Beyond Bootham Crescent: The Story of Shared Ground with York Cricket Club
Steve Barrett
Steve tells us more about the lease of Old Layre Close to York Cricket and Bowling Club.
Old Layre Close was a field under the ownership of Barkers Charity until it was agreed in 1881 to allow York Cricket Club to lease it and change its use.
In 1913 a formal lease was prepared for the York Cricket and Bowling Club to use the field for their sporting activities for a further 10 years.
The trustees of Barkers Charity at that time included Edward Charnock Smith, the Vicar of St Saviours, John Mackie of 26 Portland Street, George Wray of Palmer Lane and George Henry Golledge of 31 St Saviourgate.
The lessees and representatives of the cricket club included Walter Blenkin (journalist), Thomas Edgar Cuthbert of Coney Street (caterer), Arthur Hempe of 26 Blossom Street (GP), and Robert Wright of Earlsborough Terrace (manager). The land cost £45 a year to rent in 1913.
A history of the cricket club has been written and the club is still in existence, very successfully in their league. Joseph Terry was the chairman of the club in the 1880s and his son in law Charles Wright was a very successful cricketer.
The cricket club remained on the ground until 1932 when the land was leased to York City Football Club who had previously had a football pitch in Fulford. After leasing it, the Bootham Crescent ground was built and ready to be played on in just four months.