Barrow Gurney Cricket Club - Some Personal Memories

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by Gerry Weaden, 21 February 2006.

Rather recklessly, I offered to produce a memoir of my years with the club, but, when sitting down to put pen to paper, I was alarmed to find how little came to mind ; I seek forgiveness, therefore, for anything which may be construed as padding.

Too young to remember anything of pre-war cricket, I do recall that teas were catered for by Frank Patch and his wife, who ran a modest tea-room in the house on the corner opposite Hobbs Lane ; players trooped over there for their refreshments, and I believe the practice continued after the war, but the generation who would know are no longer with us.

Another Patch, Harry, ran the Fox & Goose ; he was a tenant farmer of the Barrow Court Estate and the club's landlord. The fact that the Prince's Motto was the preferred pub rankled with Harry, and relations were always a little frosty. Harry liked to consider himself a gentleman publican in the same way there are gentleman farmers, and only visited the business side of the bar to refresh his own drink. Serving customers was left to his wife ; understandably perhaps, she seemed embittered by this and her welcome fell a little short of warm - another reason to favour the Ich Dien. I do recall, however, a match against Bristol West Indians when their whole team retired to the Fox afterwards ; no doubt it took quite a while for the culture shock to die down. This would have been in the 60s I think, when the West Indians had an outstanding all-rounder, Richard Barnes, who went on to make his mark in Bristol senior club cricket ; he may even have had a few games for Gloucester 2nds but I can't be certain.The scorebook, if available, will show whether he was playing on that occasion.

After the war, the game resumed as true "village cricket", all friendlies of course ; because of transport constraints (a car owner was naturally an automatic selection ! ) the fixture list necessarily consisted of neighbouring villages - Flax Bourton, Failand, Wraxall, Winford, Chew Stoke, Felton, etc.. Facilities tended to range from primitive to non-existent ; at Felton we changed in an outhouse of the pub, and you turned up in your whites at Winford or changed alfresco ! I recall one notable exception to these local matches when the fixture secretary, in a moment of lunacy, arranged a game against RAF Colerne ; how we got there I've no idea - possibly a coach. I do remember we had tea in the sergeant's mess.

20 over evening games always featured prominently in the fixtures, among them a local derby with Barrow Hospital. Their team relied almost entirely on the all-round skills of two nurses, Lloyd and Jim Whitehouse ; both quickies, Lloyd from a deceptively short run very much in the style of Bill Alley, and Jim from a fast bowler's traditional long run-up. They usually bowled unchanged and, more often than not, proved too good for us. Lloyd was a very accomplished organist - not what one would expect of a psychiatric nurse. I recall one occasion at Barrow church when he stood in for the usual organist at evensong and frightened the congregation to death with a thunderous Bach Prelude & Fugue.

Stafford Poole was a voluntary patient at Barrow Hospital (depressive condition dating back to the war, I believe) and he started playing for BGCC when the hospital side was discontinued. On a good day, Stafford was capable of a 50 and was also a useful bowler, arriving at the crease in a flurry of whirling arms and unbuttoned shirt sleeves.

The vicar at Barrow for all too short a time was Beverley Coleman, a good batsman whose appearances were limited due to his other duties. He did, however, score a century on a ground at Whitchurch (between the A37 and the Keynsham road, now a cemetery) against Hengrove, I think. Another interesting character who played for a few seasons in the late 60s/early 70s was Derek Meyer, brother of R.J.O. Meyer , Somerset captain c1947 and founder of Millfield School. Derek was a lovely person who lived for cricket but sadly did not possess his brother's abilities. He played for Clevedon after leaving Barrow, and I continued to play with him at Clevedon when I made the same move.

Perhaps I may be permitted a couple of very personal memories to end. First, a very sticky, drying wicket at Chew Stoke, where my off-spin was literally turning at right-angles, and I finished with 8 for 20 something ; secondly, a square cut at the old Packers ground, Greenbank, Bristol, which did not just reach the boundary but travelled as far again. This ground was, I believe, used by Gloucestershire in the dim and distant past and covered a huge area - probably built on now.

And, last of all, a roll-call of some of those who are no longer with us :

Jim Blake - neighbour & chaffeur to Ashton Gate as well as cricket matches

Capt. Peter James RN

Godfrey Weaden - father

John & Donald Weaden - cousins

Norman Moody - friend & best man

Robert Coombs - Knowle Nomads & schoolfriend from Cotham

Philip Lewis - Flax Bourton, played until he was 70 ! Maud & Dick Patch - licensees, Ich Dien

Joe Lansberry - Club Stalwart both before & after the war, Opening Bowler, father of Richard

Lo ! Some we loved, the loveliest and the best

That time and fate of all their vintage prest,

Have drunk their cup a round or two before,