1747 English cricket season

Cricket season review November 2025 November 2025 1746 1746 English cricket season 1748 1748 English cricket season A total of 21 historically important matches are known to have been played in the 1747 English cricket season; fourteen were eleven-a-side, and seven were single wicket, but only three have known results.note status Any match listed in the ACS' Important Match Guide (1981) is historically important, and therefore of the highest standard, whether or not a scorecard might exist. The same applies to numerous matches discovered by researchers since 1981.ACS 1981 1–40 For further information, see First-class cricket. It is evident that the single-wicket form of the game was very popular among the gamblers who thronged the Artillery Ground. Some matches were disrupted because of that year's parliamentary election, which resulted in a win for the Whigs under Henry Pelham. Kent v England Two games between Kent and England were due to be played at Bromley Common on Monday, 29 June, and at the Artillery Ground on Wednesday, 1 July, but both matches were 'deferred on account of the gentlemen subscribers being engaged at several Elections'.McCann 2004 42 The parliamentary election of 1747 resulted in a Whig government under Henry Pelham (1694–1754). In those days, voting was limited to male landed gentry. The match on the Artillery Ground was re-arranged for 31 August, and the Bromley Common one for 2 September.ACS 1981 22 Most of the players were from one of eight clubs: Addington, Bexley, Bromley, Dartford, Hadlow, London, Sevenoaks, and Slindon. The Daily Advertiser announced the teams on 31 August: England—Richard Newland (Slindon), Green (Amberley, Sussex), Stephen Dingate, Little Bennett, Thomas Jure (all London), Tom Faulkner, Joe Harris, Broad, George Jackson (all Addington), William Sawyer (Richmond), and Maynard (Surrey). Kent—Robert Colchin, James Bryant, John Bryant (all Bromley), Val Romney, George Kipps, John Mansfield (all Sevenoaks), John Bell, Thomas Bell (both Dartford), Jones, John Larkin (both Hadlow), and Robert Eures (Bexley). The source also carried a statement by George Smith, the Artillery Ground keeper: 'The Town may be certain that the taking Six-pence Admittance is out of no avaricious Temper. Two-pence being greatly insufficient to the Charge that attends the Matches, which Mr Smith is ready and willing to make appear to any Gentleman'.McCann 2004 42 Both matches are 'result unknown'.ACS 1981 22McCann 2004 42 Addington & Croydon v London A combined Addington & Croydon team played three matches against London.ACS 1981 22 The first, played at Duppas Hill, Croydon, on 29 May was unfinished when scheduled time expired. The players agreed to play it out more than a week later. That happened a week after the return match on 1 June at the Artillery Ground. The match recommenced on 9 June, and was won by Addington & Croydon.https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/41/ Ashley-Cooper F. S. F. S. Ashley-Cooper At the Sign of the Wicket Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game Merritt & Hatcher Ltd London XIX 532 35–37 29 March 1900 ACS The scheduled return took place 1 and 2 June on the Artillery Ground, where London won. The third match, also on the Artillery Ground, was arranged for 15 June, but the result is unknown. A newspaper announcement stated: 'They have played two matches this season, and each won one with great difficulty, being two days playing each match'. Single wicket matches by date Five of Slindon played four matches in July, all on the Artillery Ground. On the 6th, they met Five of Dartford. This was the result of a challenge by Slindon, published in the Daily Advertiser on Monday, 29 June to play 'five of any parish in England, for their own Sum'. The announcement advised interested parties: 'If it is accepted of by any, they are desir'd to go to Mr Smith, who has Orders to make Stakes for them". The three Newland brothers—Adam, John, and Richard—all played. On Saturday, 4 July, George Smith announced in the same paper that 'five of Dartford in Kent, have made Stakes with him, and will play with the above Gentlemen at the Time and Place above mentioned for twenty Pounds'.https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/57/ Ashley-Cooper F. S. F. S. Ashley-Cooper At the Sign of the Wicket Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game Merritt & Hatcher Ltd London XIX 533 51–53 12 April 1900 ACSMcCann 2004 37 Slindon's next match on the 8th was against Five of Bromley, and this was another game resulting from the challenge. At least one of the Newland brothers played for Slindon.Buckley 1935 21McCann 2004 38 On the 10th and 15th of the month, Slindon played against Five of Hadlow. Details of neither match are known.McCann 2004 38McCann 2004 41 In early August, there were two single wicket matches at the Artillery Ground which were organised by the 2nd Duke of Richmond. In the first, three of his employees Stephen Dingate, Joseph Rudd, and Pye defeated Little and Tall Bennett, and William Anderson. In the second, the same threes were to play again but in a 'fives' match with the two—James and John—Bryant brothers added to the Duke's team, and with Tom Faulkner and one—either Joe or John—of the Harris brothers to their opponents. The result of the second game is unknown.McCann 2004 41 On Saturday, 5 September, there was a three-a-side game at the Artillery Ground between Long Robin's Three and Stephen Dingate's Three. The teams were Robert Colchin (alias Long Robin), John Harris, and Val Romney against Stephen Dingate, Richard Newland, and Thomas Jure. It was played for sixty guineas per side, and the players were specially chosen from those who had played in the Kent v England games above, so possibly they were the best performers in those matches. It was ruled that 'all Strokes behind as well as before Wickets' counted, and in this respect the contest 'differs from any Three Match ever play'd'.McCann 2004 42 Matches with unknown results Addington & Croydon v Deptford & Greenwich, to be played 13 May at Duppas Hill was pre-announced in the London Evening Post on Saturday, 9 May. No post-match report has been found.Buckley 1937 2 Two Dartford v London matches were scheduled for 12 and 29 June, on Dartford Brent and the Artillery Ground respectively. Dartford had another match 2 July, against Hadlow on Dartford Brent. This was pre-announced in the Penny London Post of Wednesday, 1 July as 'the deciding match' but there is no report of the game, and no references to the earlier fixture(s).Buckley 1937 2 If it was played, one of the biggest matches of the 1747 season might have been Long Robin's Nine v William Hodsoll's Ten on the Artillery Ground. Planned for 9 July, it was a 'scratch match' arranged by members of the London club. The players were mostly from London, Bromley, Dartford, Hadlow, and Slindon. Long Robin's Nine were Robert Colchin, all three—Adam, John, and Richard—Newland brothers, both—James and John—the Bryant brothers, Little Bennett, John Bowra, and Thomas Jure. Hodsoll's Ten were William Hodsoll, Allen, John Bell, Thomas Bell, Broad, Tom Faulkner, one—either Joe or John—of the Harris brothers, and three players from Hadlow who were John Larkin, Jones, and one unnamed team-mate. A similar match was planned for 28 July on Kennington Common between Tom Faulkner's XI and John Bowra's XI. This was billed as 'Long Tom of Surrey against the Kentish Shepherd', those being the nicknames of Tom Faulkner, who was also a prizefighter, and John Bowra. The other players would be 'ten other persons on each team, picked out of different parts'. An additional comment said: 'Long Tom is well known for his excellent play and therefore needs no puffs; he backs himself 5 to 4 against the Kentish shepherd'.Buckley 1935 21 Three matches in August were London v Bromley & Ripley (Artillery Ground); Bromley & Ripley v London (Ripley Green); and London v Hadlow (Artillery Ground). Before the first game on the Artillery Ground, George Smith published a statement: 'These matches being attended with great Charge the Door, for the Future, will be Six-pence; Two-pence not being sufficient to defray the Expense'. Hadlow, near Tonbridge in Kent, was stated to be 'a famous parish for cricket'. Other events According to Rowland Bowen, cricket was first played in New York this year.Bowen 1970 264 This is, however, doubted by Ian Maun, who states that 'no contemporary record of cricket in New York is known before 1751'.Maun 2009 180 First mentions Clubs and teams Addington & CroydonBuckley 1937 2 Bromley & Ripley HadlowBuckley 1937 2 John Bowra's XIBuckley 1935 21 Tom Faulkner's XIBuckley 1935 21 Venues Ripley Green Players name club/county notes Allen Dartford, Kent, and Middlesex Recorded in one match in 1747. Ashley-Cooper says he 'afterwards played for Middlesex'.https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/89/ Ashley-Cooper F. S. F. S. Ashley-Cooper At the Sign of the Wicket Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game Merritt & Hatcher Ltd London XIX 535 83–85 26 April 1900 ACS Also played for England in 1759.Haygarth 1996 2 John Bell Dartford and Kent Noted wicket-keeper. Thomas Bell Brother of the above. Condemned to death in 1762 but later reprieved. Thomas Jure London Mentioned in match reports from 1747 to 1749. John Mansfield Sevenoaks and Kent Batsman noted for single wicket appearances. John Larkin Hadlow and Kent Noted single wicket performer. Jones Mentioned in match reports from 1747 to 1749. Joseph Rudd Sussex Noted single wicket performers.McCann 2004 41 Pye Henry Venn England or Surrey Played cricket at the University of Cambridge until he was ordained in June 1747. His biographer says he played in an England v Surrey match shortly beforehand. Venn was said to have been 'a good batsman'.Maun 2009 172–173 Notes note References Bibliography ACS Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863 1981 ACS Nottingham https://archive.acscricket.com/online_library/match_guides/bi_imp_match_guide/index.html 85045528 Bowen Rowland Rowland Bowen Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development 1970 Eyre & Spottiswoode London 978-04-13278-60-9 Buckley G. B. G. B. Buckley Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket 1935 Cotterell & Co. Birmingham 23450280 Buckley G. B. G. B. Buckley Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket 1937 Cotterell & Co. Birmingham 23469107 Haygarth Arthur Arthur Haygarth Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826) Frederick Lillywhite Kennington 1996 1862 978-19-00592-23-9 Maun Ian Ian Maun From Commons to Lord's, Volume One: 1700 to 1750 2009 Roger Heavens Cambridge 978-19-00592-52-9 McCann Tim Timothy J. McCann Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century 2004 West Sussex Record Office Lewes 978-08-54450-55-8 https://www.sussexrecordsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital_editions/SRS-Vol-88.pdf 88 Further reading Altham H. S. Harry Altham E. W. Swanton E. W. Swanton A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914) 5th 1962 George Allen & Unwin London 894274808 Birley Derek Derek Birley A Social History of English Cricket 1999 Aurum Press London 978-18-54107-10-7 https://archive.org/details/socialhistoryofe0000birl_d1n5 Internet Archive Major John John Major More Than A Game 2007 HarperCollins London 978-00-07183-64-7 https://archive.org/details/morethangamestor0000majo_b8t0 Internet Archive Marshall John John Marshall (cricket writer) The Duke Who Was Cricket Frederick Muller Ltd London 1961 11214571 Category:1740s in cricket Category:English cricket seasons in the 18th century Category:1747 in England