A Review of the 1947 Season
In June 1947 it was reported in the Guardian that:
Chingford Council made a wise move when they bought the land at the rear of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Apart from being one of the most spacious and pleasant cricket grounds in the district, it is easily accessible. Good class cricket has been brought to the ground by the Chingford Club which is steadily building up a big following. When they entertained Peter Smith’s County XI on Sunday they had their biggest crowd in years.
Over 2500 of them were present recently and it is to them that the club wisely gives every encouragement. Local youths are permitted to use the nets, and if good enough coached by club officials.
The Peter Smith Benefit game on Sunday 22 June drew the Club’s record attendance ever and is covered elsewhere on the site under the tab “The Day the County played at Chingford”. To accommodate all the spectators the Club borrowed chairs from the Council.
The1948 Essex Yearbook reviewing the 1947 season says:
Though not too successful due to a lack of bowling, the season produced very enjoyable cricket. Gordon Downes once again proved himself a good skipper. Alan Mainwaring , who hit one century and C.Swinfen was the best bowler; but no young bowlers have appeared on the horizon to replace those veterans G.Downes and J.Harwood.
Meanwhile Chingford Legend Buddy Jessop had completed his second season for the Club. His personal scrapbook summarised the season as follows:
Lol Addy took 4 wickets with 4 balls for the 3rd XI (in a 6-14 haul v Edmonton) and was presented with the ball.
It was a glorious summer with baking hot days. It hardly ever rained and there were only three games washed out.
My averages both for batting and bowling were individually better than in 1946, my first season. I was promoted into the 2nd XI at the end of the season but failed miserably. My highest score was 32* against The Home Guard and I had 3 or 4 20s. I think my best innings was 23 against South Woodford.
I hope to get my first 50 in Season 1948.
In the 1st XI game with Upper Clapton, Cliff Crafer was reported as “doing an Edrich” as he blasted an unbeaten 92 in just 45 minutes.
Bunny Swinfen turned in one of the greatest all round performances of all time in the Sunday A game v Newlands (later to become Riverdale) when he followed up a mammoth 157 by capturing 5-10! Not to be outdone, Harold Pryor’s 9-72 for the 2nd XI v Buckhurst Hill on 30 August is one of only a small handful of 9fers in the history of the Club.
The season’s other centurion was Alan Mainwaring who hit 103 for the 1st eleven v Highgate.
Other 6 wicket hauls came from Jock Rutherford with 6-20 v Eton Mission and 6-35 v Edmonton while in the Sunday As Ken Dowding took 6-47 v Westcliff, Jock Harwood 6-34 v Wellingborough Priory and 6-53 v South Hampstead and Dick Wray took 6 v West Essex.
Chingford CC at the start of the season asked the Council to display their cricket fixture list poster for 3rd XI matches in Ridgeway Park. Freddie Fedrick went one step further… and was minuted as bringing to the Committee’s attention that the 3rd XI should have two games a year at Forest Side !
A further agreement with the Council saw the Club being given a lease on the ground from 1 July 1947 for a further 21 years. Rent was to be £150 for the first seven years and then £175 and £200 for the seven year periods thereafter.
The Council were concerned about allowing local schools to use the ground and the club gave assurances that Kings Road School could use it for their sports day, and the Chingford County High School would get sublet cricket and hockey facilities.
The Club wrote to the Council about roof repairs that were needed and instead of doing this the Council decided to move and re-erect the old pavilion from the defunct Bellestaines Tennis Club in Old Church Road.