The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-10-27 00:00:00

CRICKET ON SUNDAYS.

A eorrrepon lect, sisolog himself "Urbantts," thee writes
to the Paid Malt

I have been spending this autumn in the vicarage of
a pleasant village in Blankshire, famous for its cricket,
which I have rented during the parson's holiday. Its
eleven can beat any other eleven in the whole comity.
On the mouth f rout of Hall, within the park, is
a wide expanse of green, surrounded by beaches of
enormous size and singular beauty, and divided from
the pleasure grounds of the hall by a haMa. Here the
two clubs of the village—one for men, the other for
boys— are allowed to play whenever they can and when-
ever they please, save and except during the hours of
divine service on Sundays. The neighbouring gentle-
men and their sons all make a point of belonging to
these clubs, and almost every evening during my stay
here Park has presented as merry and wholesome
a sight as can well greet the eyes of those who like to
see their fellow-creatures enjoying themselves inno-
cently and manfully. Under its old trees Mr. has
giodmaturedly ranged benches which, on Sundays
especially, are crowded with the village worthies, their
wives. and their children ; and never have I seen or
, mixed with a better behaved or a happier society than
, that which meets on line sumnicr evenings on the
cricket-ground of -- Park.
. . _

The expenses of these two clubs are not heavy. Mr.
-- keeps the ground in order for them and occa-
sionally presents them with bats, and each member
subscribes a penny a week. On four or five occasions
whilst I hare been here, a tent had been pitched, a
simple luncheon spread, and a match played with a
neighbouring club; and I have occasionally seen the
-- eleven starting in a spring.van to play a return
match abroad.
. . .

M, nen I first came down here my two boys became
members of the junior club; and often as I have stood
by and watched them play with the villagers, I have
never heard a bad word spoken or an oath used, or
seen either drinking Cr smoking on the cricket-ground.
I do not know whether it is forbidden to drink or
smoke there; I only know that the villagers do not do
so, and it is probable that were any individual to mis-
conduct himself he would be forbidden the park. Such
a punishment would be to a villager of -- a very
heavy mortification indeei'.
I asked my landlord, the vicar, whether he sanc-
tioned this "desecration" 14 the Sabbath. His answer
%•1 A° AO VelY Weil fin 011 riukt grvia44 wilt,'

_
I oppose it. My church is, you see, wall attended; our
labourers, although their wages am very low, are
certainly better off and better behaved than the
labourers of many of the adjoining parishes. Mr.
-- Is the most liberal and kindest of masters and
landlords, and if I were to object I should disoblige
him, and my objections could not have much weight
against his wishes with the people, who have been
brought up to look upon their Sundarcricket in the
Park lean institution. It certainly does civilize them,
and creates a healthy and manly intercourse between
the various classes who meet on the ground. If our
Labourers were not playing cricket on Sundays with the
young farmers and gentry of the neighbourhood they
would be either drinking at the public house, snaring
game in the wpods, or courting in the by-lanes. I
think that botl lads and Lamm are much happier and
safer when collected together in -- Park than tip-
pling in beer-houses or skulking about in pairs in the
woods."
I have no doubt that I have only heard and described
here one aide of this question, and that it ham another
and a more objectionable side. If there is anything
to be urged against village criuket on Sundays, I wish
you would invite some of your currespondente to state
it in your columns; if there is not, I would ask why
the good example set by Mr. is not more generally
followed. The labounng poor In England have few
opportunities of innocent enjelment, and it surely
behove those who have the means of doing so, to
promote those opportunities whenever, and as much
as, they can.