CRICKET IN 1831

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 13

CRICKET IN 1831

4.N unusual piece of crscketiana has come to light in Christchurch. Owned by Mr E. C. Satchel!. of Sumner, it Is a pveter advertising one of the several "grand” cricket matches of the time in England. and to be played on “Saturday. July 9. 1831, between Eleven Gentlemen of the Charter House School and 11 Gentlemen of the Montpelier Club.” C. N H Cain, a recent membar of the Charterhouse

School cricket team is, very possibly. a descendant of one “Caines. Esq” who was hi the Charter House XI of 1831. h relation of Mr S”ehell’s father was one of She players in that game and the poster—still in its very ancient frame —has been handed down through the family. In She early 1830's it was brought out to New Zealand by the present owner’s father, h m«elf an active cricketer in England Near the bottom of the poster, an advertisement

appears: “Cricket Bats, Balls and Stumps with the Laws of Cricket as revised by the Marylebone Club, in the year 1830, may be had of B Dark, on the Ground.” B. Dark was. very likely, a near relation of a J. H. Dark, a prominent professional player and, later, proprietor of Lord's

cricket ground. A further notice—in rather small print—advertising the recently concluded Players v. Gentlemen aeries, is near the bottom of the poster. It reads thus: “Match to be played.—July 25, Nine Players against 11 Gentlemen of England." In those days, the Players (professionals) were nearly always too strong for their amateur opponents and often met them at odds. However, it availed the Gentlemen to no effect in this fixture because they lost by five wickets. Another reminder of the age and times appears briefly on the poster: “Good Stabling on the Ground.”