Retro Sport with Roger Mann: Devon cricket in the Victorian era

In 1851, when Torquay Cricket Club was founded, it joined a select few other major cricket clubs in the county.

Teignbridge, Plymouth, Plymouth Garrison, North Devon, and Exmouth were already up and running, and they were pleased of new opponents.

As the railway network slowly spread its tentacles across the country, more and more clubs were formed, and teams like Boconnoc (Cornwall) and Pymore (Dorset) began to plan home and away fixtures with Devon clubs.

In the 1860s, umpires finally lost their battle against round arm bowlers whose deliveries were above shoulder height, and overarm bowling was legalised.

In 1865, Torquay’s pavilion, at Cricketfield Road, was extended, and more and more members joined to enjoy its new facilities.

The new pavilion included an 'American' bowling alley, and, during the August Cricket Week that year, the local papers report days when 'up to 50 horse drawn carriages were waiting at one end of the field, and a band was playing near an enclosure packed with spectators at the other end'.

Cricket’s prestige was rising, and it became a status symbol to be seen at club functions. If you had a daughter, you would hope she might marry a cricketer.

The 1870s, saw the birth of many 'wandering' clubs who had no home ground, but relied on the social appeal of their membership to attract fixtures.

Members usually paid no fees, and were invited to join because they were 'jolly good fellows' or 'posh blighters' or even because they were useful amateur cricketers.

With names like 'I Zingari' (Italian for 'The Gypsies'), 'Quidnuncs', 'Emeriti', 'Butterflies' and 'Incogniti', every club wanted them on their fixture list to assure a memorable day for their members. Torquay would soon be hosting several of these clubs at Cricketfield Road.

The 1880s saw the run in to cricket’s 'Golden Age'.

University coaches inspired the long step forward into the 'drive' stroke, and the exaggerated 'follow through' which became the symbols of all that was best in amateur cricket.

The professionals could go on blocking or accumulating runs from shuffling and prodding, but, to we glorious amateurs, the bowling was there to attack!

The batsmen of the Golden Age only looked to play off the front foot, and to hit in front of the wicket.

If a cowardly bowler 'ran away' down the leg side, the crowd would whistle and the ball would be ignored.

Cricket was being referred to as 'Muscular Christianity' and its champions could do no wrong.

In the meanwhile, Torquay Cricket Club was thriving and, despite the occasional debt concerns, membership fees were raised to reflect the demand.

Each season ended with a club sports day featuring the Chapel Hill Steeplechase and a ladies’ race over 100 yards of hurdles. It was becoming the 'must join' club for those with social ambitions.

However, good times don’t last for ever, and perhaps things had been going along too well for cricket clubs in the 1880s, because as the 1890s dawned their fortunes began to change.

While the cricket was thriving, the spectator numbers began to dwindle.

There were more things to life than an American bowling alley now, and there were becoming new and better places to be seen than in cricket clubs.

Despite this, young men still wanted to play cricket, and local cricket in Torbay during the 1890s had never been more popular.

The club names and home grounds sound strange now, but on most weekends, Torquay were playing one of the following: Paignton (Paignton Green), Y.M.C.A. (Plainmoor), St. Matthias C.C. (Ilsham), St. Marychurch (Plainmoor), Victorians (Windmill Hill), Babbacombe (Walls Hill), Torwood (Recreation Ground) or Marldon (Compton).

Further afield, their opponents might have been South Devon, or Newton Blues in whose ranks Percy Fawcett, the explorer, was often to be found, and, of course, they competed in the South Devon Cricket League which took them out to Bovey and beyond.

So, at the turn of the century, we had plenty of players but fewer and fewer spectators.

Clubs like Torquay and Teignbridge were reliant on membership fees, so how would they fare now their wealthy patrons were deserting them?

We’ll find out next week!