 Town and University teams of Cambridge 1847 by Felix (Permission of MCC Museum) |
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Welcome |
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My name is Willie Sugg. I have been researching Cambridgeshire cricket of the 18th and 19th centuries for about 10 years. I have written two books: "A Tradition Unshared" and "The Cambridge Cricket Club Era". A few copies of the first are still available. A third, covering the period 1822-48 should be out soon. Really! I hope you find this site interesting and enjoyable. Do please send your comments. |
Then and Now
With the help of my friend Michael I have recently been taking photographs of places associated with 18th & 19th century cricket in Cambridge. Below right is an attempt to recreate the view shown in 1854. Cricket is still played on the same area of Parker's Piece, especially at weekends, although the activity shown in the distance in our photograph is kids from the local Parkside School in their break time. there are more similar comparisons to come including the site of the first University Club private ground, the Hoop Hotel and Fenner's.
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1854 Parker's Piece, Cambridge 2009
New 18th century page
I am currently updating this site to give more details of the events of the period 1710-1848. See the new "18th century" page for a run-down of every match and event related to Cambridgeshire cricket during that century that I know of. It will take a little while to complete this process for the years 1800-48 so please bear with me if the "research so far" page suddenly lurches from detail to summary mode.
Saffron Walden
Although not in Cambridgeshire, Essex club Saffron Walden played an important part in the development of Cambridgeshire cricket. In 1757 it played Cambridge in the latter's first recorded match. Due to their proximity the two clubs met more often than Cambridge played other Cambridgeshire clubs until well into the 1800's. This year sees the 150th anniversary of Saffron Walden CC. David Barr is currently compiling a club history and I would be happy to pass on to him any contributions.
Women in and Cambridgeshire cricket
I would still love to hear from anyone who has memories or stories of women in and around Cambridgeshire cricket.
Huntingdonshire Town & County Club
I am currently researching 19th century matches involving Huntingdonshire, which although now lumped in with Cambridgeshire was, of course a county in its own right in the times that I am interested in. As with Cambridge in the 1840's Huntingdon had a Town and County Club. Unlike the Cambridge T&CC, however, The Huntingdon club seems to have regarded itself as the legitimate county Club even though through the 1830's and 40's it did not play other county sides.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone about other "Town & County Clubs" as they seem to have been a feature of the mid-19th century and I would like to gain a better feel for how the Cambridge T&CC saw itself and what its expectations are likely to have been.