This is the team that won the Cricket Cup in the same year that the Braun Football Team won the Interdepartmental Football Cup. Back Row: ??, ??, George Short (manager), Geoff Smith, Ray Thomas, Jack Gilson, ??. Front Row: Will Carr, ??, Benny Brown, ??, Peter Johnson. Most of these players were in the football and athletics teams that managed to win the treble that year. Missing is Len Toulson who was also a member of this team.
Photograph and details courtesy of Ben Brown.
My father, Jim Crammond worked for ABP and ran the Sports Club for Ashmores in the 50’s onwards until his retirement.
I now live in Chichester, and have several medals which he had, which were given by visiting bowls clubs from abroad.
As I am now in my 80’s I guess there wont be many who remember him, but this might be of interest to someone.
Maggie Barker.
Just to clarify it’s not the late Barry Jeffels, he’s very much still alive.
How did I get that wrong Anon I was at the final match at Ayrsome Park when Crook won 1-0, never thinking that I would one day would play for Crook Town in their well known golden strip. When I look at the football in the Local Crook team now they are languishing in some lower Northern League. What a pity for such an illustrious Club to find themselves in. We can put their demise down to the closing of all the Durham pits in the area.
News to me Anon that Barry Jeffells was an ex Newham Schoolboy. When you look back Newham Grange had a long list of ex schoolboys who played various sports a a high level.. One I remember was Les Dixon who played for Bishops in that memorable Final over three games against Crook Town who eventually won at Newcastle’s ground after drawing at Wembley and Middlesbrough the two previous matches, Twaites and Trevor Cockerill come to mind and John Hunter the the Stockton CC bowler who tragically died very young from some exotic disease, Ronnie Laverick the Stockton FC stalwart. There must be many more that I do not know about, maybe you or someone else can fill in some gaps Anon.
Ben, It was decided at Middlesbrough 1-0, after Wembley & Newcastle, I was at Wembley with a 100,000 crowd & nearly 200,000 show the three ties. Two other ex-Newham Grange lads were Donny Heath, Boro, Norwich City & Swindon Town & Denis Clarke, W.B.A., Birmingham City & Huddersfield, both played in finals at Wembley.
http://www.fchd.info/cups/amcup1953-54.htm
Not forgetting Ben, the two local lads in the Crook Town team Bill Jeffs & Ken Williamson.
http://www.ayresomepark.co.uk/othermatches/amateurcup.htm
Yes the late Barry Jeffels was at Newham Grange 1954-58. Another ex Newham Grange pupil was the Middlesbrough F.C. chief executive Keith Lamb who is now working for the F.A., Denis Thwaites who got killed in the Tunisian massacre went to Holy Trinity School.
Correct Anon, I must have had a senior moment not remembering Barry who as you know was a first class all rounder at cricket and football… I remember playing against Barry in a one man tournament where the players bowled three overs and batted three overs with the other contestants acting as the fielders, it was a knock out tournament and he last man standing was the winner. Do they still hold this sort of tournament now? In Australia at present the 20/20 game is popular and attracts huge crowds to the games even though all the matches are televised. They claim it is a new form of cricket but we played this sort of cricket sixty years ago as I remember playing in the cup matches for Stockton in such as the Kerridge Cup. Macmillan Cup. which were played in the evenings after work and were usually 20 or 30 overs apiece…
Yes Ben, Barry was an ex Newham Grange Schoolboy like yourself & was a excellent goalkeeper who played for Stockton F.C., Ashmores & Head Wrightsons.
Ben, is the player on the front row and second from the right, Barry Jeffels?
Did you know my Uncles, Horace and Raymond Jennings?
I remember Jack Gilson from my days in Stockton, also Len Toulson but not sure how I knew Len.
He lived in Nolan PLace, Stockton, just off Balaclava St.
He was a good left winger for Ashmores, I thought I knew him when I first played against him but I didn’t know where from.
The Geoff Smith in this photo is the son of the old football referee Ernie (send them off) Smith.