The Cricket Club Commitee of 1896

 

The Committee are photographed in what appears to be the grounds of the village school. The Cricket Club had been formed the previous year and a ground opened at Yeardsley Hall. The first match on August 3rd attracted over 300 people and was between married and single players. There were 30 players per side and the game was won by the married men who scored 59 runs, beating their opponents by 4 runs. The cricket ground later moved to Gow Hole. The club was disbanded at the start of World War1 and never re-formed

In the photograph are: Back Row: Messrs John Carter, Samuel Wright, Fred Sleigh, David Goodwin, James Sharpley, Edward Rowley and William Allen.                                     Seated on the front row are:  G.Cook, David Drinkwater, Samuel Hall, William Ashton and James Pearson.                                                                                                                      The photograph was taken by William McBride.

David Goodwin was headmaster of Furness Vale School. He had been appointed when the school opened in 1876. 

The Drinkwaters were a large and wealthy farming family who owned extensive lands around Dolly Lane.  David was descended from Willam Drinkwater of Greenhead who died in 1791.

Samuel Hall was owner of the Station Hotel. It was his father, also Samuel, who had built the inn in about 1868. The family was related to Levi and Elijah Hall, local coal owners. 

James Pearson was the village butcher. His shop was at 148 Buxton Road and later became Williamson's greengrocers.  At the rear of the shop, on a lower level, was the slaughterhouse. 

The others were no doubt leading members of the community and some further research may identify their roles.

William McBride was born in the USA but lived in Furness Vale and was employed at the printworks. He was later to join the police force and became a CID Inspector at Scotland Yard. He was involved in the development of fingerprinting and took charge of the photographic department.