(As recalled by Ken Sheppard)

In the winter of 1947 a meeting was called in Falfield to discuss the possibility of forming a Village Cricket Club. It was decided at this meeting to go ahead and a committee was formed. Permission was received from the farmer who was renting Eastwood Park to use the field that had previously been used as a cricket pitch by the old club, which had folded in the early 1930's.

A survey was carried out by members based on the information from older villagers regarding the site of the square originally

laid in the 1920's by Man of Works of Eastwood Park. They managed to locate the concrete bases let into the ground to support fence posts. All the posts and chains were found in a disused farm building and were reused for their original purpose. Four members loaned £5.00 each to enable the purchase of playing kit, which was supplemented by various fund raising activities. Gloucester County Council was approached and a road roller was hired, to help bring back the square to a reasonable condition. In order to keep the square rolled during the season a flat roller was borrowed from a local farmer. This was fetched during early spring by a "working party" of 8 or 10 with bicycle lights hung on the front and rear and pushed about half a mile down the A38 and returned in the same manner at the end of the season.

he first season was difficult, no pavilion, no water, only "rural" toilet facilities, but a mobile caterer was hired to supply Teas for all the home fixtures. 1949 saw major improvements, a pavilion was purchased and erected and an interest free loan from our then President was repaid in less than a year. Ladies also did the teas. Facilities gradually improved, but with the spread of league cricket, and in the 1950’s it was decided to move to Tytherington to make use of better conditions, particularly as the "Falfield contingent" had dwindled to only 2 or 3 members.

OPENING OF CRICKET PAVILION IN 1949

Rear row (left to right) C. Hook, Mr Lett, M. Vizard, F. Pagett, F. Hook, D. Sansum, D. Tuder, R. Phillips, B. Fuller R. Rosser (behind and between A. Grimes and G. Tonks), K. Sheppard

Middle row (left to right) P. Sansum, F. Roden, A. Hook, H. Niblett, R. Cotterell, J. Sheppard, Mr G.S. James, A. Grimes, G. Tonks, G. Pullin.

Front Row (left to right) Col.Parvin, Mrs Murray, Mr J. Hardwicke, Mrs. S. James, Rev. W.S.Prosser.

FALFIELD 1949 CRICKET TEAM

Back Row (left to right) R. Cotterell, R. Phillips, B. Fuller, D. Sansum, A. Grimes.

Front Row (left to right) G.Pullin, R.Prosser, H. Niblett, G. Tonks, A. Hook, K. Sheppard.