Ground and Pavilion History:

Cricket in Wood Street was played on the village green from 1871 when ‘ a cricket ground was prepared’.  This was the same time as the renewal of the Maypole.  It is not known exactly when Wood Street Cricket Club was formed but photographs of the team date back to 1905. 

Village cricket matches were played pre 2^nd WW.  Often with a barrel of beer on the Green.  ‘Pop’ Reeves, having a wooden leg didn’t deter him from sometimes joining in.  Approx 1931/32 the RASC from Aldershot would come to play cricket against Wood Street on the village Green. They came with a 4 horse Army transporter. After the match they all adjourned to the White Hart Pub. It is said the horses found their own way home.

The club had no pavilion but used several local facilities including the ‘White Hart Public House outbuilding’, the ‘Wheelwrights’ on the corner of White Hart Lane and latterly the ‘British Legion’.  Teas were recorded to have been held in the garden at Clovers, White Hart Lane in the early 1960s when owned by John Bristow the fixtures secretary.

The present club was formed in 1960 when the village green was a very derelict area.  With much hard work by a dedicated group of enthusiasts the green was once again made fit for a game of cricket,  Land drains were installed in 1964 with financial help from the parish council.  In 1980 wsvcc played in the Wey Valley League on Saturdays with friendlies played on a Sunday.  The Sunday team has played against some of the same sides for over 45 years (to present day 2024) – including wandering sides such as Sons of Baccus and Uplands. Colts under 14s played during the week generally with a 6:15pm start.  In 1980 the club Headquarters was the Royal British Legion, Wood Street (now Christopher Robin Nursery) where they had a clubroom and changing facilities on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Village Green Cricket in the 1980s

In 1991 the Cricket Club moved to Toby’s Oaks, Backside Common in Wood Street Village.

The sports field at Backside Common was originally cleared as a football pitch in about 1964 by Toby Page Smith.  The football team played there until the late 1980’s when it disbanded.

The lack of a pavilion and an abundance of cars parked around the green prompted the cricket club to relocate to Backside Common (at the end of White Hart Lane) In 1991.  The sports field was transformed under the direction of Norman Sherwin and a great deal of effort from the club members.   Drainage was vastly improved and a temporary pavilion was built from a ‘temporary classroom unit’.

 

 

John Morley, Ken Albery, Jack Newton and a young Adam Trinick outside the ‘classroom block’ being converted into a pavilion.

 

Opening of the first pavilion 17th July 1991

 

New Pavilion 2006

In 2006 the temporary pavilion was replaced by a new timber framed building. Construction was carried out by Barry Woodger, President of the Club.

New Pavilion Opened by the Mayor of Guildford

Councillor Angela Gunning opened the new pavilion on 11th June 2006. Seen here with the club secretary Mrs C Tester and Barry Woodger on the right.

I’anson League provided a team to play Wood Street on the day.

Top: Daryl Bell, Neil Lunn, Liam Hayman, Davd Grey, Zaheed Azeem, Dave Powell.

Bottom: Kevin Hayman, Richard Buckmaster, Steve Wright, Gray Howard, Gary Dobson