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GOMERSAL CC

Oxford Road, Gomersal, Cleckheaton BD19 4RQ   View Map

Altitude: 151 Metres/495 Feet

Bradford League

Heavy Woollen Junior League

Volunteer Contacts:

Ralph Sumner & Gerald Hickmott

Club Website 1

Club Website 2

 
  Club Image
 

Founded: 1881 as Gomersal St. Mary's
Nearest Landmark: Red House
Nearest Railway Station: Batley
By Bus: 220/253/254 from Cleckheaton Bus Station
Nearest Other Club: Spen Victoria CC
Former Ground: Field near the Wheat Sheaf Inn

Club

Timeline (40kb PDF)

Early Years (1.5mb PDF)
Later Years (2.2mb PDF)

Club History in Spenborough Guardian (2006) (151kb PDF)
Concise History of Club (11kb PDF)


1976 1st XI v Ossett (632 kb PDF)

1978 1st XI v Dewsbury Cavaliers & Heckmondwike (294kb PDF)

1980, 1982 & 1983 1st XI Scorecards (453kb PDF)

1985 & 1986 v East Ardsley & Chickenley (399kb PDF)

1987 & 1988 1st XI v Thornhill & Gildersome (298kb PDF)

1990 & 1991 1st XI Scorecards (420kb PDF)

1992 & 1993 1st XI v Morley & Methley (300kb PDF)

1999 & 2000 1st XI v New Farnley, Slazengers & Spen Victoria (3.9mb PDF)
2000 1st XI v Spen Victoria (640kb PDF)
2005 Heritage Exhibition Launch Event (479kb PDF)

LEAGUES: Bradford League (web link)

People

Who's Who (730kb PDF)

Memorials, Plaques & Dedications (73kb PDF)

John Aiken   1999 Professional - Cricinfo

Wilf Barber   Profile by Matt Carswell (20kb PDF)   Cricinfo

Tony Blain   1983-5 Professional - Cricinfo

Travis Gloury   1997 Professional - Cricinfo

Ronnie Hart   Profile by Ashley Ball (24kb PDF)   1986-8/1990 Professional - Cricinfo

Gerald Hickmott

Dave Hilton

Hemant Indulkar   1993 Professional - Cricinfo

Scott McHardy   1996 Professional - Cricinfo

James Pamment   Cricinfo

Martin Pringle   1989 Professional - Cricinfo

Ralph Sumner

Glenn Wilkinson   1998 Professional - Cricinfo

Team Photos

1910s (953kb PDF)

1920s (830kb PDF)

1960s (369kb PDF)

1980s (801kb PDF)

1990s (2.5mb PDF)

Undated (959kb PDF)

Ground

Story of Oxford Road (663kb PDF)

2006 (Summer) Oxford Road (878kb PDF)

2007 Gomersal v Hartshead Moor (web link)
3D Map & Aerial Photograph (250kb)
Watercolour by Tony Haigh

On the Boundary (688kb PDF)

Clubhouse (749kb PDF)

General Views (374kb PDF)

Pavilion (304kb PDF)

Scoreboard (75kb PDF)

Clubhouse Interior (275kb PDF)

Signage (248kb PDF)

Environs (244kb PDF)

Action (193kb PDF)

Oral History - Gerald Hickmott

In their Blood
Cricket Involvement
Money's a Bad Thing
Old Facilities

Local Context

Profile of Gomersal (195kb PDF)

Gomersal (Wikipedia)

Red House (web link)

Gomersal Colliery Memorial Project (web link)

Gomersal & Cleckheaton FC (web link)

Gomersal Middle School (web link)

Spen Valley Area Update (web link)

Former Cricket Clubs in Local Area (web link)

Gomersal St. Mary's CC (web link)

Further Reading

N.Ellis, Spen Valley (2004)

G. & N.A.Cookson, Gomersal (Kirklees MC, 1992)

F.Peel, Spen Valley: Past and Present (1987)

Spenborough Guardian

Bradford Telegraph & Argus (Gomersal News)

The Press

Club Archives

Items Held by Club

 

 

If you have any information about this club or any others in this area that could be of use please feel free to contact us via p.j.davies@hud.ac.uk.

 

 

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The Ground
  Archive Images

 

Greatest Moment

1984 - Gomersal's first Heavy Woollen Cup final victory.

Local Hero

New Zealander Tony Blain - the club's first overseas star, signed in 1983.

Bizarre Fact

In 1863 'XXII of Gomersal & District' played a special fixture against a United England XI.

Village Vicar's Club

  

The first sign of cricket in the village was in 1863. On August 14th, 15th and 16th, 22 cricketers of Gomersal and district (including several county players) starred in a match against the United England XI.

  

The date of the club’s formation is uncertain, but the majority of sources indicate that Gomersal St. Mary’s Cricket Club (as the club was then known) was founded in 1881 by the village vicar, Rev. R.F. Taylor.

  

It played its matches near the Wheat Sheaf Inn, on a field also used by the local football team – also founded by the sports-mad clergyman. This church link is significant, and is repeated across other clubs in West Yorkshire in beyond.

 

Colliery Site

In 1892 the club was re-formed and moved to what became its permanent home - Oxford Road. This had previously been the site of the Little Gomersal Colliery.

 

Some members remember this as the official birth of the club, as the Centenary was celebrated in 1992. Later sources also demonstrate the difficulty the club has had in dating its formation.

 

On the eve of the Great War, Gomersal were able to field a women’s cricket team.

 

From 1921 onwards, the club engaged in fundraising in an effort to buy their ground. The club devoted many years to this and finally, in 1929, it had enough money to make the historic purchase.  

Nissan Hut as Tea Room

The years following the Second World War saw many changes. The end of the War for Gomersal Cricket Club meant a new tea room. The club bought an ex-army Nissan hut to serve as a tea room.

Following the purchase of the tea room, Gomersal continued to develop their ground. In 1962 a bar was opened in the Nissan hut. The club then decided, in 1974, to open a new clubhouse and changing rooms.

Heavy Woollen Silverware

After coming so close so many times in the past, finally in 1984 Gomersal became Heavy Woollen Cup winners for the first time.

1992 marked the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the Club. No doubt this event led to lots of nostalgia – and thoughts about the future.

In 1993 Gomersal celebrated their first place finish in the Central Yorkshire League but they didn’t stop there!

After a long, hard season, Gomersal managed to retain their title as Central Yorkshire League 1st Division Champions.

Into the Bradford League

After lifting the Central Yorkshire League’s Premier Division title in 1999, Gomersal had the confidence they needed to make an application to join the Bradford Cricket League in 2000.

After joining the League, they quickly gained promotion to the top division.

The seasons that followed witnessed a rollercoaster ride for the club.

Disclaimer - Designed and programmed by Lee Booth.

 
Heritage Lottry Fund University of Huddersfield