BRIGG TOWN CRICKET CLUB 1974

Brigg Town Cricket Club 1974 - newcomers to the Grimsby Saturday League - courtesy of Caistor stalwart left-armer seamer Wes Allison, who's second from right on the back row of this team line-up taken at the Recreation Ground (Wes's solitary season away from Caistor during a long and very productive career). Batsmen Allan Kemshall (front, left) and Brian Parker (front, second left) can still be seen around Brigg. Many will remember the late Dave Foster, one of Brigg Town CC's greatest all-rounders (second left, back row), who was chief environmental health officer with Glanford Borough Council, and who lived in Burgess Road, Brigg, for many years. Wicketkeeper and Scunthorpe steelworker John Stead (front, extreme right) lived in Manley Gardens before moving out to the Isle of Axholme, where he drove buses. Very reliable opening batsman Bob Elwood (third left, back row) lived in Albert Street and is still connected with cricket today as a Lincs League umpire, living somewhere near Alford. Bearded off-spinner Gerry Holmes (centre, front row) lived in Grasby and was a stalwart performer with Brocklesby Park CC for many years. Unfortunately, Gerry is no longer with us. The same applies to star bowler Ian Geddes, ex-Redbourn and Appleby-Frodingham (third right, back row). I've seen 'Brod' Broddle (extreme right, back row) quite a few times in recent years while umpiring at Caistor Town CC, though always been on the adjoining bowls green. The others on the picture are (I think) John Strudwick (extreme left, back row) and Dave Cooper (second right, front). Brigg Town CC won Grimsby division three that season, ran two teams in 1975 and gained a spot in the Lincolnshire League the following season. Since then they've fielded two Saturday sides most years, drifting out of, and back into, the Lincolnshire League, with spells in the (South) Humberside Alliance, the Lincoln Saturday League (briefly) and the East Yorkshire Alliance, plus the North Lindsey League (in the late 1970s/early 1980s) when some games were still being played on Saturdays. There was a Brigg Town Cricket Club from mid-Victorian times (playing on a ground near the railway station), until the early 1940s when things folded, probably due to war call-ups. The club was re-formed at a meeting in 1973, largely due to the efforts of Brian Parker and Coun Bryan Robins. The club started back at the Recreation Ground and used that as a Saturday base for three seasons until gaining a foothold at Sir John Nelthorpe School, where Stan Beedham was still putting plenty of tender loving care into the renowned square. A successful move was then made to the Sugar Factory ground for first team fixtures, with the 2nds continuing at SJN. Closure of Brigg Sugar Factory in the early 1990s meant everything being centred back at the school ground until, in 2002, the old wooden pavilion was demolished. Much effort was then needed to get the Recreation Ground square back in order, with Jim Copson putting in a great deal of work on that project. The club has always had a good youth policy, introducting many cricketers to the game who have gone on to play at a higher level, particularly with Scunthorpe club Appleby-Frodingham.