Historical Overview (1.7mb PDF) - The Cricket History of Calderdale ...

IDYLLS AND 

INDUSTRY 

RURAL & URBAN 

INTRODUCTION 

In the popular imagination, grassroots cricket is 

often associated with idyllic English villages: 

thatched cottages, centuries-old parish churches 

and beautiful greenery. 

Ex-prime minister Sir John Major, for example, 

equated ‘Englishness’ to ‘drinking warm beer 

and watching cricket on the village green’.

But the reality of the situation, especially in the 

industrial north, is that cricket clubs and cricket 

grounds have grown up in the shadow of 

industry. 

Centre Vale, Todmorden 

Moreover, in the nineteenth and twentieth 

centuries there was a definite link between 

industrialisation and the growth of grassroots 

sport. 

Together with other local institutions such as 

churches and pubs, factories and mills were 

agents of a sporting revolution. 

Many cricket clubs were born, and grew, 

because of the foresight of local industrialists.

BORN LEADERS 

TYCOONS AND ENTREPENEURS 

Legend has it that around a century ago a local 

mill owner placed an advert in his local 

newspaper which stated: ‘High-class weaver 

required: Must be able to keep wicket’. 

This ad is a wonderful indicator of the 

relationship between industry and cricket. 

During the Industrial Revolution of the 

nineteenth century factories and mills sprang up 

like mushrooms around West Yorkshire. 

Mill owners became important people; it was 

their enterprise and adventure that provided 

local people with employment.

Halifax and neighbouring towns were 

transformed by this process. And, the location of 

local cricket grounds reveals a fascinating 

economic link. 

The Holme, Greetland – in the shadow of 

industry 

Edward Akroyd’s model village at Copley – 

with cricket ground in the centre

Nineteenth-century entrepreneurs were often 

part of the non-secular movement for social 

reform through sport and recreation. 

Drinking, gambling, absenteeism – these evils 

were all part of the same vicious circle and the 

more enlightened businessmen felt that sport, 

and cricket in particular, could play a major role 

in enhancing quality of life for their workforce. 

Recreational activities also improved the general 

health and morale of employees.

Some businessmen were known to provide a 

ground at a peppercorn rent, sell land cheaply to 

local clubs, or provide them with general 

financial backing. 

But the competitive imperatives of traditional 

sport could also be at the forefront of an 

employer’s involvement in cricket. 

This meant that in some cases money was 

provided to develop facilities and to pay players, 

or jobs were offered to prominent local players.

After all, the local mill owner knew that a 

successful cricket team, bearing the name of the 

business, could help raise: 

a) profile and status, and 

b) profit margins. 

At the same time, the introduction of the ‘halfday’ 

on Saturdays meant that workers now had 

the time to indulge in sport in a more organised 

and regular fashion.

BIRTH OF CLUBS 

FROM TODMORDEN TO TRIANGLE 

So, the entrepreneurs of Halifax and 

surrounding towns saw the need to look after 

their workforce, to be generous and hospitable. 

One idea was to provide sports facilities; to say 

to the workers, ‘You have worked hard for me – 

in turn I will supply you with leisure facilities’. 

Samuel Fielden – the key man 

in the early days of Todmorden CC

Of course, entrepreneurs wanted to develop 

their businesses and create employment 

opportunities. 

But they also wished to play their part in 

encouraging local sport. 

Fielden’s Waterside Mill 

What better way to advertise your business, 

placate your workforce, and make useful 

contacts than to enter a team or two into the 

local cricket competition?

Today, the industrial heritage of cricket in 

Calderdale is extremely apparent. 

Like Todmorden, a number of other clubs were 

actually formed by industrialists. 

In Sowerby Bridge, a group which was 

‘composed in the main of manufacturers’ 

sons and of the gentry in the 

neighbourhood…played the game on land in 

the vicinity of the present Willow Park’. 

This team was known as Sowerby Bridge 

United, but was also given the nickname 

the ‘shirtneck lot’ because of their social status.

Bridgeholme CC also originated directly from 

local industry. 

There is no place called Bridgeholme, so how 

did Bridgeholme Cricket Club, Todmorden, 

acquire its name? 

The club originated directly from local industry. 

The cricket teams from J.J.Tatham Ltd., 

Nanholme Mills (above), and Moss Brothers, 

Bridgeroyd Mills, joined forces to form one club 

in 1950. 

The name ‘Bridgeholme’ was invented by 

combining ‘Nanholme’ and ‘Bridgeroyd’. 

These two mills still exist today, although 

Nanholme is now re-named Springholme and 

is owned by Pickwell-Arnold.

Prime movers in the amalgamation were Mr R. 

Tatham of Nanholme Mills and Mr Percy 

Sowden (see obituary below) of Moss 

Brothers, who was also Chairman of the 

West Riding Education Committee. 

Bridgeroyd Mill, July 1898 

Initially, players had to be employees of the two 

companies, but qualification was extended 

during Bridgeholme’s period in the Hebden 

Bridge & District League between 1952 and 

1955.

And in 1927 Grassy Bottom, Triangle, was 

bought for £650 by local mill owner Colonel 

Tom H. Morris. 

Morris then presented it to a board of trustees – 

see below - acting on behalf of Triangle CC.

The ground today

FLAG FLYING 

SOME HIGH-PROFILE WORKS TEAMS 

Many ‘works teams’ have also plied their trade in 

local cricket leagues. 

BLAKEBOROUGHS CC 

Blakeboroughs were a Brighouse-based valve 

manufacturers founded in 1866. 

In 1926, the company produced the Nu-Swift 

extinguisher. 

In 1965, the firm was taken over by Hopkinsons 

Holdings PLC valve manufacturers of 

Huddersfield. 

The firm closed on 12th April 1989. (Taken from 

Malcolm Bull’s ‘Calderdale Companion’ at 

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ 

calderdalecompanion).

BRADSHAW MILLS CC 

In the early twentieth century, Bradshaw Mills 

CC were a major force in local cricket. 

As this extract from an 1890s Parish Cup ground 

inspection report states, their ground was ‘near 

Bradshaw Mills’.

CROSSLEYS CARPETS CC 

Crossley's Carpets was founded by John 

Crossley and in the 1820s the company moved 

into Waterhouse's Mill at Dean Clough. 

John Crossley was joined by sons John, Joseph, 

and Francis, to found John Crossley & Sons. 

Around 1844, they introduced the production of 

tapestry carpets and later patented a method of 

manufacture by steam-powered power-looms. 

On 4 August 1868, the directors carried out a 

poll of their staff on the question of closing their 

works at 1pm on Saturdays. 

There was a majority of 2,307 in favour and the 

proposal was introduced the following week. 

One effect of this was that workers could now 

enjoy sport on Saturday afternoons. 

In 1953, the company merged with Carpet 

Trades Limited of Kidderminster. It closed in 

1982, a victim of cheaper imported carpets. 

(Taken from M.Bull’s ‘Calderdale Companion’ at 



1970 Halifax Parish Cup Final 

DEAN CLOUGH CC 

Dean Clough was originally a valley running 

down from Stannary with the river Hebble Brook 

flowing through. 

In 1802, John Crossley went into business with 

his brother Thomas Crossley and James Travis, 

and they leased the mill. 

The Crossley family lived in a house here.

Dean Clough eventually became a complex of 

11 mills covering about 40 acres and occupying 

1¼ million square feet of factory space. 

Many of the buildings were designed around 

1854-8 by Roger Ives with later additional work 

by F.W.Petty. 

Dean Clough was occupied by John Crossley & 

Sons until the factory closed in 1982. 

After the closure of the carpet-manufacturing 

business, the site was purchased by Sir Ernest 

Hall and his son Jeremy, and Jonathan Silver. 

It was opened as Dean Clough Industrial Park 

and Dean Clough Galleries in 1983. 




1943 Halifax Parish Cup final

ELLAND TRADESMEN CC 

In 1893 they had both a Tuesday XI and a 

Saturday XI, playing at Victoria Road, Elland. 

They played in the Halifax Amateur Cricket 

League and the Halifax and District League. 


MACKINTOSH’S CC 

When John and Violet Mackintosh opened a 

small shop in King Cross, Halifax in 1890 a 

confectionery empire began. 

Less than twenty years later the business was a 

thriving wholesale business and John 

Mackintosh had become known as ‘Toffee King’. 

By this time the company was operating from a 

number of sites in the town.

A building on Queens Road still bears the 

legend ‘Mackintosh's Chocolate Works’. 

A fire severely damaged the building in 1909 

and Mackintosh used the insurance money to 

expand into larger premises near the railway 

station at Albion Mill. The Queens Road site 

closed in 1986. 

Mackintosh’s CC, 1976 

Mackintosh's merged with Rowntree in 1969 and 

became Rowntree Mackintosh until taken over 

by the Swiss company Nestlé in 1991. 




SMITH BULMERS CC 

These textile workers played in the Halifax 

Parish League and Halifax Association. Their 

ground was on Beechwood Avenue, Holmfield. 


TURNER & WAINWRIGHTS CC 

Turner & Wainwrights were confectioners and 

toffee manufacturers, producing Turnwright 

Toffees. 

The company was established by John Henry 

Turner and George Wainwright around 1896. 

At the beginning of the 20th century, the 

company was making cream caramels at 

premises in River Street, Bird's Royd, 

Brighouse. 

In 1908, they moved to Brookfoot Mill, making 

around 60 tons of toffee per week, and a 

turnover of £100,000 a year. 

The company ceased production in the 1930s 

after management problems.



calderdalecompanion). 

WEBSTERS CC 

1924 Halifax Parish Cup final 

Samuel Webster & Sons Limited, Fountain 

Head, Ovenden Wood, had an office in Union 

Cross Yard, Halifax. The business was started 

by Samuel Webster in 1838. 

Their first public house was the Lane Ends, 

Wheatley. By 1880, they had 100 tied houses. 

The brewery was developed and extended in 

1873. In 1898, they built their own malt kilns.

They had slogans such as: ‘Drives out the 

Northern thirst’ and ‘The beer that cheers’. 

In 1966, they merged with Bradford brewers J. 

Hey & Company Limited and in 1971, they 

joined the Watney Mann group. 

In 1985, they joined the Wilson Brewery of 

Manchester to become Samuel Webster & 

Wilsons Limited. 

The Fountain Head Brewery closed in 1996 with 

the loss of h undreds of jobs. 





LOCAL RIVALRY 

WORKSHOP CRICKET 

During the First World War, Brighouse CC 

(above) staged special workshop competitions 

for local businesses.

In 1920, Greetland CC began to hold an annual 

Workshop Competition for local works teams 

and others. This was the first round draw: 

WORKSHOP AND COMBINATIONS 

COMPETITION - DRAW FOR FIRST ROUND 

West Vale L & Y Railway Co. v (Brunswick Mills 

or B. Fielding & Sons) 

Speak & Son v J. Horsfall & Sons 

Oates & Green v (Stainland Institute or West 

Vale Tradesmen) 

R. & J. Holroyds v (West Vale F.C. or West Vale 

Liberal Club) 

Wall Nook v West Vale Baptists 

Greetland Dyeing Co v Messrs Wright Hamer & 

Sons 

Greetland Liberal Club v Lindwell 

Dempsters v Greetland Wesleyans

CLOSE LINKS 

LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS 

Over the years, certain clubs have had close 

links with certain manufactures. 

For example, at Blackley CC, there was a strong 

relationship between the cricket club and the 

local brickworks, owned by the Wilkinson family. 

In 1970, the brickworks assisted with the club’s 

Ground Improvement Scheme. As Blackley 

stalwart Reg Williams remembers: ‘Wilkinson’s 

dug into the hill for us with their mechanical 

large diggers and another idea became a 

reality.”

At Mytholmroyd CC, the old pavilion had 

originally been a hen hut – donated by 

Thornbers, the local poultry farmers. 

And at Southowram CC, there has always been 

a strong relationship between the cricket club 

and Marshalls – ‘the UK's leading manufacturer 

of superior natural stone and innovative 

concrete hard landscaping products’. 

The company has helped the club at many 

junctures during its 30-year-plus history.

TWO BECOME ONE 

NORTHOWRAM MERGER 

And in 1997, Northowram CC merged with 

Fields CC (originally Field Son & Co.), a club 

based in the early days around a Lidget Green 

printing company. 

Both clubs had been competing in the Bradford 

Central Cricket League up until this point. 

Common sense dictated that ‘Northowram’ add 

‘Fields’ to their official title, and this is what 

happened. 

Club spokesman Peter Atkinson says the 

merger has been a success: ‘The new “joint” 

side progressed through the Bradford Central 

League, and we're now thriving in the Central 

Yorkshire League.’

Historical Overview (1.7mb PDF) - The Cricket History of Calderdale ...

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