History - RWCC

The club was originally founded in 1891 under the name of Park View and played first in a field on the farm then occupied by Mrs Bleazard, close to the Old Barrow toll bar. After a season the clubs name changed to St James Cricket Club and it move next to the field close to Barraclough House with the rent rising from 1/- (5p) to 1/6 (7p)! There were only a dozen members so very few matches could be arranged. Councillor Standring began his long association as club secretary in 1892 and the club slowly developed with five matches being played in the first year and the curate of St James becoming President ( a smart move as it would turn out!). Committee meetings were held “ under the hedge “

After borrowing Mrs Bleazard’s heavy stone roller pulled with chains which could only be used if all members were available, it was a great step forward when the club acquired its own more amenable roller! As the Landlady’s consent has not been sought, the rent was raised from £2.00 to £3.00 but at least there was no possibility of the roller finishing in the deep ditch as it had in the old ground, needing every member to bring a friend to help pull it out. The real history dates from 1897 when increasing membership provided an unheard annual surplus of £3.00. After much deliberation a pavilion was bought for 7 Guineas and erected by members, a fixtures list was arranged in advanced and members cards were printed. Twenty matches were played of which half were won.

The Blackburn and District League was joined in 1900, the first ever game against Sadden, the eventual champions. We finished a creditable fourth. In 1901, the Rector having objected to the use of the name of St Jame’s the club was re-christened Ribblesdale Wanderers with Alderman Whipp as President. It was a name that had been used on a tour of Scotland the previous year.

The following year we arrived at Church Meadow and have been here ever since. The rent was four times that of Standen Hey but was amply covered by the ever increasing membership and gate money. Two friendly matches were arranged with Clitheroe CC, for which a professional Dick Harrison was engaged, previously an amateur with the club, but then on the Liverpool ground staff. Both ended in defeat and we didn’t play them again until we joined the Ribblesdale League in 1907.

In the intervening years the Blackburn and District league was won in 1903 and two seasons in the newly formed North East Lancashire Amateur League in 1905 and 1906 saw us as runners up to Low Moor. We have been in the Ribblesdale League continuously since 1907.

In the first season the ground was improved, the pavilion extended and the first Professional was engaged, W Lakeland of Whalley, a “ Saturday afternoon man” Tom Higson of Earby came as professional in 1908 and the Bowling Green was added the same year.

Steady progress was made until the first championship was won in 1920. The second X1 who had joined the Junior League in 1912 and were champions in 1914 also had a successful period after the Second World War with championships in 1948 and 1950

We have been in the Ribblesdale League continuously since 1907. In the first season the ground was improved, the pavilion extended and the first Professional was engaged, W Lakeland of Whalley, a “ Saturday afternoon man” Tom Higson of Earby came as professional in 1908 and the Bowling Green was added the same year. Steady progress was made until the first championship was won in 1920.

The second X1 who had joined the Junior League in 1912 and were champions in 1914 also had a successful period after the Second World War with championships in 1948 and 1950 but the 1st X1’s next championship did not arrive until 1963, the first year of John Ingram three years as professional.

There was a gap of another 37 years until the next championship success in 2000. We will win again one day, hopefully soon!!

In October 2022 the Ribblesdale League and Bolton League decided to merge, for various reasons, and we enter an exciting new chapter in our history.