Denaby Main Cricket Club – Annual Dinner and Smoker

April 1905

Mexborough and Swinton Times April 15, 1905

Denaby Main Cricket Club
Annual Dinner and Smoker
Presentation of Second Team Medals

On Saturday, at the Denaby Main hotel, the annual dinner and smoker of the Denaby Main Cricket Club were held. Over 60 members sat down to the excellent spread provided by host Gibbs, in his well-known capable manner.

The menu consists of roast beef, roast mutton and onion sauce, boiled mutton and caper sauce, roast stuffed veal and ham, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, potatoes, roast and boiled chickens, with lemon and plum puddings, apple tarts, cheese et cetera.

Mr John Soar presided, and was supported by Messrs C Bury (captain), A.H.Barnard, P Bury, William Wright, George Farmer, G Sheldon, Ernest Robinson, Arthur Robinson, Walter Robinson senior, Walter Robinson junior, G Mills, D Mitchell, MK, R Dunn (secretary Denaby FC), Ernest Fisher, Henry Rose and Luther Robinson.

After the dinner the remainder of the evening was spent in speech and song.

The Chairman called upon the secretary to read the report of last years work.

The secretary (Mr Luther Robinson) referring to last season’s record, thought the company would agree with him that it was a good one. The first team had had hard lines in not winning the championship of the Mexborough and District league. The batting had showed great consistency, nine players reaching double-figure averages. The bowling also showed some good averages. George Hardy at the top, was always a trier. (Hear, hear). The team was capably captained by Mr C Bury, who would again hold that position for the coming season, when you’re the captain would lead the team to the top position in the League.

The second team had been successful in winning the championship of the now-defunct Doncaster and District League. (Applause) some good batting on the part of a Ellis, R Riley and L Hancock and good bowling by T Gregory and E White House, added greatly to their success. (Hear, hear) they had succeeded in again arranging the Derbyshire match. (Applause) The ground had been greatly improved, and he concluded by asking the Denaby Sportsman to rally round the club. (Hear, hear)

the chairman said he was very pleased to perform the next duty viz distributed prizes. He was for the football, but he was fonder of cricket – it lasted longer than football (laughter). He congratulated the second team in winning the championship of the Doncaster league and he ought both teams will be a successful in the coming season. He had great pleasure in presenting the gold medals won by the second team.

The team included: Messes R Riley, A Ellis, J Hancock, P Torr, H.Rose, W Goodwin, W Phipps, E Jackson, E Hadfield, E White House and T Gregory.

Mr A.H.Barnard propose a toast of the “Cricket Club.” The club had been most successful in the past, and he look forward to thenm achieving greater things in the future. Since he had been in Denaby he had not followed up cricket – he had devoted himself to another sport – but cricket was his first love. When he came to Denaby saw that so many good players that they could do without him. He coupled with the toast the name of Mr C Bury (captain)

Mr R Dunn seconded. He congratulated the teams on their success, and said if next season they did not succeed in winning gold medals the chairman will see that they got some other kind of recognition (laughter) He hoped Mr Bury would have the honour of leading his team to the top position in the league. Referring to the change of secretaryship, with all respect Mr Fisher, he thought the secretarial duties had fallen into the right hands at last. He hoped each member would endeavour to increase the membership by introducing at least five new members each. He look forward to the day when the cricket club and football club would be a united body, under one management. (Applause)

Mr Charles Bury in responding, said the latter idea was a remarkably good one, and he would like to see accomplished, but the difficulty would be to get a ground large enough to accommodate both clubs. Denaby had not a very good name in Yorkshire, but wherever the Denaby FC went they dispel that slur. They were a great credit to Denaby, and, speaking for himself, he could not desire to meet a steadier or nicer lot of fellows. (Hear, hear) he thanked the proposer and seconder for their kind remarks about the cricket club. Firstly were a lot of good fellows, as captain he had more talent to draw upon than many captains. He had nine good bats and 10 good bowlers, and there was only one passenger in the team – the captain (laughter.) With regard to the future programme they had a better class of clubs to me, and he saw no reason why this should not be there. (Applause) the membership was flourishing, and although they were not financially unsound, they could do with more support.

The Denaby FC goalie thanked Mr Bury for his kind remarks about the FC. Mr E Robinson propose a toast of the Denaby and Cadeby colliery company a couple with it the name of Mr Chambers. The club was greatly indebted to the Company for their financial support. Mr Ernest Fisher seconded and said if the club had not the support from the colliery company there would now instead of £36 to the good be £136 to the bad.

Mr Williamson replied on behalf of the company and Mr Chambers. Other toasts were the chairman and hosts, which were replied to by Mr J Soar and Mr Gibbs respectively.

The following contributed to the harmony:

Cello solo Mr Tom Wild (who is joining one of Mr George Edwards companies in August)

His rendering of Van Biene’s quartz Broken Melody” been especially fine, and the audience had him back. His other contributions included “Austrian Hymn,” “Auld Robin Gray,” and “Home sweet home.”

Mr John Oldfield was in fine voice, and give a splendid rendering of “A dream of Paradise.” His most successful song was “The passionflower,”

Mr Harry Rose sang “Blue Bell”

Mr J Cantrell, “Come on,” “Don’t mind do you?” and “A fishy song.”

Mr J Alison “Bull and Bush,” “Goodbye my ladylove,” and “The Englishman” by Mr Bridges were all well given.