My Shout
Tonbridge Cricket in 1919
I love this old photo of the Whitefriars Press Cricket team for the 1919 Season. I’m not sure where they played, probably on the Sportsground park in Tonbridge. I have no connection with any of the men. But I still love the picture which captures just a split second in time but speaks to us 94 years later. I wonder how many of these proud men had served in the First World War, how many of their friends and family had paid the ultimate price.
People in old group photos are often serious looking as I suppose it’s hard to hold a smile indefinitely but I think this group of men had a special reason to feel this way after what they’d been through. I wonder what they were thinking at the precise moment that the shutter was released. Probably something like “Hurry up so we can get on with the game!” but maybe their thoughts were wandering to deeper matters.
The young lads in the front row were probably too young to have served in the war but many of the men behind would have come through it, relieved, possibly angry, certainly changed for ever. Some of the faces look strangely familiar to me. Perhaps some of their grandsons and great grandsons have visited my shop at some point and their names, faces and spirits live on in their descendants. Mr. Authers (Hon. Sec.) top row, far left, was clearly not concentrating on the photographer as he seems to have been distracted at the crucial moment.
I’m probably totally wrong on this but, I like to think, Mr. C D’Arcy (Umpire) was a right rogue, a smart Alec joker who fancied himself with the ladies and his confidence wasn’t dented by the many rebuttals! C. Boorman might well be related to the Boorman family who are well known in Tonbridge. H.E. Simmons looks like someone straight out of The Great Gatsby and was probably the inspiration for Clark Gable’s movie appearance! And Captain W. May looks like the serious sort who led by example and was, by the look of his lean lanky frame a good all rounder in the Frank Woolley mould. T Wickenden (Tommy) the young lad sitting at the front, was the grandfather of the old lady who brought in the photograph to Mr. Books. Hard to imagine him as a grand father, great grandfather and probably great, great grandfather but it’s true.
Not an ounce of fat on any of them which is probably a good advert for getting back to basic home made cooking and clean living. I really could study this picture for hours. I’ll never know much about any of these men, least of all what they might have been thinking but it’s great fun guessing. Please get in touch if you know any more about any of them and we’ll try to build up a complete profile of the team.
Keep My Shout posted
You can contact me on 01732 363000, by email to mrbooks@btinternet.com or by popping into Mr. Books Bookshop at 142 High Street, right near Tonbridge Castle. I’ll put the kettle on! Or you can comment online: just go to www.tonbridgeblog.blogspot.com
Related Posts
Tom Tugendhat lends support to Lifestyle Health Foundation →
Put a spring in your step at Penshurst Place ‘Fit for a Queen’ events programme for 2022 →
Letter from California →
Comments