Town and University teams of Cambridge 1847 by Felix (Permission of  MCC Museum)		Site Aims 1) Share my research findings and current research into  cricket  in Cambridgeshire     1700 - 1890. 2) Invite comments, queries and contributions via the blog or by email   Gaps » Details 1710-1848 » Any info on 1849-90 » Player info
Welcome
My name is Willie Sugg. I  have  been  researching Cambridgeshire cricket of the 18th and 19th centuries  for about 10 years. I have written three books: "A Tradition Unshared", "The Cambridge Cricket Club Era", and Fenner's Men". A few copies of the first two  are still available. The third, covers the period 1822-48 and is only just out.  Please email me if you would like a copy.  Just £5 + 75p p&p.  I  hope you find this site interesting and enjoyable.  Do please send your comments.

Fuller Pilch is best known for his appearances for Kent and in various so called "great matches" of the mid 19th century.  Perhaps less well known are his connections with Cambridgeshire.    Having apparently severed his connections with the Bury St Edmunds club around 1831 he appears to have had connections with Cambridge University CC, possibly as an engaged professional, in 1832 and 1835.    More surprisingly, also in 1832, Pilch played one match for a Cambridge Town side and two for a Cambridgeshire side, all against the MCC.  The latter two matches are debatably the first representative Cambridgeshire sides and his inclusion alongside William Caldecourt, another Cambridge University professional, is probably explained by his association with the University club.  Cambridgeshire won these two matches thanks mainly to Pilch's efforts.  See "Research so far" and "The first Cambridgeshire sides" for details of his Cambridgeshire connections in 1823,-32 and  -35.

John Smith - a Likeness Thanks to Giles for supplying me with a team picture of the 1868 England tour of US and Canada (see Gallery).  This contains the first likeness of John Smith I have seen as well as another representation of George Tarrant.  Newspapers of the time announced a painting of John Smith on his own painted in the 1860's but I have yet to hear of its continued existence.   For the record I am still keen to see likenesses of Israel Haggis, Fred Reynolds (Cambs and Lancs), T S Fryer (Chatteris), Dan Hayward Jnr, William Buttress, FC  Pryor and Thomas Snow.

some infant!

"Infant" Winterton  Rereading Pycroft's Cricket Field I recently came across a reference to Cambridge's Charles Winterton who played for the Cambridge Town and County Club, Cambridge Town Club and Cambridge Britannia Club from the 1840's through to the '60's, although he did not go on to represent his county.  Pycroft confirms the impression from Felix's picture above ( Winterton is standing fourth from right with bat in hand) that the Cambridge wicket-keeper was "not much less" than 20stone in weight.  More interesting, perhaps is Pycroft's apparent reference to Winterton as "a certain infant genius......of good Cambridge town".  At the time of this edition (1851) Winterton was 29, although he had, to be fair, made his debut for the town at the age of 16.  Unfortunately for him, he was replaced in the successful Town and County side by Dan Hayward, who was the better batsman - some things never change.

 

Felix or Boning?  Somewhat belatedly I have recently consulted Gerald Brodribb's "The Art of Nicholas Felix".  The most intriguing find so far is Brodribb's assertion that Felix included a self-portrait in his group portrait of the Cambridge Town and University teams.  When I first saw the picture in question (see top of this page) I thought, like Brodribb, that the player on the right-hand edge of the centre group was indeed the artist as this portrait looked so similar to that of Felix in the All England Eleven picture.   Subsequently, however, I received a copy of a caption for the Cambridge picture which identified the portrait as being of John Boning of the Cambridge Town and County side.    It would certainly have been odd had Boning been excluded from this picture as he was a mainstay of the club throughout its existence.  On the other hand I would have expected the author of more than one book on Felix to recognise his subject.  Can anyone help?

Felix or Boning?

With the help of my friend Michael in 2009 I took 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.  For more comparisons see the gallery page.