Category: 1900s

Hard facts on Club performances start emerging in 1909 from the Club’s earliest scorebook. Arthur Breeds and Dumbelton pass as the Club’s leading pair of all-rounders around that period. As a bowler, Breeds – a short, stubby character – took 8-22 off St Albans ‘A’, 7-9 against the Architectural Association and 7-13 against the Newberries staff side which amalgamated with Radlett the next season.

Breeds rarely took less than five wickets in an innings. He always had one end of the pitch well watered on a Friday night and consequently devastated the opposition with his slows the next day.

Dumbelton, though not so successful (perhaps because of the end he bowled from) used to fill the ‘silent’ partner role. He took his fair share of wickets and like Breeds consistently reached the 40s as a batsman.

Unfortunately for Radlett, Dumbelton played badly and Breeds was absent in what must be one of Radlett’s biggest stuffings of all time. St Stephens Hampstead hammered Radlett’s bowlers for 302-5 dec. Radlett were all out for 39 – highest individual score, six.

Throughout the years Radlett consistently refused to join league cricket, finally bowing to pressure in 1970.

It duly refused its first invitation in 1908 to join a St Albans and District League.

That season was a good one for Radlett first XI who won 10 out of 19 played, while the seconds could only draw one and lose the other four.

Results were poorish in the mid 1900’s, particularly in 1907 when the first XI lost 12 out of 20 matches. Existing records state that “wet Saturdays without even the element of warmth militated against the talents of many of the Club’s members, at least this seems to have been the excuse – why it should not have been the same for the opposing teams is a little astonishing”.

The new owner of Newberries, George Miller, took the chair at the Club’s annual dinner and smoking concert, with its record 100 members, succeeding Henry Lubbock who had left the district although not without leaving a memory or two.

Lubbock once sent a letter to the committee saying that a local man ‘Chimnee’ Hawkins had been suspended by the Herts Football Association for bad language on the field. “I hope”, he wrote, “that Hawkins is not a Radlett Cricket Club member, because if he is, 1 cannot allow him to play on my park”.

The pavilion roof played up even in those days and thatching had to be undertaken.

Charles Part, one of the original club founders, left Radlett in 1903 and that year – horror of horrors – match fees were introduced.

The second XI was born in 1903 (played seven, won three, lost three, drawn one) under a Mr. Fowler’s captaincy.

Fixtures increased rapidly. 1903 saw 26.

There are no records relating to the next three years other than the fact that 33 games were played in 1906.

Among the clubs played against in the 1902 fixture card – the earliest we have – were Midland Railway, South Mimms, Albemarle II, Aldenham, Hendon, Watford Ramblers, Northern Assurance Co. and Houndswood. Some were played twice.

Local News

Charles Part, who owned Aldenham Lodge and extensive grounds, sold off part of the park. Consequently, The Avenue, The Warren, Radlett Park Road, Aldenham Grove and the two connecting roads, Hillside and Mornington, were laid out. Beech Avenue soon followed, along with the remainder of The Avenue, plus The Drive which was a dead end, stopping at the grounds to Aldenham Lodge.

There is no information on matches played this season.

Over 70 members attended the ‘annual supper’ in November 1901.

Arthur ‘Daddy’ Breeds took over the captaincy around 1900 until 1903 and topped the batting averages twice.

Radlett C.C.’s priorities went out of the window in 1900 when the son of the Club’s president returned from the Boer War. On arrival by car at Radlett station at 6 p.m., he was greeted by the local band striking up, ‘See the Conquering Hero Comes’ and the cheers of the assembled village.

Several men in white flannels suddenly appeared, having abandoned their cricket match, and joined others pulling the young arrival by rope up Shenley Hill in an open landau and thence to Newberries and a welcome party for all.

Things were happening in the first class game too. ‘Swing’ or ‘swerve’ bowling became popular in 1900, as W.G. Grace who, aged 54, took 5-29 against the Aussies (with Trumper at his best).