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  History of the club

Lindum Cricket Club was formed in 1856.  Both the club and the ground are known locally as "The Lindum".  Minor Counties cricket has been played at the Lindum for over a hundred years and other important cricket events have also been held here.  In 1895 the Lindum was seen as "the strongest provincial team in England".

The club first played on a field on the south side of Monks Road, then at three other different grounds, including a field behind the grandstand on Lincoln racecourse. The present ground, which has been in use for over a century, is just a few minutes walk away from the magnificent
cathedral in the ancient city of Lincoln.  There used to be a stable on the ground for the horse which pulled the mower!

From the Lincoln Gazette, 1870
A public meeting was called at 11.30am on Thursday 1st November 1870. The meeting resolved that a county cricket club be established for Lincolnshire and that a ground be obtained for the use of the club.  A committee was appointed to arrange terms with Lindum CC for the use of their ground.  At a meeting early in December 1870 the county club agreed to pay the Lindum the sum of £30 for the preparation of 45 by 15 yards of their ground for their exclusive use, the Lindum club agreeing that the county should have an equal right with themselves of the tenure of the field.  The county club also agreed to pay between £25 and £30 per annum to the Lindum on condition that they kept the ground in proper order for them.

Matches on the Lindum (above) around 1900 and (below) a hundred years later. 

Julius Caesar played on our ground.  No - not that one!   This one played for Surrey and he was in an All-England XI which also included George Parr, Richard Daft, Tom Hayward and John "Foghorn" Jackson which played 22 of Lincoln & District at the Lindum in June 1860.  Apart from the fact that Batty was caught by Daft, it is curious that in a three-day 2-innings match the number of runs scored only totalled 177--for the loss of 62 wickets!

Other visitors have included the New Zealand tourists who played the Minor Counties representative side here in 1965, Surrey in the Gillette Cup in 1974, Derbyshire in the NatWest Trophy in 1997, and Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. 

Julius Caesar (Surrey), Richard Daft and George Parr (Notts)

In the 1920s and 1930s the Lindum used to hold a popular annual Cricket Week when 2-day "friendly" matches were played against such opposition as the Derbyshire Friars.  It was a time when people had a great deal of enjoyment in creating their own entertainment.  Nowadays, when we're supposed to have more leisure, no-one has the time. 

One or two families have had an association with the Lindum for many years.  Martyn Shaw (seated fourth from the right) was the father of Eric Shaw and grandfather of David and Tim. 

Nick Rollett's father played for the Lindum and his two sons now play in our junior teams.  Nick is the great grandson of W F Elderkin--a Lindum player in 1867!

The Lindum XI which played Derbyshire Friars in 1922.  The club's professional (standing, second from the left in the boater) was obviously not playing in this match. This side included two army officers, a surgeon and the bosses of three well-known Lincoln businesses--Newsum's (timber merchants), Whitton's (bakers) and Shaw's (cabinet makers and furnishers).   Standing:  F "Dad" Theaker (umpire), Tom Shaw (pro), F Rose, A Gamble, R Stimpson, Capt Billiatt, C Wilson, G W Andrew (scorer).  Seated:  G C Wells-Cole, G A H Mence (secretary), R Whitton jun., H N Newsum, Major C Wilson (capt), Martyn Shaw, W Rose (wkt), R Whitton senior (President), R L Sharman.