashire.
 |
| The Hollies |
Unsurprisingly, given its proximity to the residences of the leading members of the team these early matches were played on a ground at “Cow Lane” shaded red on this map which also shows some of the named houses as stated in Andrew’s post on this subject, dated almost exactly 6 years ago,
The precise location of the ground is unknown but the prime location would have been the plot of land adjacent to “Meadow Bank” and to the rear of “The Hollies” and Barway Villa”. Somewhat appropriately this site is now the approximate location of the Longford Athletics Stadium.
 |
| Cow Lane as it is today - Hampton Road |
”Cow Lane” as it is today – Hampton Road
An indication of this change is that by the end of the decade the clubs first XI began to play matches against 13 or even on one occasion 16 “Gentlemen of the District”
One of the first Treasurers of Chorlton-cum-Hardy Cricket Club was Robert Hall Ford a member of the firm of Batty & Ford Solicitors of Mosely Street, Manchester. Robert was also a keen lacrosse player for the Owens College Club. He was the son of Everard Haydon Ford a silk merchant living at “Riversdale”, Edge Lane when he died on 28th May, 1888 at the tragically young age of 26.
 |
| Edge Lane from the O.S. Map of 1905 |
Tony Goulding © 2019
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; sourced by Tony Goulding
NOTES
1) The integration of social classes was a limited one, extraordinary lengths were taken to maintain social distinctions between “Gentlemen” (Amateurs –mostly of the Upper/ Middle classes) and “Players” (Professional cricketers regarded as workers)
Scorecards would normally only show the surname of a “Player” whilst a “Gentleman's” name would be prefixed by a “Mr.” and his initials. A distinction echoed still today on racecards to indicate that a horse is to be ridden by an amateur rider. Some grounds had separate changing rooms and even entrance gates to both the ground and the playing area. Team captains would always be a Gentleman/amateur, Change was slow to come to cricket England did not appoint a Professional Captain until (Sir) Len Hutton in 1952 and the bi-annual fixture “Gentlemen Vs Players” continued until the last was won by the players at Scarborough on 8/10/11th September, 1962.
2) Mr Bleackley’s personal wealth was
revealed by his will in which he bequeathed £184,824-13s-8d.
Since this story was posted I have been reading an excellent history of Whalley Range Cricket Club by Peter Simpson. It includes two particularily interesting facts. Apparently a Chorlton-cum-Hardy side omce "bowled out" one from the Whalley Range club for just one run (and that was an extra) at Chorlton-cum- Hardy on Saturday 14th May,1887. Also of some interest is that the Whalley Range club together with Bowden Cricket Club refused to play for points (deeming that it was an antithesis to the "gentlemanly" nature of the matches) until 1962
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