BETWEEN THE WARS 1919‑1939

By Alan West

Things were not the same when league cricket resumed after the Great War which had claimed so many victims. Padiham and Great Harwood were unable to raise a side and were not to reappear in the league for another 20 years. With Padiham a year later went Tom Spencer of that club who had served diligently as league secretary and treasurer since N. Astin, also of Padiham, retired in 1900. For his 20 years service he was rewarded at the AGM with a cheque for £9. Read had no ground and were replaced for the 1919 season by Cherry Tree but they retained their membership of' the league and remain the only club with continuous membership of' the league throughout its 100 year history. Cherry Tree finished bottom but managed two wins, over Whalley and Clitheroe. Also introduced were Chorley and for one season Blackburn Railway Clerks.

Settle won the championship they had also won in 1914, achieving the freak distinction of retaining the trophy for six years. Most clubs were without a professional and to help in the process of reconstruction, residential qualifications were waived. Transport had improved since the league began 38 years earlier but still presented its problems as the Clitheroe Times reported of' Clitheroe's first venture to Chorley. The 12.24 train at Blackburn was missed, the next train to Bolton missed the connection and the team, unsure where the ground was once they arrived at Chorley, eventually arrived after 4 pm!

In 1920 Ribblesdale Wanderers won their first title with 65 wickets from Jonathan Brooks, later League Treasurer and a faithful servant to the club, and 57 wickets for professional Fred Preedy. Membership of the league was up to 11 with the arrival of Skipton and Blackpool in place of the Railway Clerks and in 1921 carne Leyland and Leyland Motors, which could have made it 13, one beyond the league rule, if Skipton after only one year had not gone back to the Bradford League without informing the

RIBBLESDALE WANDERERS C.C.‑ 1920 CHAMPIONS

Back Row: J. Rawlinson (Committee), R. Hudson, J. Parkinson, W. Standring (Hon. Sec.),

T. Scott (Treas.), E. Standring, F. Hudson, It. Billington (scorer)

Front Row: E.A. Preedy, W. Dawson, J. Mitchell, J. Brooks, J. Sampson, H. Scott, G. Harrison.

league. Leyland Motors had also applied to the Bolton League in case they were not admitted to the Ribblesdale League and Chorley, invited to join the Bolton League, felt obliged to stay loyal to the Ribblesdale League. Another interesting proposal to change the name of the league had come just before the 1920 season ‑ the York and Lancaster League ‑ but again there was no seconder. The League had always included teams from both counties, of course, and still does. The centenary tie proudly sports the white and red roses and the colours of both county clubs. With the arrival of teams like Blackpool and Leyland there was need to sort out the various travel expenses and the AGM of 1920 confirmed a system of pooling travel expenses which had been tried since the war to ensure that each team had equal expenses.

From 1921 until the outbreak of the Second World War at the end of the 1939 season, the new clubs were to dominate the championships. Of 19 titles, seven went to Blackpool, including the second hat trick in 1931‑3, five went to Leyland, one each to Leyland Motors and Lancaster, leaving only five for the pre‑war clubs ‑ two each to Darwen and Whalley and one to Barrow.

Leyland began the sequence in 1921 with Whalley close behind. The new system of pooled expenses produced a grand total of E638 which meant every club having E53/4/7 (E53.23) expenses each. Leyland were equal at the top with Darwen in 1922 but lost out in the play‑off. It was a low scoring affair as in 1904: Darwen 87 all out (Shakespeare 6‑31) Leyland 38 all out (Pollard 6‑16). Whalley finished third equal but had much to celebrate, the Lancashire debut of the now Major Leonard Green, M.C. as well as their ground being bought by Arthur Longworth, Harold Longworth and James Green and invested in trustees in perpetuity. Leonard Green was not completely lost to Whalley: his 9‑9 against the old foe, Clitheroe, was one of many good performances. The first Ramsbottom Cup competition was held but only between the four "roadside" clubs as they were called: Clitheroe, Whalley, Ribblesdale Wanderers and Barrow. This was simply because the matches were held midweek and travelling difficulties made it only possible between neighbouring clubs. Ribblesdale Wanderers were the first winners.

The AGM in October 1922 brought in yet another distant club, Lancaster from the North Lancashire League, with their captain of 30 years standing J.T. Sanderson who had helped form that league. After the four‑year experiment the system of pooling expenses was abandoned. The Junior League meanwhile was also being expanded. Waddington and Barnoldswick, with a new ground and aspirations to return to the Senior League they had left in 1905, had joined the Junior League in 1922 and Cherry Tree and Baxenden were allowed in for 1923.

Barrow, the "Printers", were champions for the one and only time in 1923 going through the season undefeated, the first of only five clubs to achieve that feat so far. They finished 12 points (6 wins) clear of the three teams in joint second place: Blackpool, Clitheroe and Lancaster. They also won the Ramsbottom Cup. Stan Ellis, the professional, and son of captain Jerry Ellis, took 78 wickets and in a match at Whalley between a League XI and a Lancashire XI took 743 as Lancashire were dismissed for 94 but hung on to win by 3 runs, despite 33 from James Peters of Whalley who "justified the belief that he ought to have been a county man".

At the AGM in November 1923 came the first rumblings of discontent at the geographical spread of the league which were eventually to be a factor in the split of 1952. Chorley proposed that the league be split into two sections of ten teams each, with a play‑off for the championship. Travelling expenses would be reduced but the main argument of those who helped to reject the idea by 12‑7 seems to have been that standards would be affected. Settle resigned when the motion was lost, reducing the membership again to 12 and no new teams were introduced, despite Mr. Ellis of Burnley St. Andrews insisting on proposing Ramsbottom. Horwich, Adlington, Kirkham and Penwortham had also expressed a readiness to join the league, and Cherry Tree and Barnoldswick asked to be promoted from the Junior League. William Baron resigned after four years as League Secretary to become a life Vice‑President and be replaced by Frank Dugdale of Clitheroe who was to serve with distinction for the next 33 years. William Baron had earlier retired after 22 years as secretary of Whalley C.C. and landlord of the Dog Inn, Whalley where the league had been formed in 1891. The meeting also heard of the even longer service of Councillor Standring who had been for 33 years Secretary of Ribblesdale Wanderers C.C. and was now retiring.

Blackpool won the first of their eleven championships in 1924 with 70 wickets from professional Peter Fairclough. But the outstanding bowlers in the league were the Leyland professional J. Shakespeare who had 80 wickets, in his twelfth year at the club and Stanley Ellis, who, in his last season at Barrow before going to Colne, achieved what is still the outstanding bowling feat in Ribblesdale League history. At Lancaster his analysis went from 0‑22 to 10‑26 including two hat tricks.

Leyland were back to the fore in both 1925 and 1926 though it took a play‑off with Barrow at Darwen spread over three rainy days and evenings to clinch the title in 1926. Shakespeare was again the hero with 93 wickets in 1925. Pollard's 100 wickets that year could only take Darwen to 5th place. But the bat was gradually beginning to win over ball and the record match aggregate set in the Lancaster v Read match of 1925 was to stand for 64 years. Read batting first made 237 all out (C. Tillotson 84) only to see Lancaster make 244‑7 (J.H. Roberts 55 the top score). James Peters of Whalley in the same year set an individual season's aggregate record of 696 runs (average 38.6) only to see it beaten the next year by Eddie Paynter of Barrow who with the help of the play‑off made 705. His belated first class debut was to follow shortly, of course. Another future Lancashire and England batsman made his league debut in 1926. A 12 year old Cyril Washbrook turned out for Barrow 2nd XI. But it was a brief career in his home town before moving to Shropshire. When I wrote to Cyril Washbrook enquiring about those early days, I received a most charming and modest response of which this is an extract.

"As your records will doubtless already reveal, I was born in the village of Barrow in December, 1914 and attended the local school before going to Clitheroe Grammar School at the age of eleven. I played for the School XI and was awarded my Cricket Colours in my first season, which coincided

with my playing for Barrow. I would wish to record my gratitude for the very considerable kindness and help received at that time from Albert Goddard, who was captain of the Barrow 2nd XI.

Regrettably my cricket association with Barrow was very brief indeed, as within a matter of weeks of the season's opening my family moved to Bridgnorth in Shropshire where I continued to play, my, cricket with the local grammar school and Bridgnorth Cricket Club itself. However, one particularly happy, memory remains, which perhaps you will permit me to recount for you. Before moving to Bridgnorth, I made my first 50 runs ‑for Barrow against Blackburn St. James C. C. A collection was made for my efforts on the ground, which gave me twelve shillings and eight pence. I was a very proud boy, indeed on that day, and carried my collection home to show my parents. "

Jenner and Douthwaite of Lancaster put on 242 for the third wicket against Chorley, still the second best partnership for any wicket in the league's history. The outstanding all‑rounder was Leyland Motors' professional Webster who had 137 not out and 9‑16 versus Read, 60 and 7‑21 versus Lancaster and 41 not out and 8‑30 versus Whalley.

Blackpool were champions in 1927 and 1928. Leyland were the first winners of the newly donated Lewis Cup for runners‑up in 1927 but slumped to 10th the following year. Another new cup had been presented for the winner of the Junior League by Mr. R. Hindle J.P. of Sabden, won by Baxenden who beat Whalley in a tense play‑off by 9 runs. Having finished in the bottom two for six successive seasons and facing great financial difficulties, Burnley St. Andrews became the first of the founder clubs to disappear for ever from the Senior League. They were replaced by St. Annes and an application from Dick Kerr's C.C. of the Palace Shield Competition was refused, leaving the number of member clubs at 12. Both batsmen and bowlers prospered in 1928, the sunniest season for years. James Peters of Whalley had a record individual knock of 158 not out versus Chorley, which included 2 sixes and 23 fours and one over from McNairy which went for 22. It beat the previous best of 146 not out by Padiham professional Atherton versus Barrow in 1913. Four batsmen topped 600 runs: Massey of Blackpool, Crabtree of Barrow, Pollard of Clitheroe and Peters. Crabtree helped Pitchford to an unbeaten opening partnership of 240 for Barrow against Leyland which remained a record until 1947. The aggregate for that match was only 9 short of the record set three years earlier: Barrow 240‑0, Leyland 232‑6. But the bowlers had their moments too. Holmes of Lancaster had 7‑3 against Leyland and 8‑3 including a hat trick against Darwen who were all out for 13. Eddleston of' Read took all 10 wickets against Leyland.

In 1929 Blackpool just failed to gain a hat trick of titles by one point, Whalley finishing champions for the tenth time with the help of new professional Ernest Smith, who began with 3 wickets in 4 balls in his first match and had best match figures of 8‑19, and of course James Peters whose 50 against St. Annes made it a half century against every club in the league. James Green was captain for the 21st year! The Blackpool stars were Massey with 725 runs and Cec Parkin of Lancashire and England fame who took 68 wickets including 10‑32 in 10.3 overs against Ribblesdale Wanderers in a match delayed until 4.35 p.m. but rapidly achieving a result. Parkin was the first of the old professionals imported by Blackpool as "amateurs" and given employment, in his case landlord of the Grosvenor Hotel.

WHALLEY ‑ 1929 CHAMPION'S

Back Row: R. Clarke, R. M. Aspden, J. Whipp, G. Chamberlain, F. Stacey, F. Garraatt, G. Morris,

E. Smith (Pro.), J.R.Manley

Seated   W Greenwood, L. Green, J. Green. J Peters,  A.R. Gradwell.

Front Row: T. Frankland J. Peters. Jnr.

Whalley retained the title in 1930 in a close‑run race with Clitheroe but it was Blackpool's turn again for the next three years 193 1‑33, a hat trick to equal Whalley's of earlier days. For the 1931 season there were now only eleven teams, Barrow becoming the second (and hopefully the last) founder member to disappear for ever and the AGM deciding against a proposition to increase membership to 14. One decision which was made by the AGM of October 1930 was to follow the first‑class game and adopt the bigger size wickets which had just been approved for the following season. The extra inch of height and width was felt to be one way of bringing down the number of draws as the bat began to dominate.

Blackpool were only one point clear of Whalley in 1931, so Whalley like Leyland two years previously were foiled of the hat trick by the narrowest of margins. But with Barnoldswick back in the senior league for the first time since 1905, Blackpool were the 1932 champions with three matches to spare. With 3 points for a win introduced for 1932 to try to encourage positive cricket, the eventual margin over runners‑up Lancaster was a massive 14 points. Massey topped the averages with 363 at 40.3 including a century and there were 568 runs from Ramsdale, 98 wickets from Peter Fairclough, a former Blackpool professional and occasional Lancashire left‑arm spinner, and a great all‑round performance from professional Steve Preston 691 runs and 79 wickets. The recession was biting: six clubs were without a permanent professional including Whalley whose professional Ernest Smith was away in Scotland in mid‑season coaching. James Peters as always played his part with one outstanding match which produced 123 not out and 6‑53 and the side was strengthened by Jack Goodman of Barrow and yet another Peters, Tom the brother of James who had been professional in the Central Lancashire League the previous season. With Nelson having no match, Learie Constantine turned out for Chorley against Read, taking 5 wickets and no doubt dazzling in the field. Another oldstager still producing performances was Jonathan Brooks of Ribblesdale Wanderers whose 8‑8 in a Clitheroe total of 21 was the best haul of the season.

Membership for 1933 was kept to 12 despite another application by Horwich RMI. A move by Chorley to increase revenue by having four groups of three teams with a semi‑final and final play‑off for the championship was rejected. An additional evening competition was rejected too, mainly because of travelling distances. Clearly something had to be done to revive fortunes in difficult times. It was even suggested that the toss be done away with and the visitors bat first automatically but that was defeated too. Blackpool's hat trick of titles depended on a play‑off at Darwen with Leyland Motors who finished the season level with Blackpool, three points clear of Lancaster. To get there they were helped in the last match by T.B. Mitchell, the Derbyshire and England leg spinner who deputised for the injured Preston and took 9-­34 to help dismiss Leyland for 85. The Blackpool professional Steve Preston declared his fitness for one final match as professional in the play‑off but Blackpool preferred to use Mitchell again. He took 7‑28 to dismiss Leyland Motors for 82 and set up his side for a four wicket win, valuable 30s coming from Massey and New Zealander C.S Dempster. Dempster's final tally for the season was a new record 1025 ‑ the 1000 had at last been passed. And Massey averaged 134.3 for the season, still the best by an amateur and beaten since only by Leyland professional Les Warburton in his unbelievable season of 1949. In the three championship seasons Peter Fairclough had taken 223 wickets, Steve Preston 197 and all the other bowlers 94 between them. Not unnaturally concerns were expressed about the introduction of Mitchell but the league secretary Frank Dugdale confirmed that no rule had been broken, Preston's contract having expired with the last league match of the season. Some of the ill‑feeling engendered led to proposals at the autumn AGM that amateurs who had been professionals the year previously should be banned and that new registrations should require fourteen days' notice but commercial interests and the prospect of big gates for visiting Blackpool sides prevented the motion being carried. One proposal which was carried came from the League Executive, namely that sub-professionals could not be engaged if they had played six or more county matches that season.

1934 saw a second championship come to Darwen, but only just. On the final Saturday top of the table Leyland lost easily to Blackpool, whilst Darwen at Lancaster looked in desperate trouble at 84‑8, 15 runs short of victory, but Gill and Holden pulled them through to clinch the title by two points, leaving Leyland and Blackpool joint runners‑up. Hargreaves'91 wickets at an average of 7.8 was a major factor in his side's triumph. Blackpool had three New Zealand Test cricketers in their line­up: C.S. (Stew) Dempster (who had 845 runs for the season), K.C. James and F.T. Badcock. And their chief wicket taker with 92 was Ted McDonald of Australia and Lancashire another imported "amateur". His bowling feats included 9‑5 v Read, 8‑39 v Leyland, 718 v Barnoldswick and 7‑39 v Lancaster. In the four seasons until his accidental death in 1937 he was to take 258 wickets in all. But top wicket taker for the season was Read's veteran professional, Ralph Whitehead, whose 102 wickets made him only the sixth bowler in the league's history to top the hundred mark. In the seven seasons before the First World War he had taken 300 wickets for Lancashire and made a century on his county debut. And an even more distinguished Lancashire player made his mark in the league as a substitute professional. Bill Farrimond already capped by England yet still George Duckworth's deputy in the Lancashire side, turned out for Clitheroe In mid‑July and became the first wicket keeper to have six victims (two stumped and four caught).                                                                                                                                                                        

1935 saw Leyland clinch their fourth title with three matches to spare with their close rivals of the previous year, Darwen, surprisingly finishing 8th equal. The event of the season came at Blackpool on Whit Monday when league runners‑up Clitheroe found a new hero in 18 year old Wilf Davies. His work as a baker's apprentice had kept him busy from mid­ afternoon Sunday till 7.30a.m. on Monday. Yet despite only three hours' sleep, he produced in his second season, never having passed 50 before, a record score of 162 not out which beat James Peters' 158 not out of seven years before. He offered only one chance when on 32, collected £4 despite a ban on amateur collections at

Blackpool and received a commemorative bat from the hands of the Blackpool skipper, Ivan Aspinall. One of the most intriguing items in the league handbook comes from 1935: a tiebetween Darwen and Barnoldswick‑118 runs each ‑ and a Hargreaves on each side taking 6‑34. Lancaster was a new name on the league trophy in 1936. They won with two games to go, finishing 9 points clear of Leyland Motors. The outstanding performance of the season came from Fred Pearson of Chorley, a young policeman, who against Clitheroe went in at 89‑7 and took the score in no time to 213‑9 with a personal score of 103 which included six sixes and eleven fours and a record‑breaking 28 off one over from J. Moore which remains the record today. The over went 664624. Always keeping up with the national scene, the League had introduced the new LBW law for the 1936 season and it had been found a success. Blackpool, perhaps inspired by the illuminated address which had been presented to them in the close season for their hat trick of titles, won again in 1937. Whalley lost the chance of a play off by losing the last match of the season by 3 runs to Read. Massey's 103 1 runs for the season set a new mark and beat his team mate Dempster's four year old record by 6 runs. Times were still hard and Clitheroe, Read and Ribblesdale Wanderers were all without professionals. St. Annes had in their ranks the legendary Sidney Barnes, now 63 years old.

For the 1938 season, the league as always kept up with the trends, this time by introducing the 8‑ball over. Leonard Green who had heard good reports of its introduction in Australia in season 1936‑7 was a prime mover in the change. The Daily Mail and Daily Express expressed their approval of the move, giving the Ribblesdale League some rare national coverage. 20 minutes per innings could be saved, it was hoped. The season came to an exciting finish with St. Annes needing a win on the last Saturday to take their first title. In fact they lost to Barnoldswick, who moved above Blackpool leaving the previous year's champions as wooden­-spoonists! And Leyland beat Clitheroe to take them one point clear at the top and make them champions for the fifth time. Harold Windle, previously a Whalley professional, took 9‑43 to dismiss Leyland for 143 but Clitheroe were all out for 25, Hudson taking 8‑9 and Leslie Wilkinson carrying his bat with 19 not out. The same day Maurice Maroney of Ribblesdale Wanderers took 8‑32 to make it 104 wickets for the season at 6.3, a Club record which will take some beating. Ask anyone when the idea of overs cricket was first suggested in the Ribblesdale League and they will probably realise it is earlier than they might imagine and suggest the 1950s or the 1960s. In fact Leyland Motors brought a motion to that effect to the autumn AGM of 1938 at the Swan Hotel, Clitheroe. No seconder could be found. Clearly, though, the growing dominance of bat over ball was causing worries. Lancaster proposed that the side batting first must compulsorily declare after 2112 hours. a motion which was to appear sporadically for many years to come, but that too Could find no seconder. One motion which was put to the vote was for 4 1/2 hours play in total but that was defeated. One sensible change was to introduce 2 points for a tie.