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Call to Action: an appeal for help to restore the cricket pavilion
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The cricket pavilion, erected in 1958 to mark the 350th anniversary of the
School
’s charter, has suffered seriously from vandalism in recent years and has lost
its scorebox completely. Here is the latest report from MARTYN HICKS on plans
to restore it to its former glory.
Two possible options have now emerged. The first is to upgrade the existing
pavilion
’s facilities and add on additional changing rooms with storage.The second option
is a complete
‘new-build’ based largely on guidelines set down by the English Cricket Board which take
into account several specific issues.
1. Disability access
2. Enhanced viewing of the wicket by taking account of the path of the sun (it’s better to sit in the sun than the shade).
3. Improved security, including car parking
4. Siting of the pavilion in relation to existing trees
5. Recreational/viewing space between the boundary rope and pavilion to make
best use of the land available.
Ironically, when all these factors have been taken into account, the optimum
location for a
‘new-build’ pavilion would appear to be precisely where the old ‘wooden hut’ pavilion, dating back to the days of Francis Marshall, used to be located!
Chris West has now produced a second set of plans, which have been costed out by
John Aspinall .
Refurbishment and extension of present pavilion
Around £180,000
New pavilion in preferred location Around £420,000.
These two sets of plans have now been presented to the King James’s School Trust, the Old Almondburians’ Society and the School in three separate meetings. No major objections were
raised and each is now actively considering
its requirements in order to establish which of the two options to pursue.
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A Steering Committee is currently being set up; so far we have been offered
advice and future assistance by Dave Morrison (of Chigwell School no less),
Graham Cliffe and Christopher Mann, together with myself. We are probably two
people short at present: a secretary for the project and someone who might have
good contact with Huddersfield schools’ cricket and/or the wider cricketing community. We hope to hold the first
meeting of the Steering Group towards the end of November.
Thanks must go to those who have recently been kind enough to make donations:
l The Morrison family
l The family of the late Austin Holroyd
l Bob Goldsmith
So reader, onward we march! Your thoughts and ideas at this stage are more than
welcome, as is cold hard cash.
OFFERS OF HELP
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MAKING A DONATION
Donations can be made at any time using Paypal (if you have a Paypal account) or
any debit or credit card. (Please note that
if you are a UK income tax payer we will be able to increase the value of your
donation at no cost to you under the Gift Aid scheme. To download a Gift Aid
Form, click
here).
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A SHORT HISTORY OF THE PAVILION
Discussions on the best way of marking the 350th anniversary of the Royal
Charter commenced informally in the early months of 1955. Needless to say, the
redoubtable Gerald Dobson played a prominent role in these deliberations, and
he was able to report the following year that the inspired idea had emerged to
build a new cricket pavilion to replace the dilapidated old wooden pavilion
which dated back to the days of Francis Marshall.
A sub-committee was formed and some initial plans were produced by architect
Brian Pollard who had himself attended the School from 1946 to 1951. From
these, the cost of the project was reckoned to be of the order of
£2,000, and on this basis the Old Almondburians’ Society wrote to the Education Committee asking if they would be willing to
meet half the cost if the Society and the School could find the remainder. A
positive reply was received from the Chief Education Officer: the project had
the green light.
In the manner of capital projects the world over, the cost of the pavilion had
more than doubled by the time it was completed. It was opened on 5th June 1958
by the Countess of Scarbrough. Guests included the Mayoress of Huddersfield and
Alderman John Dawson, chairman of the Governors and of the Education Committee,
himself a former pupil under Robert Crump.
A cricket match between a Headmaster’s XI and an Old Boys’ XI had been organised to mark the occasion. It started at 11.30 am with a
Headmaster
’s XI batting first, and it has to be recorded that Harry Taylor gained an
immediate
– and some would say unfair – advantage by producing ex-Yorkshire captain Billy Sutcliffe who scored 87
before being caught. Eventually the Headmaster
’s XI were dismissed for 220.
The match continued after the opening ceremony whereupon Harry Taylor produced
another rabbit from his hat in the shape of Yorkshire bowler Mel Ryan. He
achieved figures of four for 21 and the Old Boys
’ XI could only manage 124 for eight wickets in reply.
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Chris West riba
Refurbishment and extension of present pavilion
New pavilion in preferred location