Anyone recognise any of the members of this cricket team? They certainly seemed to need a new groundsman! Click for a larger version. Image kindly supplied by Julie Le-Moine.
Here’s a nice one for the weekend, and I think the Walsall Wood contingent may have a word or two to say about it. This cricket team photo was sent to me earlier in the week by long-time friend of the blog, Julie Le-Moine.
Julie had this to say:
Hi Bob!
I was going through Mum’s photos and I found this one.
I think its’s my uncle Walter Hollender, bottom row middle when he played cricket for Walsall Wood Cricket Club. I don’t know anyone else in the picture, or the year it was taken.
It would be great if anyone else can remember anybody or the year.
Regards,
Julie
Later on, Julie had been thinking about the image some more, and added:
The more I look at the photo the more I think it’s older than I thought, and it’s actually my grandad in the photo not my uncle.
Hopefully one of the Walsall Wood experts will clarify who, what, where and when!
So… can any of the Woodmen (or women, of course!) accept the challenge? What do you know?
Please comment here or drop me a line: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.
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W Hollender c Collis b Lees……….1
July 1935
Cannock Chase Colliery respond to the 42 scored by WW
Lees b Hollender………………32
Baggott b Hollender………………..1
Lea b Hollender………………17
Bacon c Lea b Hollender……….0
102 scored
Wow! That’s a bit precise Pedro! Right down to the match? Where did you get this info from!!…this would have been 4 years before my Mum was born…..and you have jogged my memory…I’m sure Mum said Grandad was a bowler…she remembers going to watch him play when she was a little girl…..x
dont know if its my imagination, but the bloke front row second from right looks related to the bloke in the middle of front row!
well, I am almost positive that the fella in the middle of the front row is my grandad…but you are right Clive now you have said it…they do look alike…I wonder if they were?…..
It might not have been the actual match or year as there could be other results in the Lichfield Mercury Archive…I will check.
In this particular match W Hollender opened for WW and took 4 wickets, so he must have been a good “allrounder”!
Others mentioned in the team were…
G Cresswell
G Evans
R Lashford
G Crutchley
H Barratt
C Harris
M Cresswell
V Woolridge
F Lea
There is another match in July of 1935 that has a report mentioning W Hollender!
I willsend the clip to Bob and he can forward to you!
He took 6 wks but batted No 6
Ah thanks Pedro….I would really appreciate that…thank you 🙂
well…now that’s thrown me because Clive may be right…the fella in the middle front row may be related to the fella second from right, first row….seeing as there were two Cresswell’s listed as playing….ooo heck…the only other fella that could be my Grandad is front row on the end on the right….My mum said Grandad was a good cricketer….but she could have been biased because it was her Dad, bless her x
a G and M Cresswell in the first mention, but now also a J!
Second from left on the back row is Reg Mills, and number four and five on the same row, look like Reg’s brothers, who were also keen cricketers, playing for both Walsall Wood C.C. and Walsall Wood Wesleyan C.C, a team who were featured on the blog, some time ago, in a poem detailing an epic match. Reg lived in Salters Road. all his adult life and I would estimate the photo as being no later than the early 1930’s. Reg went to work for F.H. Lloyds in the war and soon became a member of the works team. A fine fast bowler, with an unusual run-up.
Hi Julie, yes it’s defiantly grandad sitting front middle- Vicky hollender x
Hello Vicky…long time no see!….Thanks for clarifying that…I wasn’t sure if he was in the middle front row or on the end on the right!!….Hope you are well x
Hi Bob
A big thank you to David..and to everyone else….second from left front row might be a young George Evans who can also be seen in Bill Mayo’s book Memories of old Walsall Wood, page 47, photo dated 1950 where he is front row second from left, in whites
I have contacted George,s son Glynn who lives near cape town and hope he will be able to add to the list of names and hopefully give a date for this photo.
Kind regards
David
Is that the same Glynn who was in our class in junior school and stood next to Mr Shingler in the Junior School Football Team photo.
Dave (Eddy) Edwards
HI Eddy
yes, thats him..and a pretty good fast bowler in his own right
cheers
David
W Seedhouse
W Jones
J Leonard
T Mills
BUT also in a match of 1935 W and E Hollender played!!
and it gets more confusing as against Beaudesert a W and a J Hollender played!
…oh now that’s interesting….could be Ernest Hollender maybe….thank you Pedro for all the research…..
David the Elder’s comment concerning R Mills and the early 30s???
In June of 1945 R Mills, N Mills, T Mills and W Mills played for WW against Lichfield.
There was also a J and G Cresswell!
and they still lost!
In those days, amateur cricketers would play into their 40’s and even 50’s, with most younger men still in the Forces, to preserve the cricket club from extinction. I would say that that most of these men were past their best, at the time, but 10 out of 10 to the Wood for fielding a team. Don’t think they lasted for too long. after the war. Anyone remember the finish of the club ?
There’s a breathless hush in the Wood to-night
Ten to make and the match to win…
I say, you surely can raise one hell of a discussion with just one photo.
And where was I when it happened? Out flying my kite.
Thanks, everyone – fascinating stuff. Sorry I wasn’t around to contribute!
Cheers
Bob
Hi Bob
Suddenly, two cricket clubs in Walsall Wood…! Did they share the same ground..near the parish church? ..now, back to the hushed anticipation as the bowler starts his long run, and John Arlott enjoys another troach drop……before passing the mike to Johnners.
David,
Lillee caught Willey bowled Dilley
http://youtu.be/oh4iF_Si_2E
And the immortal Jonners!
http://youtu.be/3k0qZDdfvZk
WW CC was still going in the seventies. I think they folded when the ground was sold for development. Now Boundary Road; my guess is built about early-mid-nineties.
….I think I need to look at doing my family tree!…love the responses!…thank you x
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