Leyton Cricket Ground


		Our latest works have recently been published. Memories of cricket at the County Ground, Leyton from the 1920s to the 1990s; Waltham Forest Memories 11 Download it here. From Lewisham to Leyton: three families who had a big influence on Essex CCC Download it here These titles were written by David Pracy, Local Studies Librarian at Vestry House Museum.

	Brief history of the ground Essex County Cricket Club was formed in 1876 after a public meeting in the Shire Hall, Chelmsford. A ground at Brentwood was rented for the opening season and their first match took place on May 6 1876. The county's first season went well, but by the 1880s new developments were needed to make the county side thrive and prosper. Henry Green was a great sportsman and athlete, joining the club in 1882 and becoming captain the next year and remaining so until 1888. Green recognised that Brentwood was not ideal as the centre for Essex cricket - it was rural, remote and difficult to get to. Green was managing director of the Orient Steamship Company - later to become part of P & O - and had great experience in the business world. He decided that the club should move from Brentwood and in 1885 negotiated a lease for the ground in Leyton. At first the ground was a mile from the nearest station - what is now Leyton Underground station - but soon Leyton Midland gave a much closer rail link. Though the ground cost £12,000, by the next season the club needed £3500 for ground improvements. The new pavilion cost much of that £3500 and was erected in 1886, continuing for 50 years to be the headquarters of the club. Key dates Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a poem in honour of the ground - though perhaps not his best work. In 1886 there were two international fixtures, and in 1898 the famous WG Grace played there for Gloucestershire. During the the match there were a number of disputed decisions before Grace was eventually dismissed. Essex beat the Australians at Leyton in 1899, the West Indies in 1906 and New Zealand in 1927.

The world record opening stand of 555 by Herbert Sutcliffe and Percy Holmes of Yorkshire was made at Leyton - a record which still stands. It can't have been so good for the Essex side!

Unfortunately the poor results of 1931, coupled with a financial crisis of 1932 meant that the club was forced to give up the lease on the Leyton ground. The decision to leave was taken in 1933 and the club gave up the lease which was subsequently taken on by the Metropolitan police.

Chelmsford became the club headquarters and the policy of taking games around the county was started. Essex continued to play at Leyton until 1977 when victory over Glamorgan ended the long association.

The Oral History Workshop sought out people who could remember cricket at the Leyton ground:

county matches in the 1930s before the move to Chelmsford
other matches since then
any "characters" who went to the ground
stars of the game who played there
other sportsmen and women who have used other sports facilities on the site
any stories about people or events that happened there
from people who lived close to the ground
or people who may have worked there as ground, catering or bar staff over the years.

More than twenty people were interviewed and a lot of valuable material unearthed. Small boys who hid the ball when it came anywhere near them; the time a ball ended up on a tram going to the bakers Arms; and people who saw the record-breaking Sutcliffe/Holmes partnership.

If you have any more memories of the ground email us.


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