After the war they played in the Northern Combination League, which they won in 1947. This is popularly known as the Compton/Edrich season.

1950 saw them in the North West Durham League. This was a strong league but in 1985 they won it and left to join the Tyneside Senior League.

Today the emphasis of the club is on youth and teams for Under 13, Under 15, Under 18 as well as the First XI and Second XI are coached, encouraged and have full fixture lists. The Club continues to enjoy the great family loyalty, which it has always received.

A glimpse of the family names over the decades is fascinating. These include the doctors Andy and Eddy Smith, their cousin Wilkie Willis, the Rectors, the Scout Master T. Heron, the farmer Mr. Rutter, Muncaster, Taylor, Buckton, Maughan, Laybourne, Proud, Pyle, Handy, Baty, Rose, Oloman, Archer, Athol Campbell, Carr-Ellison, Cheeseman, and later the Ashleys.

Early Days

Finance was always a problem and apart from a yearly subscription of 6 shillings, other methods of raising money had to be introduced. Raffles(always a good source of income) and an annual dance,which was very popular, was well attended in pre TV days. Al this, plus the sterling work of the Ladies kept the finances of the club in the black. .

The Durham County Education committee hired the field for £6 each year, and held the local schools' sports day there. Front Street School paid £3 to hold its Sports Day. The 2 tennis courts, situated near the score-board, paid £2 each year. In 1936 the Club paid £7.10 shillings to rent the field. As the name Glebe suggests, this field has always been part of the Church land.

Machinery was shared or hired with other cricket clubs. There is a record of borrowing a mower from Blaydon Cricket Club.

Later Days

In 1974 the Council built a fine club- house on the Glebe field. It is shared by footballers and cricketers equally and has excellent facilities.
There are 5 representatives from each sport on the General Committee.150 people may be seated in the lounge bar. The central situation of the Glebe has provided a good base for club activities.

In 1979 one of the best scoreboards in the county was installed. Underneath, the equipment and machinery is stored.

In 1983, the undulations, a relic of medieval strip- farming, which had caused untold trouble to generations of fielders, were removed when the field was finally levelled. In the same year permanent seating was installed and the ground was enclosed in 2-metre fencing. There is an excellent car park adjoining the ground. The cricket club seems set for a bright future.

Whickham Cricket Memories

Often cricket pleasure games took place on Cooks Field, West Street Whickham. This site, now occupied by houses, was a field shorn of grass with an uneven surface, very rough rubble and clay which had baked hard during the years.

Large stones formed the wicket, bats were made out of any timber such as floor boards, railings, or old furniture, usually lasting one hour, sometimes less.

One evening a party went to Taylor's plantation on Fellside Road, and felled a young oak tree 7inches. in diameter. Two pieces 4feet. long were cut, branches and waste were left. Some handy man produced two well-made bats whose weight was treble the weight of a normal bat.

Wooden balls were turned on a lathe by Alfie Elliot, trying all species of seasoned wood without much success, finally he gave up. When the Hoppings came to the Church Green, lads retrieved wooden balls which went astray from the coco-nut shies, which soon ran out.

A whip-round gathered in halfpennies and pennies. Two volunteers walked to Newcastle and purchased a cork ball, which proved a success.

About 20-30 participated in these games. One afternoon burly Tom Taylor seized these bats, gave a threatening talk in abusive language, then threw the bats down. Vandalism was curbed by his action, no more trees were cut.

Cricket during the Miners Strike 1926

During the miners' strike of 1926, lads and men had a keen interest in sport. As the summer months were approaching the Australian cricket team were touring this country. Five of our youths thought it a good idea to attend a Test Match, the nearest one being held at Leeds.

Our first thought was the cash. We began to prepare weeks before the date of the match. We needed 2/6d. Entrance and at least another 2/- for sundries such as programme, pop, parkings etc.

The day came to prepare to leave. Our mothers packed a large bait, enough to last two days. It consisted of a granny loaf, half a stotty loaf with jam on and finally into the haversack went a pint enamel pot.

We left Whickham 10 o'clock at night on bikes, with a small paraffin lamp on one bike, down Lobley Hill, along the Coach Road, Birtley, Chester-le Street, Darlington, etc. We had to travel through towns and villages as there were no by-passes in those days. Almost all these towns and villages had a fountain or horse-trough which provided us with drinks.

Arriving at Headingly, Leeds, 6am, we parked our bikes in a back yard for 3d. T Then we joined the queue sitting on the pavement in bright sunshine.

Gates opened 9am. In we all went sitting on wooden planks without backrests, excitement among the crowd as the game started.

Australia batted first, however first ball bowled had Bardsley caught behind for a duck. It was great and gave England a confident start.

Luck deserted England when Australian Mc.Cartney scored a century before lunch, and during the afternoon another century by Andrews. We, as spectators, became bored, tired, drowsy, and really browned off, sitting in the sun all day.

Match over 6pm. We collected our bikes and soon left Roundhay Park behind. At 7pm., about 5 miles out of Leeds on a lonely main road we pitched our tent on a grass verge and called it a day.

7am. Next day, all refreshed, we had an uneventful ride home.

Gives you some idea of the hard and strenuous days, although very interesting. I do not suppose this trip would have been thought of had it not been for the miners' strike.

The Five Cyclists were John Copeland, George Copeland, Kit Heron ,Edward Proud and Charles Lambert.