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BOOTH CC

Broad Fold Park, Booth, Nr Hebden Bridge HX2 6TW   View Map

Altitude: 182 Metres/597 Feet

Halifax League

Volunteer Contacts:

Ken Cockroft, Roy Collinge

& Rod Annison

Club Website 1   Club Website 2

 
  Club Image
 

Founded: 1893
Previous Grounds: Tommy Lane, Brackens Mill, Woodman Inn
Nearest Railway Station: Mytholmroyd
By Bus: 573/574/575 from Halifax Bus Station
Nearest Other Club: Mytholmroyd CC

Club

Timeline (40kb PDF)

Early Years (798kb PDF)
Later Years (1.8mb PDF)

Halifax Courier Club History (157kb PDF)

Club Centenary Booklet 1893-1993 (1.2mb PDF)

Short History of Club (128kb PDF)

Official History of Club Part 1: Early Days-1956 (1.4mb)

Official History of Club Part 2: 1957-63 (671kb PDF)

Concise History of Club (12kb PDF)

1891 Halifax Parish Cup Ground Report (63kb PDF)

1906 Halifax Parish Cup Final v Illingworth (85kb PDF)

1927 League Champions (60kb PDF)

1931 Team Photo (66kb PDF)

1941 Team Photo (56kb PDF)

1948 Halifax Parish Cup Final Winners (captain R.Midgley) (154kb PDF)

1949 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain T.Patrick)

1949 Team Photo (104kb PDF)

1951 Parish Cup Final Openers & Team Photo (105kb PDF)

1951 Team Photo (87kb PDF)

1952 Juniors (28kb PDF)

1953 Halifax Parish Cup Final v Copley (141kb PDF)

1954 Spectators at Broad Fold (52kb PDF)

1957 'Booth v Booths' (7kb PDF)

1957 Contribution to J.H.Wardle's Benefit Fund & Advert Letter (137kb PDF)

1958 Halifax League Champions (captain F.Wade) - League Tables (46kb PDF)

1959 Team Photo (87kb PDF)

1950s Annual Dinner (66kb PDF)

1960 Parish Cup Winners (captain W.Thomas) & CS Winners (R.Midgeley) (1.6mb)

1961 Halifax Parish Cup Final Winners (captain W.Thomas)

1962 Halifax League Champions (captain D.Livesey)

1962 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain L.Patrick)

1963 Halifax Parish Cup Final Winners (captain D.Livesy)

1965 Team Photo (84kb PDF)

1965 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain K.Cockcroft)

1966 Halifax Parish Cup Final Winners (captain N.Butterworth)

1967 Halifax League Champions & Halifax Parish Cup Winners (captain W.Thomas)

1967 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain K.Emmett)

1968 Team Photo (71kb PDF)

1970s Membership Cards (43kb PDF)

1970s Crossley Shield Winners (95kb PDF)

1972 Secretary's Report (186kb PDF)

1972 Halifax League 2nd Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain K.Cockroft)

1973 Crossley Shield Final Winners (captain K.Cockroft)

1973 Halifax League 2nd Division 1st Teams Champions (captain P.Metcalfe) (82kb)

1973 (10 May) Committee Meeting Minutes: 'Money Worries' (142kb PDF)

1974 Secretary's Report (170kb PDF)

1975 Secretary's Report (369kb PDF)

1976 (11 Mar) Committee Minutes: 'Whit Monday Game Rearranged' (159kb PDF)

1977 Crossley Shield Final Winners (captain P.Holt)

1977 Secretary's Report (668kb PDF)

1977 Team Photos (51kb PDF)

1978 Dinner Invite & National Association of Cricket Coaches Membership (109kb PDF)

1979 Halifax League Champions (captain R.Collinge)

1980s Membership Cards (102kb PDF)

1983 Parish Cup Final v Sowerby St.Peter's (47kb PDF)

1985 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain P.Whipp)

1986 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain P.Whipp)

1987 Halifax League Champions (captain I.Sharkey) (98kb PDF)

1988 (18 Jan) Committee Meeting Minutes: 'Junior Managers Appointed' (88kb PDF)

1990 Halifax League Champions (captain M.Thomas) (211kb PDF)

1990 Membership Card (27kb PDF)

1993 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain G.Laycock)

1993 Club Centenary (99kb PDF)

1993 Fixture Card (67kb PDF)

1993 (17 Jul) Booth v Halifax League President's XI (28kb PDF)

1993 Crossley Shield Final Winners (captain G.Laycock)

1994 Clay Trophy Winners

1995 Halifax League Champions (captain T.Conway)

1996 Crossley Shield Final Winners (captain N.Thomas)

2001 Lindley Moor Trophy Winners (captain I.Sharkey)

2002 Halifax League Champions (captain W.Ali)

2003 Roy Smith Sportsmanship Trophy Winners

2004 Club Brochure - Cover (56kb PDF)

2004 Club Brochure - Content (533kb PDF)

2006 (6 Aug) Parish Cup Final v Southowram at Southowram (1.4mb PDF)

2007 Booth v Sowerby St.Peter's (web link)

2007 Booth v Barkisland Under-11s (web link)

2007 20/20 Winners

2009 Halifax League 1st Division 2nd Teams Champions (captain N.Thomas Smith)

2009 Halifax Parish Cup Winners (captain J.Moseley)

2010 Crossley Shield Winners (captain N.Thomas)

Club Badge (30kb PDF)

Club Cap - New (74kb PDF)

Club Cap - Old (70kb PDF)

Club Jumper and Club Crest (60kb PDF)

Club Plate (70kb PDF)

Club Rules - undated (26kb PDF)

Young Fans - undated (71kb PDF)

LEAGUES: Sowerby Division, Amateur League, Hebden Bridge League, Halifax League

People

Who's Who (248kb PDF)

Booth People - Newspaper Series (651kb PDF)

Rod Annison   Long-Serving Scorer (88kb PDF)

Harold Boardall   'Great Service' (72kb PDF)

Neil Butterworth   Bench Dedication (33kb PDF)

Harry Clegg   Club Secretary (139kb PDF)

Ken Cockcroft

Jack Collinge   Bench Dedication (30kb PDF)

Roy Collinge

William Hey   Honorary Life Member (64kb PDF)

Fred Mitchell   Official & Groundsman (120kb PDF)

Reg Parker   Bench Dedication (52kb PDF)

Andrew D.G.Sheridan   Bench Dedication (29kb PDF)

Frank Wade   '9-For' (125kb PDF)

Rod Warhurst

2007 Tea Ladies (web link)

Team Photos

1920s (60kb PDF)

1930s (66kb PDF)

1940s (276kb PDF)

1950s (438kb PDF)

1960s (1.7mb PDF)

1970s (761kb PDF)

1980s (60kb PDF)

1990s (211kb PDF)

Undated (782kb PDF)

History of Ground

Story of Broad Fold (700kb PDF)

1911 Ground (77kb PDF)

2006 (24 Jun) Booth v Mytholmroyd (1mb PDF)

2007 (9 Jun) Booth v Bradshaw (1.5mb)


3D Map & Aerial Photograph (250kb PDF)

Levelling of Ground - undated (133kb PDF)
Line Drawing by Sue Brant

Map of Ground (100kb PDF)

Views - undated (132kb PDF)

Watercolour by Tony Haigh

Ground Today

Action (347kb PDF)

Around the Ground (232kb PDF)

General Views (257kb PDF)
Groundsmen (120kb PDF)

Kitchen (89kb PDF)

Pavilion (448kb PDF)

Players (210kb PDF)

Rod Warhurst Clock (38kb PDF)

Scorebox (102kb PDF)

Spectators (742kb PDF)

Oral History - Ken & Sue Cockcroft

Changes in the Game (audio)
Cricket Life (audio)
Defending the Club (audio)
Earliest Involvement (audio)
Family Affair (audio)
Funding (audio)
Social Function (audio)
Teas (audio)

Local Context

Profile of Booth (529kb PDF)

History of Midgley (web link)

Midgley Community Forum Newsletter (web link)

Midgley Matters Community Shop (web link)

Midgley School (web link)

Midgley Village (web link)

Milltown Memories (web link)

Cricket Heritage Trail: Wainstalls Old and New (web link)

Former Cricket Clubs in Local Area (web link)

Further Reading

Halifax Courier

Hebden Bridge Times

Club Archives

West Yorkshire Archive Service Collection (Stored at Halifax Library)

 

With grateful thanks to Rod Annison, Ken Cockroft and Roy Collinge (BCC).

If you have any information about this club or any others in this area that could be of use please feel free to contact us via p.j.davies@hud.ac.uk.

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Select Images to View Below:

The Ground
  Archive Images

 

Greatest Moment

The first Parish Cup victory in 1948.

Local Hero

George Woodhead – leading player and official in the post-war period.

Bizarre Fact

In 1985 Booth took part in a rain-affected Parish Cup final at Barkisland. A helicopter was needed to help dry the pitch!

Valley's Luscious Greenery

High above Luddenden and Luddendenfoot, and just down the road from Wainstalls and Mount Tabor, lies Booth, known primarily for cotton and silk and its handsome Congregational chapel (built in 1869 and likened by one architectural historian to a 'miniature cathedral').

Writer James Birdsall comments: 'Scarcely a village, but a twin row of old terraced weavers' cottages, Booth clings on to the flank of a ravine in the hills above the Calder Valley.'


The cricket ground, set amid luscious greenery, is only a matter of yards from the bus terminus and the narrow, winding road that is Dean House Lane.

If there was an award for well-kept cricket grounds, just as there is one for well-kept railway stations, Booth would have to be in with a shout.

Sturdy Sightscreens


The playing area resembles a large, slightly sloping putting green, and the tall emerald green trees that surround the venue are handsome.

The sightscreens are sturdy and wheeled, and there's a lovely curved wall on the far side of the ground, on top of which hardy supporters congregate - even when it's raining.

There's also a public bridleway running nearby.

Early Game

Booth CC was established in 1893.

One of their first recorded matches pitted them against St. Mary's at Luddenden Foot, and they were bowled out for just 8.

However, seven years later in 1900, the club had turned the corner and were crowned Sowerby Divisional Champions.

The high point of the last century was probably 1967, when the 1st XI claimed the league and cup double.

Groundless Early Years


In the early years of their existence, Booth were ground-less and tended to play in farmers' fields that were also inhabited by cows. (A photo of the Congregational church taken in 1911 shows a game of cricket being played in a hillside field beyond the village).

However, in 1946 permission was granted to construct a permanent headquarters at Broadfold.

Building work took place in 1947, which meant that all the club's 'home' games during that season had to be played away.

Building Work

The new ground was opened on 24 April 1948, and Mr RH. Murgatroyd, owner of the local mill, bowled the first ball on the new turf to Bob Midgley. (Today, a framed photo of club officials in 1948 hangs proudly in the pavilion tea room).

In 1950 work was carried out to reduce the slope, and in 1972 builders started on the pavilion.

Thirty years on, the kitchen is always busy, the walls are awash with team photos - from 1912, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1958 and later - and a blue club flag flatters from the building's roof.

Clocks and Boxes


There were further developments in the 1980s: the pavilion was extended, a new car park was built, and showers were installed.

Today, there's a BBQ by the changing rooms, pretty flowers in the hanging baskets, and cut-price teas available for kids on matchdays.

The new scorebox clock is dedicated to the memory of Rod Warhurst, a long-serving club member.

Over the years Booth have struck up a fierce but friendly local rivalry with Luddendenfoot (primarily) and Mytholmroyd.

Small and Attractive

Booth may be a small village, with only a few rows of terraces, but its cricket ground is definitely worth a visit.

Club secretary Mike Barnett says: 'It's a small venue but very attractive. The ground is overlooked by a big manor house and, all in all, it's a lovely setting. The wicket has a tendency to keep low and I'd say that 200 is a decent par score. Our current groundsman has been with us for seven or eight years and he's done a very good job.'

Finally, a story that sums up the essence of local league cricket. Many years ago, a match between Booth and Northowram was abandoned due to thunder and lightning.

The umpire was wearing metal glasses and said he didn’t want them 'welding to his face'.

Bob Midgley, batting for Booth, agreed. He was wearing a metal box!

Disclaimer - Designed and programmed by Lee Booth.

 
Heritage Lottry Fund University of Huddersfield