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David Heron's memories from Orpington CC old days

In 1968 Jim Owlett, Harold Target and Ernie Smith, who had been members of Orpington Sports Club at the Goddington Lane site, wanted to reform the club and approached me to ask if I would try to get the London Borough of Bromley to lease the agricultural land at Goddington Dean next to the park to enable a new club to be formed. It was approx 25 acres of rough meadow land and rented out to a farmer for grazing his cattle.

Why approach me, well I had been a tennis member at the old club and was the Councillor for Goddington Ward so it was time for me to get involved.

The Recreation & Parks Committee had a very sympathetic and understanding Chairman in Clr Ken Cask who acknowledged the problem that the loss of Orpington’s Sports Club ground for the building of St Olave’s school created and he agreed to put my request on to the next meeting’s agenda. It was not going to be a done deal to achieve a long term lease for the club as the Council had previously turned the application down prior to my election to the Council. The good news was that the Committee and then the full Council did approve a 40 year lease for a peppercorn rent.

Jim Owlett, Harold Target and Ernie Smith’s persistence had got the land but now they had to start raising money, hiring a good grounds man and getting quotations for the pavilion and a hundred other essential jobs before playing members could enjoy the new facilities being provided.

Having arrived at this point I was again approached by the trio of Owlett, Target and Smith who had another problem. They needed someone to be Chairman of the opening Committee as the provisional plans were very ambitious. It was no contest, three of them against just me, I could not twist my way out of their firm and unyielding grip.

From the forming of the Opening committee there was a two years time scale to when the ground and the pavilion would be ready. As Chairman I was fortunate in having a very good group of enthusiastic representatives from each of the planned sports sections of the new club. Cricket (Alan Fry), Ladies Cricket, (Sue Boatman the England captain), plus tennis, football, netball, men and women’s hockey, lacrosse, table tennis, judo and korf ball.

Part of the committee’s job was to try to obtain grants from the various sporting bodies including the National Playing Fields Association and County Associations. The second major task was to try to have “Star” teams from each sport to be present at the official opening to play the club sides. The cricket section represented by Alan Fry and myself went to Lords and spent a very pleasant evening negotiating for the Taverners to come to Orpington. Stars who did play included Ian Lavender, Mr Pastry, Jeremy Kemp and Nicholas Parsons.

The celebrity who came to undertake to official opening duties was Henry Cooper who was a major catch for us. All the sections played their part in attracting Star Guests and on a wonderful sunny Saturday the present Orpington Sports Club officially opened in front of a massive crowd.

Sport was being played in the previous year as the sport sections worked to re established their fixture list. The cricket section was fortunate in having Eric Cox, a player with many years of playing club cricket at a high level return, and he quickly created a good fixture list with good clubs. Those who were around at this time will remember before each game everyone walking across the cricket ground with a bucket in hand picking up stones. This went on for a full year.

Eric was the captain of what was a small but enthusiastic group. At the start of the reformed club pre the official opening the first fixture was against The Commercial Union Insurance Co at Beckenham. On the Friday evening Eric could only find 10 players and in desperation he said to me, “would you like a game”. I quickly explained I had not played for about 15 years since being invalided out of the RAF. Eric said that was Ok, it would be a disaster to turn up with only ten players, no umpire and no scorer. I relented and first thing on Saturday morning dashed down to Bruce’s in the high street and bought a pair of white flannels. I had white tennis plimsolls and a white sweater. My main memory is of Alan Fry top scoring with 49 runs mainly driven off the edge through third man. I fielded at slip and was bowled out forth ball without needing to trouble the opponent’s scorer. I think Eric bowled well and we just managed a win. The following Friday I was again asked to play and as luck would have it I think I scored a few runs and held a couple catches and was asked in the dressing room if I was available for the following week. As much as I love the game it was the fun of being part of the team before, during and after the game. Over the next few months the squad of players increased as did the quality and by the time of the Taverners match a good eleven was able to be fielded.

Whilst I did have some good games over the years my biggest contribution to the club I feel was in obtaining the ground and Chairing the very successful official opening. I was captain of the Saturday 2nd and Sunday 1st X1 during my time and smile when I recall being told I may never walk again without crutches after my accident. How cricket and tennis have helped me and I’m glad I could give something back.

David Heron







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