.JPG)
Lynmouth 2005
Phil Dungey with Henry Humphreys (right) and Paul (Chalkie) Whyte (left)
Monday, June 27, 2005
FORMER SKIPPER'S SON VISITS
[pre-war and post-war captain - see earlier posts]
Margaret & I really enjoyed meeting you and the Failand cricket team on Sat. We would like to thank you for your very warm welcome and for tea. It looked as though you were playing a very good standard of cricket and well set to win the game.You have a lovely pavilion.
I shall hope to drop in again someday and hopefully be luckier in meeting Lyndon Prendergast.
I hope the club continues to enjoy good and successful cricket for the remainder of the season and that your support goes from strength to strength.
If I do turn up anything else interesting that relates to Failand and the history of Failand cricket I shall not hesitate to contact you.
With all good wishes,
Yours,
John & Margaret Bromhead
[pre-war and post-war captain - see earlier posts]
Margaret & I really enjoyed meeting you and the Failand cricket team on Sat. We would like to thank you for your very warm welcome and for tea. It looked as though you were playing a very good standard of cricket and well set to win the game.You have a lovely pavilion.
I shall hope to drop in again someday and hopefully be luckier in meeting Lyndon Prendergast.
I hope the club continues to enjoy good and successful cricket for the remainder of the season and that your support goes from strength to strength.
If I do turn up anything else interesting that relates to Failand and the history of Failand cricket I shall not hesitate to contact you.
With all good wishes,
Yours,
John & Margaret Bromhead
Thursday, May 05, 2005
.jpg)
BEN AT FAILAND by his son John
My father the Rev. E.S. (Ben) Bromhead (1897-1969) was curate-in-charge at Failand from about Jan 1937 to about 1949. He was a very keen and able sportsman. He had been in the Cricket XI and Rugby XV at Bristol University, where he was also President of the Students’ Union. (He may have been captain of one or both of the sports teams). He also played on the wing at Rugby for Clifton.
When I was born (1934) Ben was a curate at St. Johns, Blackboy Hill, but it was mainly my mother Sybil (1903-59) – a Clifton girl – who wanted to move to Failand. Although the curacy at Failand was probably the best paid curacy in the Church of England it is reported by my aunt, who is still alive, that it was the reputation of the Failand Village cricket team which persuaded my father to accept the living.
Ben was a fast bowler, who demonstrated his skills to me on the lawn at the Chantry, where we had rolled out quite a good and well used cricket pitch and where later we had erected a cricket net.
I used to play cricket there by the hour with the late Richard Holder, a farmer’s son from the Racecourse Farm, Portbury, who later successfully trained racehorses and with Tim Pritchard, who lived in Lower Failand in the row of houses betweeen the Jubilee Oak and “the Tump” where we used to toboggan. Tim later ran his own motor-cycle business in Bristol. In winter we played a form of indoor cricket with a ruler and a ping-pong ball.
On the photo above Ben is 5th from the left in the back row. The only other player my elder sister and I can recognise is Gilbert Potts, who is in the middle row – 1st on the right with the cap and the moustache.
The Potts were dairy farmers in Lower Failand. Their farm was on the left hand bend between the cricket ground and the village school. They also sold sweets and chocolate. I remember having my wounds cleansed on their kitchen table after having fallen out of a car driven by Gerald Brimble (who was later a successful chef at Brights in Clifton). We were on our way to collect the day’s milk when our dog in the car, a retriever, Greta, pushed the door open.
Ben served in the Army from 1939-45, hence the gap in the dates of his captaincy of the Cricket Club. I do not know in which year the team photo was taken.
Towards the end of the war I am sure that the Cricket Club took on the American Army unit billetted in the village in a cricket/baseball encounter, but I expect this event is well documented in the club’s records.
My father was very active with the German POW camp at Upper Failand. He was very strongly in favour of a practical policy of reconciliation with Germany, particularly as he believed that serious mistakes made by the Allies in the managing of the peace after the First World War (in which he also fought) had hugely contributed to the start of the Second World War.
I believe it to be accurate to claim that my father was the inspiration behind the building of the village halls both in Lower Failand and Upper Failand. In 1949 we went to live in Shropshire, but when Ben retired (from his ministries at Hanwood, More – another village hall - and Wentnor) he returned to live in digs at the forge with Mrs. Morris (if memory serves me right) in Portbury and continued to do some limited ministering in Portbury and Portishead.
Throughout his ministry in Failand, Ben was an active chaplain of the local branch of the British Legion.
I knew two former residents of Stone Cottage - Morris Perkins and Schubart who was a picture restorer who was connected with the Bristol Art Gallery. I have very many very happy memories of Failand and visiting Stone Cottage is one of them.Thanks for the suggestion about dropping in for a tea at a Summer Cricket match - I shall certainly try to take you up on it.
John Bromhead 22nd February 2005
My father the Rev. E.S. (Ben) Bromhead (1897-1969) was curate-in-charge at Failand from about Jan 1937 to about 1949. He was a very keen and able sportsman. He had been in the Cricket XI and Rugby XV at Bristol University, where he was also President of the Students’ Union. (He may have been captain of one or both of the sports teams). He also played on the wing at Rugby for Clifton.
When I was born (1934) Ben was a curate at St. Johns, Blackboy Hill, but it was mainly my mother Sybil (1903-59) – a Clifton girl – who wanted to move to Failand. Although the curacy at Failand was probably the best paid curacy in the Church of England it is reported by my aunt, who is still alive, that it was the reputation of the Failand Village cricket team which persuaded my father to accept the living.
Ben was a fast bowler, who demonstrated his skills to me on the lawn at the Chantry, where we had rolled out quite a good and well used cricket pitch and where later we had erected a cricket net.
I used to play cricket there by the hour with the late Richard Holder, a farmer’s son from the Racecourse Farm, Portbury, who later successfully trained racehorses and with Tim Pritchard, who lived in Lower Failand in the row of houses betweeen the Jubilee Oak and “the Tump” where we used to toboggan. Tim later ran his own motor-cycle business in Bristol. In winter we played a form of indoor cricket with a ruler and a ping-pong ball.
On the photo above Ben is 5th from the left in the back row. The only other player my elder sister and I can recognise is Gilbert Potts, who is in the middle row – 1st on the right with the cap and the moustache.
The Potts were dairy farmers in Lower Failand. Their farm was on the left hand bend between the cricket ground and the village school. They also sold sweets and chocolate. I remember having my wounds cleansed on their kitchen table after having fallen out of a car driven by Gerald Brimble (who was later a successful chef at Brights in Clifton). We were on our way to collect the day’s milk when our dog in the car, a retriever, Greta, pushed the door open.
Ben served in the Army from 1939-45, hence the gap in the dates of his captaincy of the Cricket Club. I do not know in which year the team photo was taken.
Towards the end of the war I am sure that the Cricket Club took on the American Army unit billetted in the village in a cricket/baseball encounter, but I expect this event is well documented in the club’s records.
My father was very active with the German POW camp at Upper Failand. He was very strongly in favour of a practical policy of reconciliation with Germany, particularly as he believed that serious mistakes made by the Allies in the managing of the peace after the First World War (in which he also fought) had hugely contributed to the start of the Second World War.
I believe it to be accurate to claim that my father was the inspiration behind the building of the village halls both in Lower Failand and Upper Failand. In 1949 we went to live in Shropshire, but when Ben retired (from his ministries at Hanwood, More – another village hall - and Wentnor) he returned to live in digs at the forge with Mrs. Morris (if memory serves me right) in Portbury and continued to do some limited ministering in Portbury and Portishead.
Throughout his ministry in Failand, Ben was an active chaplain of the local branch of the British Legion.
I knew two former residents of Stone Cottage - Morris Perkins and Schubart who was a picture restorer who was connected with the Bristol Art Gallery. I have very many very happy memories of Failand and visiting Stone Cottage is one of them.Thanks for the suggestion about dropping in for a tea at a Summer Cricket match - I shall certainly try to take you up on it.
John Bromhead 22nd February 2005
Saturday, February 19, 2005
RELICS? FOSSILS?
No, I'm not just talking about Keith Greenidge and Steve Fear!
Club Archivist Lyndon Prendergast is piecing together a historical record of Failand and Portbury from 1894 (shortly after he left school) to the present day with particular reference to the cricket club and is keen to hear from anyone with photos or artefacts or writings of any kind dating from the pre-war* period especially.
So if you have historical material of any nature that you could let Lyndon have a look at, do get in touch with him on (07773) 728 427 or email him via one of the links on this site such as marvin.straightjacket@googlemail.com .
Photos of players who have represented the club in more recent years would also be welcome.
If the material is scannable, I will consider posting it up on this page as part of an electronic scrap-book.
And as an added incentive, there will be a prize of £5.00 for the best pre-1945 photo of Lyndon himself marching up Failand Lane on his way to enlist in the Light Brigade.
Don't just think about it, DO IT NOW!
"Volume is key!" as Desai has said.
* Crimean War? Cheesewire
Marvin B Straightjacket OBE
(Club Supremo 1894 to 2005)
Thursday, December 23, 2004
A SHORT CLUB HISTORY
Portbury CC was founded in 1889 and amalgamated with Failand CC 5 years later to give us the club we know today.
The first president was Mrs. Georgina Maxwell Brittan of Failand Hill and subscriptions for playing members were set at a florin for the first year and one shilling annually after that. However, records show that this was rapidly updated to five shillings for honorary members and half a crown for players. One explanation may be that there was some rivalry between local "lords" of the manors and a majority of teams was made up of "squire's men"- estate workers who were subsidised- and gave the local lords a lift in prestige and a stronger say in what went on. Half a crown was, after all in those days, a fairly hefty annual subscription for a working man. Mrs.Brittan was assisted in her task by two vice presidents: Rev. E.O. Taylor and the Rev. J.Hoamy.
The strength of the new club can be seen from the formation of a 2nd XI in 1896 (Failand & Portbury went for 75 years without a 2nd XI until it was reformed in 1976. It then went on to win promotion two years in succession).
One problem for the players was that the club lacked a pavilion. In 1901, after much lobbying, an agreement was signed with Mrs. Brittan to .... "use a portion of the field known as Barley Close and to erect in a position approved by her, a pavilion". It rid the club of annually erecting a tent for the season, but it also contained a tough stipulation- any infringement of terms gave Mrs.Brittan the right to make them pull down the pavilion in 14 days, and worse, make good her land.
Records show the details of the cost of that 1901-erected pavilion totalled just £43.00- a far cry from the amount paid out for the new building! A relative of the club's first benefactor, Col. Brittan, was President in 1909, when prizes were awarded for best batting and bowling averages- these were consistently won by Rev.H.G.Barnes and G.W.Down, Captain and Vice Captain respectively.
1927 was a star year when the club included the Petty brothers in its team strength:
The club list of captains is relatively short, which shows a strong loyalty. Since 1948 these have been: Cyril Ball, Rev.Walter Young, Mervyn Down, Mike Heyes, Paul Lewis, Lyndon Prendergast, Richard Whittington, Paul Bachelor, David O'Nions, Simon Bachelor, John Bachelor, Phil Gay, Simon Cox and for 2005 Monty Desai.
It was in 1969 that the club faced its greatest threat; it was almost bankrupt, but a group of stalwarts, led by a go-ahead committee, pulled the club up and set it on its feet. In that same year urgent steps had to be taken to increase the talent in the team. Under the initial agreement of 1901 its catchment area was limited to the populations of Failand and Portbury, an area with just a few hundred residents. A decision was taken to go outside for further players and today playing members also come from all over North Somerset, Bristol and further afield.
A colourful episode was a period in 1956 when the club refused to be rated- the row reached Ministerial level in the shape of no lesser a person than Enoch Powell. Many would call it a storm in a teacup as the rates due on the pavilion were for the sum of just £2. 8s. 6d. When the first instalment was not paid by April 1, Long Ashton District Council took action. Mike Downs, the then secretary, entered into a prolonged exchange of polite but angry letters. In November the council issued a stern warning; the case was taken up by MP Ted Leather. Enoch Powell, at the end of a lengthy treatise, ruled it was a matter for the courts to decide- the club then paid up gracefully.
Failand and Portbury got a "new"pavilion in 1971 with the erection of a wooden sectional building on the present site- the structure was formerly temporary offices on a building site at Brislington which was carefully dismantled and transported to Horse Race Lane. The wooden panelling of the bar and clubroom was taken out of the old pavilion, built in 1894. This highly skilled work was completed by Mike Heyes, the club vice-captain, and plumbing, flooring and wiring was done by members throughout the winter.
The next 'celebration' in the club's long history came with the purchase of the ground in 1977 with members raising £3,000 in all sorts of ways. The club was also given generous grants by Wraxall Parish Council, Woodspring District Council and a low interest loan from the National PLaying Fields Association.
A further chapter of the club's history opened in [ ] with the realisation that another "new" clubhouse was needed. That dream became a reality with the construction of the current pavilion designed by architect Sebastian Smith and built by Roger Franklin Builders, giving Failand & Portbury CC facilities which are the envy of many.
[This needs updating - Lyndon, surely you can supply more of this drivel?]
Cheesewire December 2004
Portbury CC was founded in 1889 and amalgamated with Failand CC 5 years later to give us the club we know today.
The first president was Mrs. Georgina Maxwell Brittan of Failand Hill and subscriptions for playing members were set at a florin for the first year and one shilling annually after that. However, records show that this was rapidly updated to five shillings for honorary members and half a crown for players. One explanation may be that there was some rivalry between local "lords" of the manors and a majority of teams was made up of "squire's men"- estate workers who were subsidised- and gave the local lords a lift in prestige and a stronger say in what went on. Half a crown was, after all in those days, a fairly hefty annual subscription for a working man. Mrs.Brittan was assisted in her task by two vice presidents: Rev. E.O. Taylor and the Rev. J.Hoamy.
The strength of the new club can be seen from the formation of a 2nd XI in 1896 (Failand & Portbury went for 75 years without a 2nd XI until it was reformed in 1976. It then went on to win promotion two years in succession).
One problem for the players was that the club lacked a pavilion. In 1901, after much lobbying, an agreement was signed with Mrs. Brittan to .... "use a portion of the field known as Barley Close and to erect in a position approved by her, a pavilion". It rid the club of annually erecting a tent for the season, but it also contained a tough stipulation- any infringement of terms gave Mrs.Brittan the right to make them pull down the pavilion in 14 days, and worse, make good her land.
Records show the details of the cost of that 1901-erected pavilion totalled just £43.00- a far cry from the amount paid out for the new building! A relative of the club's first benefactor, Col. Brittan, was President in 1909, when prizes were awarded for best batting and bowling averages- these were consistently won by Rev.H.G.Barnes and G.W.Down, Captain and Vice Captain respectively.
1927 was a star year when the club included the Petty brothers in its team strength:
The club list of captains is relatively short, which shows a strong loyalty. Since 1948 these have been: Cyril Ball, Rev.Walter Young, Mervyn Down, Mike Heyes, Paul Lewis, Lyndon Prendergast, Richard Whittington, Paul Bachelor, David O'Nions, Simon Bachelor, John Bachelor, Phil Gay, Simon Cox and for 2005 Monty Desai.
It was in 1969 that the club faced its greatest threat; it was almost bankrupt, but a group of stalwarts, led by a go-ahead committee, pulled the club up and set it on its feet. In that same year urgent steps had to be taken to increase the talent in the team. Under the initial agreement of 1901 its catchment area was limited to the populations of Failand and Portbury, an area with just a few hundred residents. A decision was taken to go outside for further players and today playing members also come from all over North Somerset, Bristol and further afield.
A colourful episode was a period in 1956 when the club refused to be rated- the row reached Ministerial level in the shape of no lesser a person than Enoch Powell. Many would call it a storm in a teacup as the rates due on the pavilion were for the sum of just £2. 8s. 6d. When the first instalment was not paid by April 1, Long Ashton District Council took action. Mike Downs, the then secretary, entered into a prolonged exchange of polite but angry letters. In November the council issued a stern warning; the case was taken up by MP Ted Leather. Enoch Powell, at the end of a lengthy treatise, ruled it was a matter for the courts to decide- the club then paid up gracefully.
Failand and Portbury got a "new"pavilion in 1971 with the erection of a wooden sectional building on the present site- the structure was formerly temporary offices on a building site at Brislington which was carefully dismantled and transported to Horse Race Lane. The wooden panelling of the bar and clubroom was taken out of the old pavilion, built in 1894. This highly skilled work was completed by Mike Heyes, the club vice-captain, and plumbing, flooring and wiring was done by members throughout the winter.
The next 'celebration' in the club's long history came with the purchase of the ground in 1977 with members raising £3,000 in all sorts of ways. The club was also given generous grants by Wraxall Parish Council, Woodspring District Council and a low interest loan from the National PLaying Fields Association.
A further chapter of the club's history opened in [ ] with the realisation that another "new" clubhouse was needed. That dream became a reality with the construction of the current pavilion designed by architect Sebastian Smith and built by Roger Franklin Builders, giving Failand & Portbury CC facilities which are the envy of many.
[This needs updating - Lyndon, surely you can supply more of this drivel?]
Cheesewire December 2004
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