Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 4:42 pm 
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Some time ago I came across an account of a fund-raising cricket match held at the Royal Hospital, Greenwich, in 1796. They were always keen on finding new ways of making money and in August 1796 they held a cricket match between two teams of in-pensioners: one team consisted of eleven pensioners with only one leg and the other was made up of eleven pensioners with only one arm! This match aroused a great deal of interest and thousands of spectators came along to watch. The teams played all day before finally halting the game due to bad light in the evening. The final outcome was a victory for the one-legged team. They beat their one-armed opponents by 103 runs.

I have only come across the one account of this unusual cricket match. Has anyone else come across any other references to it or have any further information?

Pete


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:20 pm 
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What an interesting discovery!

I checked the Times Digital Archive to see if any mention of the match was made in the Times newspaper but alas, nothing, which seems surprising in view of the large attendance.

I had a quick look at the list of Greenwich Hospital records in the National Archives but none of those looked immediately promising; though their accounts books might have some mention of this event,

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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:05 am 
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Hello Peter & Anna
I cannot find out anything about that game also.
An off subject comment here: Kennington Oval, to the dismay of Americans was the birthplace of what is now known as 'baseball'
or as the English call it 'easy' cricket or 'rounders'.
It came from such humble beginnings to become the worlds most highest paid sport bar non.
Im sure Nelson would of know about this game for sure, did the Royal Navy have a cricket team in those days?
As always i stand to be corrected.

David :wink:


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:26 am 
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As I said, it was some time ago that I attempted to find out more about the Greenwich Cricket Match, so over my early morning cup of coffee I decided to see what the internet had to offer. I am pleased to say that I found much more information than I did originally.

Although the details of the game, including the final result, were basically the same as I outlined earlier, there were some differences. The match was not played at the Royal Hospital itself but at Aram's New Ground, Montpelier Gardens, Walworth. The match was scheduled for one day but extended to two and was played on the 16th and 17th August 1796.

The match was played for a purse of £1000 and such was the players enthusiasm for the game that five wooden legs were broken. The match was very well attended and created such excitement that there was very nearly a riot.

The score card for the game can be seen at http://www.cricketarchive.com

A similar game was held at Camberwell in 1841. This match was between two teams of mixed amputees representing the Greenwich and Chelsea Hospital Pensioners. The Chelsea Pensioners, having more one-legged men and being older, came off worst and lost by 19 runs to 176. A coloured etching depicting the game in progress is on display in the M.C.C. Museum.

Finally, in 1848 a re-run of the original one-legged versus one-armed match was held between two teams of Greenwich Pensioners at the Priory Ground. This was a two-day match.

Part of the reason the Pensioners were so keen to participate may have been the "substantial luncheon before each day's play" and the fact that "their dinner was a profusion of roast and boiled beef, and lamb, accompanied by plenty of heavy".

At the conclusion of the match both teams "marched to the Bull Inn, headed by an excellent band who had been engaged throughout the match. Each man had free passage to and from the Royal Hospital, a glass of grog to drink to Her Majesty's health and ten shillings for his two days' exertions".

The certainly bred tough sailors in those days!

Re the question of an official Royal Navy cricket team being in existence in the late-18th and early-19th centuries. Unfortunately no such team existed but it is a pleasant diversion to consider which characters from naval history would have been in the side - I personally favour Lord Cochrane as captain and opening bat! :D

However, there are accounts from this time ofcricket matches being organised between the crews of various ships.

Pete


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:28 am 
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Thanks for another delicious little slice of life.

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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:00 pm 
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Pete,

That's interesting, but one is tempted to ask if there were many lbw's, or dreaded left handed bowlers? I was the only one of the latter, in my school cricket team many years ago, and was almost brought on as the secret weapon! I always thought it fun to see the opposing team having to rearrange the disposition their side!

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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:18 pm 
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Peter

Just popping in for a rare visit.

I am absolutely sure I once saw a report of a cricket match between one-armed and one-legged players in the Illustrated London News. It would have to be after 1842 when the ILN was first published, so perhaps it was that one in 1848. Being the Illustrated London News there was a nice line drawing of the match. I know I took a copy of it, but where is it now . . . . . . ??!! If I get a brainwave which file I put it in I'll pull it out and report back.

On the subject of unusual cricket matches I certainly remember seeing a report of one between bachelors and married men.

And another thing that really flumoxed me when I first saw it. They would regularly have different numbers of players on each team. i.e. they would play Eleven of X v Fifteen of Y. It was a way of seeding the teams if there was a big disparity between their abilities. All the players would both bat and field. You might think I have lost the plot but I promise it's true. :D

Mark


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:26 pm 
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Well this is not what I was talking about above.

But here is a print of the match between Greenwich and Chelsea pensioners.

Greenwich in blue, and Chelsea in red - OF COURSE!!

Image


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:30 pm 
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More . . . .

http://royalhospitalchelsea.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/a-cricket-match-with-difference.html


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:00 pm 
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http://www.futilitycloset.com/2014/01/0 ... c-cricket/

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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:31 pm 
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I wonder who put up the purse of £1000 - which would have been a huge sum back then. Especially as the match ended up a fairly one-sided affair.

The was of course a huge amount of gambling going on in the London clubs in the Georgian/Regency era - fortunes won and lost - so perhaps it was a couple of young aristocrats with more money than sense!!


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 Post subject: Re: Greenwich Cricket Match
PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:15 pm 
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Phew - I saved myself the chore combing through lots of old papers.

It was indeed a report and picture re the 1848 cricket match that was in the ILN.

Hopefully if you click on this link you will get an image on the left which you can mouse over to enlarge.

http://www.amazon.com/Michaels-Schools-Pimlico-Greenwich-Pensioners/dp/B00HRWYJRE

ATB

Mark


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