Greatest Moment

1958 - winning the Heavy Woollen Cup for the first time.

Local Hero

Len Squire - ex-player and now stalwart official, supporter and benefactor.

Bizarre Fact

The coming of the M62 in 1970 meant the club's original pavilion had to be sacrificed.

'A Party of Young Men'

According to official club publications, ‘It is generally agreed that [in 1876] a party of young men first started playing cricket, under the name of Hartshead Moor Cricket club, at the top of the Moor.

Later on they obtained the use of the present field, and under the tenancy of Messrs. H.Holdroyd and Joseph Wilkinson had the use of it free of cost until almost 1900.’

It is a fact that for 129 years, the club has been known by the same name (Hartshead Moor CC) and played at the same venue (Highmoor Lane) – a relatively unusual occurrence in local cricket circles.

Into the Heavy Woollen Cup

In 1886, three years after the competition had begun, Hartshead Moor CC joined the Heavy Woollen Cup.

After previous successes in 1894 and 1895, Hartshead Moor became champions of the Spen Valley & District League for the third time in 1910. Another two Spen Valley & District League titles were secured in 1912 and 1913.

An unbeaten 1914 League programme enabled the 1st XI to complete a hat-trick of Spen Valley & District League titles. On the eve of war, the 2nd XI also won their own championship to complete a club ‘double’.

Allen Schofield, who once scored 72 for Moor, lost his life in the Great War. In the words of the club’s 1926 Jubilee Bazaar brochure, he had ‘paid the supreme sacrifice’.

Purchasing the Ground

In 1925 an opportunity arose to buy the ground for £350. Helped by the President of the club and a huge fundraising campaign, £200 was raised towards the cost, with a loan taken out for the remaining £150.

A special bazaar was held in 1926 – the year of the General Strike - to both celebrate the club’s Jubilee year and raise the remaining £150 that was needed to buy the ground. While workers were striking, Hartshead Moor were continuing their local league cricket combat.

In the mid-1920s club officials stated that ‘new accommodation’ was ‘imperative’. By 1928 the existing pavilion had been redeveloped.

It was opened officially on 25 August in the presence of club representatives and W. Brooke on behalf of architects Messrs. G. Castle & Son. But the weather couldn’t oblige and the scheduled fixture against Heckmondwike had to be cancelled due to rain!

The 1928 structure lasted 42 years. In 1970 the M62 was built and this passed by just yards away from Highmoor Lane.

The club was thus forced to dispense with the ageing pavilion and erect a new one (with financial help from a local fundraising appeal and a special Sports Council grant).

'Thanks to Our Ladies'

In 1931 the club joined the Heavy Woollen League which, at the time, was a section of the Yorkshire Council. This meant that, instead of being played on a strict home-and-away basis, league fixtures were fitted in alongside matches played against other, non-league opponents.

As each team did not play the same number of league fixtures, the championship was decided by the percentage of points obtained in matches played against other teams in the league.

Women have played an important role at Highmoor Lane. This was confirmed in the Jubilee Bazaar brochure of 1926: ‘Had we a book many times this size it would not be large enough to express our thanks to our ladies for the way they have helped in looking after the social side of our club. On the cricket field and in preparation for this bazaar they have been true sports and the best of workers, and we can only once more express our gratitude to them.’

Female members have raised money for the club (they handed over £70 to the club as far back as 1932 - ‘a very fine effort’, according to club literature) and have also taken part in set-piece occasions (in 1936 Mrs James Crowther presented a flag in club colours at a ceremony prior to the game against Morley).

In 1938 the 1st XI made history by beating Ossett to reach the Heavy Woollen Cup final for the first time. After batting first and scoring 237, the Moor bowling attack held sway, dismissing Ossett for 191 with Herbert Walker taking 4 for 58 in 18 overs.

Unfortunately, Heckmondwike proved too strong in the final, winning by 3 wickets.

A New 'Scoring Pavilion'

In 1937 plans submitted by Herbert Walker were approved to erect a ‘Scoring Pavilion’. On 23 July 1938 the new scorebox was opened, with a range of Yorkshire cricketing VIPs present for the occasion. Tom Harrison, President of the Yorkshire Cricket Council, called it a ‘splendid structure’.

The club held its Annual Gala on the same day, and were pleased to welcome a larger-than-average crowd.

Club member J.H.Crossland offered a prize to the first batsman to record a century under the shadow of the new scorebox, and Moor batsman Norman Mounsey wasted no time at all – hitting 102 not out on the very day the box was unveiled.

All the work had been done voluntarily by club members and those involved were photographed in front of the new structure

It was a good day all round because Hartshead Moor went on to beat Cleckheaton comfortably. Moor scored an impressive 179-2 and then dismissed their opponents for a paltry 52 (Reggie Walker 5-27).

The cost of the new scorebox came to £175 6s 8d. More than half of this money came from fundraising efforts, while the rest came from the club’s General Account.

The Wartime Years

In 1941, as war raged across Europe, the club joined the Bradford Section of the Yorkshire Council. This meant playing against clubs such as King Cross, Addingham and Siddal.

Success came immediately as Moor secured the Section title after beating a Salts side that included legendary Test player Len Hutton.

During the Second World War, the club made every effort to support members who had been called up to active service.

In 1940 a photograph of the 1st XI in the form of a Greetings Card was sent to all those who had donned military colours, with a postal order also included. The club reported that in 1941: ‘We [were still] not feeling any serious effects of the War in personnel and were still able to field a useful side'.

A year later, two female members were called up and because of an increase in the amount of male cricketers being called to action, the club admitted that it was finding it difficult to raise two league teams.

At Christmas 1942, the club remembered all members who were away from home.

The fixture list in 1943 reflected the changed circumstances. Moor entertained an Army XI (a section of the RASC stationed at Park Avenue) at Bowling Old Lane on 21 August, but this match was rained off just as it was reaching an intriguing climax: the Army made 142 and Moor were 138-8 when the weather finally put paid to a finish.

A year later, the club sent a postal order for 7/6d to all serving members along with ‘Seasonable Greetings’. (Statistics demonstrate that just over 50 per cent of those in military colours were playing members). This was the year that Ralph Wilson, club member, perished in battle.

Final Year of Disruption

Throughout the summer of 1945, the club had difficulty putting a 1st XI and 2nd XI out. But this was the final year of wartime disruption.

At the end of it, the club said ‘Thank You’ to all those who had put on a uniform in the service of their country.

After only three seasons in the Bradford Section of the Yorkshire Council, the club moved into the Central Yorkshire League in 1944.

This move was again followed by immediate success as the 1st XI was promoted into Division 1 after the first season.