Copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

I have discovered that in the year 1938 the Lord of the Manor of Findon, Colonel Evelyn William Margesson, granted the Findon Cricket Club a 99-year lease at Kennel Bottom. He died that year and proved to be the last Lord of the Manor. Cricket in Findon came to a standstill during the Second World War.

In June 1943, the Canadian Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highland Regiment were encamped in Nissen huts under the trees on the Muntham Estate and engaged in battalion exercises around the Findon countryside.

The First Canadian Division commandeered the Findon Cricket Ground at Kennel Bottom below Church Hill. Their armoured vehicles tore up and down the green slope during war practice manoeuvres. The precious turf was cut and gouged by tank tracks during their many trials and runs. The result was a maze of deep ruts and muddy furrows. The army also laid a succession of unsightly timber sleepers to act as a temporary roadway. A concoction of cans, concrete, wire and debris littered the sacred ground and marked the departure of the Canadian guests by the end of the war. The cricket pitch appeared to be doomed.

Fortunately, I am told that Major Spencer Hillier from Seagrave House in Steep Lane rallied some willing volunteers and worked for many arduous hours on the Kennel Bottom site. The pitch was eventually revived and brought back to its original glory.

The publican at the Gun Inn in the Square was Ernest Rowley at this time. The Inn became the headquarters of the cricket team. They used a room upstairs for their general meetings and also the annual cricket dinner was held there.

Some visiting touring teams were based at the Grey Point Hotel in The Square.  For instance, the Sydenhurst Ramblers Cricket Club song is said to have originated from their sing-songs that took place on the hotel staircase in the wee hours.   It was sung to the hymn tune of "The Church is one foundation..." and runs thus —

'We are the Sydenhurst Ramblers.
Our bats consist of edges.
We rarely hold a catch
But when our Skipper calls us
To go to bed at night,
We shout from Marie's bedroom
Blow you Mike, I'm alright!'

Incidentally, can any one remember who Marie was? 

Fixtures on their tours included those at Findon, St.Andrew's, Burgess Hill, Keymer & Hassocks and Henfield. 

During the Second World War the Sydenhurst ground was ploughed up "for the War effort", (not churned up by the Canadians as in Findon) and in the autumn of 1945 it was felt by returning members that it would cost too much to re-lay the turf.  It was, therefore, decided to add "Ramblers" to the Club's title as all games henceforth would be played "away" such as at Findon.

Continue if you would like to read about Balmy Cricket Days in the 1950s.