The skills of archery were practiced in Rectory Park since John Riland MA was appointed Rector of Holy Trinity Church by his father also a John Riland Rector of Birmingham in 1689 when the ownership of the park and rectory was purchased by John from a John Shilton who had found himself in financial difficulties. John Riland helped his patron and himself by buying the advowson of a parish with a substantial endowment of land including the land later known as Rectory Park, and therefore guaranteeing himself a substantial income which benefited many members of his family who followed as the Rector of Sutton Coldfield over the next three hundred years. The Rector had moved from the 1528 rectory in Coleshill Street in 1701 to a handsome Queen Anne style mansion designed by Sir William Wilson, a pupil of Wren and built by William Smith and cost £239 11s 9d, and consisting of 13 bedrooms and there were adequate stables to accommodate the horses. The property being set in several acres of parkland behind the Boot Inn but was demolished in 1936. It was six generations later of the Riland Bedfords that saw the appointment in 1850 of the twenty-four-year-old Rev William K Riland Bedford MA, whom had qualified at Oxford being a very keen sportsman, acquired a love of cricket. As all the Rectors had been sufficiently wealthy to employ curates and assistant curates to deal with the more humdrum tasks in the parish, they had time indulge in other activities of interest. This allowed William when he came down from Oxford to form his own cricket club in one of the meadows on the family estate now called a park; and the “Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club” was formally constituted on the 27th July 1847 when the Rector called a meeting of town folk “to take into consideration the best method to be adopted for establishing and promoting the interest of cricket”. William now as chairman and organizer of the Sutton Coldfield Club appointed his curate Rev G F Hough as his secretary, who diligently organized a list of fixtures for the 1848 season. The Rev Hough was described as “a fast bumpy bowler with a doubtful action”

The Free Foresters and Bishop Vesey School

Although William had organized cricket matches in the park from as early as 1844, he initially persuaded and organized his archery friends to play cricket in some away games and in 1856 he formed the Free Foresters Cricket Club.

A number of games were played between the Sutton Cricket Club and the Free Foresters, none more unusually than in 1856 when Sutton lost by an innings and 48 runs when that had 22 batsmen against the Foresters 12 players. There was no indication on how many players fielded. Sutton played their first game against the Bishop Vesey Schoolboys in 1870. It was a one-day game with Sutton batting first and scored 91 and 40 in their second innings, with the Vesey Boys scoring 55 runs in their first innings and 20 for three wickets before time ran out. However, the Sutton club was declared the winner. By 1874 the Sutton side was considered to be full of rising talent and reduced their team to 18 players scoring 90 runs and bowled the Foresters 12 out for 80 before rain stopped play on the second day.

The Ground & Pavilion

During the absence of the Rector from the Town in the late 1880’s the club was close to extinction because of the lack of players but on return of W. C. Riland Bedford and his six sons saw the clubs fortune rise and by 1875 due a rise in membership the Club paid the Rector £1 0s 0d for the use of the ground and in the following year the Club allowed Bishop Vesey G.S. to use the ground for four gunnies a season and they also engaged Ges Roadley as the club’s first professional for 30 shillings a week, (£1.50 in today’s money). For the 1879 season the playing subscription was increased from five shillings to seven shillings and six pence and from the profit of eight shillings made in 1880 season the Club had the square re-turfed. This was the only time the square was re-turfed as all previous games had been played on meadow grass. However, to maintain the square it was decided for the 1885 season that the club would purchase a horse to pull the roller and for the £4 the first on many horses were acquired, but none were given a name, they were just referred to as “The Horse”. So as not to inflict any damage to the square the horse had two pairs of shoes made, which were stored in the “Old Groundsman’s Shed” until it was vandalized in the millennium year, although the shed had been falling apart for many years. Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club had applied to the Club for permission to play hockey on Rectory Park but it had previously been refused, however, for the 1894 season for agreement was reached and a fee of two guineas changed hands. The Hockey Club was now here to stay and on the 29th August 1974 Articles of Association of the Sutton Coldfield Cricket and Hockey Club Limited was signed.

The first centaury on the new square was scored in 1886 when A. L. Crockford hit 117 runs against Birmingham Gas. In 1896 new club colours were order from Hicks – a dark blue cap and coat with a yellow Tudor rose on the cap and on the coat pocket. A new pavilion with a thatched roof was built in 1890 for £105 & 10 shillings by a Mr Turville and it remained part of the charm and character of Rectory Park until 1970 when it was destroyed by fire 24 hours before it was due for demolishment. The pavilion has changed in its appearance both inside and outside a number of times, with a pitched roof being added in 1994 and several schemes have been tried during the last 40 years to brighten up and modernize the interior, the latest effort being in 2012, including new club motifs of both the cricket & hockey clubs designed by John Bell.

A new wooden score box was built following a donation from Harry Foster, which was re-built in brick by Frank Lamb in 1979 until a runaway tractor, started by vandals knocked the score box off its concrete base in 2005. However, the club membership managed to get the score box back on to its base.

Act of Parliament

In 1898 the law was changed and thereafter advowsons reverted to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, so when the last of the dynasty, Rev William C. Riland Bedford retired in 1907; (and died in 1911), the Commissioners transferred ownership of the rectory and Rectory Park to the Sutton Coldfield Corporation.

The Minutes of the AGM of 1907 reported in the Sutton News “Gloomy forebodings were indulged in as to the future of the club and it seems beyond doubt that the club will have to look for a new ground, although they are sure of the Rectory Park for the coming season. After that – well anything may happen” The Sutton Coldfield News Editor commented “It will seem queer to have the connection between the Riland Bedfords of Sutton Coldfield and the Rector broken, the link has existed for 30 years is to be severed. A bill is about to come before Parliament which provides for “Transferring to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners the endowment of the Rectory Sutton Coldfield in the County of Warwick and for providing for the re-endowment of the said Rectory, and the application of the income and capital of the transferred endowments for other ecclesiastical purposes”. The plain fact was that the Rectory Grounds have become extremely valuable as a building land. A new Rectory will be built. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners will have no difficulty in carrying the scheme through. However, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club agreed a lease on 5th March, whereby SCCC became a Tenant to the EC on a year to year basis with 3-month notice.

Longevity - declaration

The 1897 AGM minute book stated that “W C Riland Bedford celebrated his sixtieth year association with the club”, which suggests that cricket was first played at Rectory Park from 1837, ten years before the Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club was formed in 1847.

Longevity has to go to William Ansell and Edward Ansell, who were elected as playing members at the AGM on 28th January 1888 and were the sons of Joseph Ansell, a maltster and publican of Aston whose beer has grace our bar until it was replaced in 2012 by a cream flow. In 1889 the Club had considered obtaining a liquor license, but it was considered un-necessary as refreshments and drinks for match days will be ordered from the Boot Hotel at the end of the drive

Team could not declare an innings closed until 1889, so in 1888 Sutton scored 302 runs for 8 wickets against Birmingham Gas and then went home. Match drawn. Sutton followed the first class game by moving from a 5 ball over to an over of six balls in 1900.

World War 1 and 2

Very little cricket was played during the first world war as more than 50 members served in that war, with two committee members paying the supreme sacrifice; Arthur Lilly, Hon. Treasurer and Percy Groves, Hon Secretary. However, during the Second World War the authorities took a different view and encouraged players who had opportunities for a game to do so. The Sutton club was able to turn out a first team during this period but no second Xl or mid-week games were played.

Players & Administrators - Club & County

Over the Clubs long existence some thousands of members have played for the club’s 3 and on occasions 4 teams, playing on Saturdays, Sundays and Med-week games with distinction, so it’s difficult to mention every one. However, certain names are easily identified on the Honour Boards which recognizing those 19 Life Members, 10 Presidents and 41 Captains who have served the Club with distinction over the Clubs official life time of 165 years.

A total to date of 36 cricketers have played for both “The Club” and 1st Class Cricket, but not necessary for Warwickshire. However, pride of place must go to Eric Crockford, son of Arthur, who played for the club 1911 to 1922 and captained Warwickshire on a few occasions. He also played hockey for Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club, England and Great Britain and won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1920 Antwerp Games in Belgium. A few name that gave the club great service were Rev, William C. Riland Bedford; George Sharp and his son Norman Sharp; Arthur Terry; Pat Bowerbank; Les Pellow; Neil Houghton a distinguished captain, batsman and bowler who was also Chairman of Warwickshire from 2003 to 2010, having been their treasurer 1987 to 1998; Andrew Beach; Richard Sperryn; Ken Lancaster, who became President of the B&DPCL in 2011; Peter Wells and our tenth President, James Ross. There were also a number of gentlemen who never played for the club but wore the white coat for many years such as Len Bindon; Roddie Wilson who went on to the 1st class list for a season; Peter Bell and Phil Berry both umpired the Club’s games and many of the International games in the ICC tournaments during the 1970’s & 1980’s and still found time to be senior administrators within the club for well over some 40 years. We need to recognize the service the club has received from the team scorers, none more than Steve Smith who has scored not just for the Club for a considerable number of years but for Warwickshire 2nd Xl team and in several Test Matches at Edgbaston for the touring side. The use of paper and pencil has long gone and Steve has been in the forefront in the use of computers and printers so that captains have the complete analysis and result of the game within minutes of its conclusion.

Results & the Future

Over the years the club has had its up and down, nearly going out of existence in the late 1880’s and was nearly wound up in 1909 as the use of Rectory Park was likely to be withdrawn by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. After the 1st world ward and again after the 2nd world war there were serious doubts about the club surviving, but enough members returned for the club to continue. However, the club did survive and in 1972 they were founder members of the Willis Faber sponsored Midland Club Cricket Championship, which they won in 1977. The MCCC league became part of the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League in 1998, with the Sutton club became part of the First Division. However, due to a run of poor results in the 2008, 9, 10 & 11 seasons, which coincided with a number of senior players retiring, Sutton were relegated through the 2nd and 3rd Divisions and out of the B&DPCL into the Warwickshire Cricket League Premier Division, finishing runners up in their first season - 2012.

Both Sunday Teams were founder members of the Warwickshire Sunday League in 1984 and the 1st team won their division in 2003, they also won the John Whitehouse K.O. Trophy in 1995 and again in 1998; the 2nd Xl won their league in back to back league championships in 1988 & 9 and again in 2011, They also won the Robert Atherton Trophy in 2000.

The 3rd Xl won the MCCC Championship, for the third successive season 1997/8/9 and the Jubilee Shield in 1988. The Junior section has gone from strength to strength having in the last 5 years won Under 9; Under 13; Under 14; Under 15 and Under 17 competitions, not just once but on numerous occasions. We established a Ladies team in 2011 and we look forward in hearing of their development over the coming seasons. However, the outlook for the club is very bright with many young players progressing through the various Junior teams and hopefully will go on to make a big contribution in the coming seasons so that the Club will returns to its glory days.

Peter Bell
Life Member
Club Historian & Archivist