The First 10 Years of the Century (1900-1909)

[LENGTH:9mins Reading Time]

By the turn of the century. Dr. Alfie Grace had followed in the footsteps of his father (Dr. Alfred) by taking over the captaincy of the Club. Dr. Alfie Grace and his brothers, Arthur and Gerald, played and during the next decade their uncle, "E.M." continued to turn out for the Chipping Sodbury Club as well as other members of the Grace family.

Arthur Grace, who was a stolid bat, would frequently open Chipping Sodbury's innings and Dr. Alfie, a good all-rounder, invariably appeared early in the batting order and opened the bowling.

Arthur opened the innings against Badminton at The Ridings on May 14th, 1904 and was top scorer with 21 out of 91. Badminton were dismissed for 34 thanks to good bowling by C. H. Hardy who claimed seven wickets, clean bowling six batsmen. Hardy was again in fine form on June 4th when Chipping Sodbury disposed of Wansbrough and Co. for the low total of 27. In this match he also clean bowled six batsmen and caught a seventh off Dr. Alfie Grace's bowling. Alfie Dando, who played for Chipping Sodbury for many years, hit an undefeated 61 in Sodbury's total of 143 for 7.

Tytherington provided the opposition on June 25th and were all out for 29, Dr. Alfie Grace taking five wickets. This was in reply to Chipping Sodbury's score of 152 for 6 declared of which T. S . Fossett made 44, Arthur Grace 33 and Dr. Alfie Grace, 32. There is an interesting story to relate about this match in which Dr. Alfie Grace was credited with seven runs off one stroke and it prompted the following letter to be written to the "Gazette" by a Chipping Sodbury resident on July 2nd, 1904:

"In the course of a cricket match played at Chipping Sodbury between that team and Tytherington on June 25th, a ball was struck by Dr. A. H. Grace and the batsmen ran three, when the man who was fielding the ball, instead of returning it to the wicket, threw it to the boundary, which was a fenced in tree, near the centre of the field, for which in the ordinary course four runs are allowed. I was umpiring and as three runs had been run before the ball struck the boundary on the return throw, I gave seven runs. As one to two of our opponents doubted the justice of my decision and as it is an interesting point, will some of your cricket readers kindly say if I did right and oblige." But as far as we can ascertain, no one ventured a second opinion!

"Leather hunting under a hot sun is not an ideal way of spending an afternoon" wrote 'Onlooker' in the "Gazette" of July 16th, 1904. "So the Wotton Alliance and Chipping Sodbury teams thought last Saturday at Wotton when some heavy scoring ensued" he continued. The Alliance batted well and compiled 108, but Chipping Sodbury did even better "and laid on the wood to a lively tune."

Dr. Alfie Grace scored 81 not out and J. S . Fossett made 66 not out, their undefeated stand for the second wicket being worth 147 runs. Chipping Sodbury's total eventually reached 161 for 1 wicket. Onlooker's' final comment on the match was:

"The visitors thus won easily. It was an ideal spectators' game and though Wotton lost they will be the first to admit that victory went to the best team. In Wotton's innings, Dr. Alfie Grace claimed five wickets being indebted to his brother Arthur who held two catches.

Arthur Grace was first man out in Chipping Sodbury's knock with the score on 14. This brought together Dr. Alfie Grace and Fossett who shared in a brilliant stand although (it is recorded in a "Gazette" report of the match) "both men were out before they had made double figures, the umpires deliberately giving the verdict in favour of the batsmen." In spite of several changes in the bowling, the two Sodbury batsmen "took full advantage of their luck and hit splendidly for their runs."

Chipping Sodbury took on Bristol Medicals on Wednesday, July 13th, and won by 60 runs scoring 122 to the Visitors' 62. On Tuesday, July 26th, 1904, they beat W. Shillan's XI by 74 runs. B. Freeman bowled splendidly to take seven wickets and the visitors were all out 50. In the match against Old Elizabethans on August 13th, 1904, Dr. Alfie Grace scored 73 out of Chipping Sodbury's total of 153, the visitors being dismissed for 45. On August 27th 1904, Chipping Sodbury were put out for the low total of 19 at The Ridings, giving the visitors Cockroad, a win by 52 runs.

Farewell Gift

In 1905, Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club lost the services of Arthur Grace who went to South Africa but prior to his departure a presentation was made to him. The following account of this ceremony was reported in the "Gazette" of March 11th, 1905:-

"Dr. A. H. Grace, captain of the Sodbury Cricket Club, presided at a smoker held at headquarters, the George Hotel, Chipping Sodbury, on Thursday evening last week. A large number of members and friends attended for the smoker which was to be a send-off to Mr. Arthur Grace, one of the most genial of good fellows, who has accepted a good appointment in South Africa and sailed on Monday. The Cricket Club and his many friends regret his going from the town, and, at short notice, a purse of gold was subscribed as a mark of appreciation, which Mr. Robert Nichols presented during the evening with the hearty good wishes of all for Mr. Grace's future prosperity and happiness."

At the start of the 1905 season, Chipping Sodbury made 118 for 5 (Dr. Alfie Grace 57 not out, A. Dando 26 not out and A. C. Bartlett 22) in reply to Bristol Y.M.C.A.'s total of 66, Bartlett getting six wickets. Entertaining St. Paul's (Portland Square) on May 13th, Chipping Sodbury won by 19 runs, thanks to a knock of 55 by Dr. Alfie Grace.

A two-run win was registered over neighbours, Wickwar on May 27th, W. J. Wiltshire taking 6 for 17 for Chipping Sodbury. A. C. Bartlett gave a splendid all-round performance in the home match with Pucklechurch on June 3rd, 1905, when Sodbury won by 22 runs. The visitors were dismissed for 50, Bartlett taking 7 for 22 and catching another batsman. Then he knocked up 49 out of 154. On June l0th, 1905, two members of the medical profession, Doctors Alfie Grace and P. A. Dykes, together with the rector of Yate (the Rev. J. M. Ford) were in the Chipping Sodbury side which beat Tytherington at The Ridings by 12 runs, Bartlett taking six wickets.

At The Ridings on July 15th, 1905, Bartlett claimed five Oldland wickets and on the following Monday he captured six in the home match with J. Rowe's XI. Six more wickets fell to Bartlett at The Ridings on August 12th, against Rugbeians.

The 1906 season opened with a home win over Packer and Co., J. Bennett taking six wickets. Dr. Alfie Grace, who batted at No. 11 in the order, was top scorer with 23 not out in Chipping Sodbury's score of 85 for 9. In the next match against Tytherington, the Doctor scored 61 out of 106 and took three wickets. Bartlett secured five wickets and the visitors were all out for 28. In a 12-a-side match at The Ridings on July 7th, 1906, against Holy Trinity, Dr. Alfie Grace took nine wickets, the visitors being dismissed for 46. Chipping Sodbury replied with 137 of which A. S. Fugil made 39 and Dr. Grace 27.

Century Maker

An undefeated century by Dr. Alfie Grace was the feature of the match with Park House 11 at The Ridings on August 18th, 1906. Batting first the visitors compiled 56, A. C. Bartlett being in fine form with the ball once more with six wickets to his credit. Dr. Grace took the other four and then went on to make 102 not out (batting at No. 5) in Chipping Sodbury's score of 167 for 4.

There was an exciting finish to the match with the Schoolmasters A at The Ridings on September 1st, 1906, Chipping Sodbury winning by one run, A. C Bartlett took seven wickets and was top scorer with 25.

'Chipping Sodbury have evidently got a good team together this season" wrote the cricketing correspondent 'Cover Point' in the "Gazette" on July 13th, 1907. "It is something unusual for Wickwar to be defeated at home but this is what happened on Saturday and the Sodbury men accomplished the feat'' he added. (Wickwar made 75 and Sodbury replied with 96 for 6, of which Dr. Alfie Grace made 38).

On August 3rd, 1907, Chipping Sodbury entertained Schoolmasters A and gained a comfortable win. Dr. Alfie Grace took seven wickets, Alfie Dando stumping two and catching another batsman. The visitors were dismissed for 61 and Chipping Sodbury replied with 117 for 8 (T. F. Tomlinson 40, Dr. Grace 36).

Opening the innings for Chipping Sodbury in their match with Greenslades at The Ridings on August 17th, 1907, Dr. Alfie Grace was in brilliant form, scoring 130 out of the side's total of 172 for 9. Only one other batsman reached double figures. The visitors replied with 23 for 1.

Rain ruined the 1907 season, but worse was to follow at the start of the 1908 season when snow was lying ½ inch thick on the ground and as the cricketing correspondent of the "Gazette" remarked in his jottings of May 2nd, 1908 "under such extraordinary conditions there was no alternative but to stay at home."

But the snow eventually disappeared and on May 30th, Chipping Sodbury entertained and defeated Wickwar. In a mid-week match at Chipping Sodbury on July 1st, the home side were dismissed for 69 in reply to the score of 124 by T. C. Northam and Co. Another member of the Grace family, Edgar M. Grace opened Sodbury's innings in this match while Dr. Alfie Grace was top scorer with 18. Both Graces took four wickets apiece.

At The Ridings, United Banks II were beaten by 49 runs, G. E. Jatcham, in his first season with Chipping Sodbury, hitting 45 out of 123. Dr. Alfie Grace and M. B. Grace played in this match. In the return game at Wickwar on July 4th, 1908, Chipping Sodbury won by 87 runs, having the services of three members of the Grace family-Dr. Alfie Grace who made 8, M. B. Grace (11) and Edgar Grace who opened and made 3. T. F. Tomlinson took the batting honours with 62 out of 134. Wickwar were dismissed for 47, A. C. Bartlett taking 6 for 14 and Edgar Grace 3 for 30.

Tomlinson was again in good form with the bat at The Ridings in the match with "Cliftonia" (Parsons and Co.) scoring 47 out of a total of 101. Dr. Alfie Grace clean bowled six batsmen and J. H. Bennett claimed four wickets at a cost of only one run, the visitors being dismissed for 75. In a mid-week game on August 19th, 1908, Chipping Sodbury gained a thrilling three-run win over Raleigh, the scores being 93-90. Dr. Alfie Grace took five wickets. N. V. Grace also played in this game.

Heading the 1908 batting averages was the Club captain, Dr. Alfie Grace with 384 runs (avge. 25.6). He also took the most wickets (57) for an average of 9.7 although J. H. Bennett topped the bowling averages with the remarkable figures of 39 overs, 11 maidens, 88 runs, 23 wickets, avge. 3.82. T. F. Tomlinson turned in some good performances in 1909 and G. E. Jotcham quickly emerged as a good all-rounder. Tomlinson took seven " Cliftonia " wickets at The Ridings on June 19th.

After soundly beating Yate (70-28) on July 3rd, Chipping Sodbury entertained their neighbours at The Ridings in the return game on July 17th, and ran up the huge total of 245 for 6 with T. F. Tomlinson retiring after scoring 124. Yate were all out for 21, A. Turner taking six wickets and R. McCarragher, four.