Pavilion is now Opened.

August 1964

South Yorkshire Times, August 22.

Pavilion is now Opened.

Conisbrough Cricket club – the 94 years old Doncaster League side which believes in doing things for itself – marked an important step in its long history on Sunday with the opening of its new characteristically “home-made” Pavilion.

Since Christmas, club members have been hard at work each Sunday morning decorating and fitting out the smart brick build Pavilion at their Park Road Conisbrough ground, which was itself bought through a series of personal £5 loans from members.

All of the building, on which all on the outer shell was built by outside contractors, has been in use since the beginning of the season, it was not until Sunday that the official opening was performed by Mr Bill Thompson, a vice president of the Doncaster League, and formerly secretary of the Conisbrough club for over 30 years.

Admiration for the club’s new “home” was expressed by many of the guests at the official opening. They include a Mr Herbert Foster, president of the Doncaster Lee and neighbouring Yorkshire Council side, Denaby and Cadeby, who celebrated the occasion with a friendly match against the Conisbrough club.

With Mr Foster was another vice president of the league former West Riding headmaster, Mr Fred Holmes of Hatfield, who commented, “Eyesore the Pavilion for the first time the other night and I was amazed.”

Corporation praised

President of the Conisbrough club, Mr A.J.Chadwick, introduced Mr Thompson, and spoke in glowing terms of the efforts of the club members in preparing the building, “We must think in terms of time giving work over many years,” he said.

Thanking all concerned. Mr Chadwick make particular reference to the pavilion clock, given by the Thompson family in memory of their father, the late Mr A. Thompson, who said Mr Chadwick gave a lifetime of work to the fields of Conisbrough Cricket Club.

Performing the ceremony Mr Bill Thompson said he considered it a great honour and privilege to be chosen to open the building.

As he added simply, “In 1946, we were in debt – I would say we have raised and spent £3000 in the creation of the building, and fields.”