1752 English cricket season - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Impact of the Gregorian Calendar

It was a very important year in dating terms. The Gregorian calendar

Gregorian calendar

The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...

, first devised in 1582, was finally adopted in Great Britain. An 11-day discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian versions was corrected by having Wednesday 2 September 1752 followed by Thursday 14 September 1752. There was civil unrest among the population due to a widespread belief that people’s lives were literally being shortened by 11 days! Fortunately, for the purposes of cricket history, the calendar change has minimal impact because the cricket season never began before 25 March and so the year is always the same whether a Julian or Gregorian date is used, apart from a few out of season references that need to be noted accordingly. The only problem is that care has to be taken re any original sources that insisted on using the Julian date after the Gregorian Calendar was introduced. Indeed, there is an example of this below re the Sussex Weekly Advertiser.

Matches

Date	Match Title	Venue	Result
17 June (W)	Kent Kent county cricket teams Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex, is the birthplace of the sport... v Surrey Surrey county cricket teams Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...	Chislehurst Common	result unknown
This match was advertised on Tues 16 June in the Daily Advertiser by George Williams of the White Lion at Streatham Streatham Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:... who said he would provide the best of liquors and a cold collation; he humbly hoped the noblemen and gentlemen would do him the honour of regaling themselves! See the games on 3 and 21 August 1745 for earlier references to Mr Williams and his catering services. Williams played cricket himself and was captain of the Streatham club in 1745.
30 June (Tu)	Bromley Bromley Cricket Club Bromley Cricket Club was one of the strongest English cricket clubs in the mid-18th century when its team was led by Robert Colchin aka "Long Robin".-Earliest mentions:... v London London Cricket Club The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:...	Bromley Common Bromley Common Bromley Common is the area centered around the road of the same name, stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Part of the A21...	match drawn
London scored 52 and 92; Bromley replied with 60 and were 52 for 5 when play ended, presumably because of rain. The precise venue was the White Hart field on Bromley Common Bromley Common Bromley Common is the area centered around the road of the same name, stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Part of the A21... . Stakes were £50 a side. Bromley had John Mansfield (Sevenoaks) and Howard (Kent) as given men.
15 July (W)	London London Cricket Club The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:... v Bromley Bromley Cricket Club Bromley Cricket Club was one of the strongest English cricket clubs in the mid-18th century when its team was led by Robert Colchin aka "Long Robin".-Earliest mentions:...	Artillery Ground Artillery Ground The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...	result unknown
This was the return match postponed from Monday 6 July due to wet weather.
20 July (M)	Westminster v Addington Addington Cricket Club Addington is about three miles south-east of Croydon. It is only a small place but Addington Cricket Club fielded one of the strongest cricket teams in England from about the 1743 season to the 1752 season....	Tothill Fields, Westminster	result unknown
Westminster’s team included Stephen Dingate Stephen Dingate Stephen Dingate was a leading English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He almost certainly began playing in the 1720s and was one of the best known players in England through the 1740s.... , William Anderson William Anderson (cricketer) William Anderson was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who was principally associated with the famous London Cricket Club.... , the two Bennetts Bennett (London cricketer) "Little" Bennett was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for London Cricket Club in the 1740s and 1750s. He was almost certainly the brother of the player known as Tall Bennett... , Perry and Capon. The Addington team included John Mansfield, George Jackson George Jackson (cricketer) George Jackson was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who played for the famous Addington Cricket Club and for Surrey... , John Frame John Frame (cricketer) John Frame was an English cricketer and arguably the first great fast bowler in the game's history... , Durling Durling (Surrey cricketer) The Surrey and All-England cricketer called Durling was a noted player in the mid-18th century, although nothing is known of him outside mentions in match reports.... and the two Harrises Harris brothers (cricketers) John Harris and his brother Joseph Harris were English cricketers in the 1740s and 1750s... .
29 July (W)	Dartford Dartford Cricket Club Dartford Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England and its origins go back to the early 18th century, perhaps earlier.See also: Dartford Brent... v The Rest All-England Eleven In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team...	Dartford Brent Dartford Brent Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. In history, it was the scene of a confrontation between King Henry VI and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York in 1452; and in 1555 thousands of spectators were to witness the burning to death at the stake of...	result unknown
Dartford’s team was pre-announced as William Hodsoll William Hodsoll William Hodsoll , was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. Hodsoll lived at Dartford for some years and was a tanner .... , John Bryant, Robert Eures Robert Eures Robert Eures was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century. He came from Bexley in Kent and played for Kent county cricket teams as well as for All-England... and 8 others of the parish of Dartford against any 11 men to be chosen and taken in any part of England. Dartford was a very strong team in the 1750s and this match is reminiscent of the Slindon challenges of a decade earlier.
29 July (W)	London London Cricket Club The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:... v Edmonton	Artillery Ground Artillery Ground The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...	result unknown
The prize was 10 guineas.
3 August (M)	Westminster v Addington Addington Cricket Club Addington is about three miles south-east of Croydon. It is only a small place but Addington Cricket Club fielded one of the strongest cricket teams in England from about the 1743 season to the 1752 season....	Tothill Fields, Westminster	Westminster by 10 runs
This may be a return to the match on Mon 20 July or it may be the same match having been postponed.
11 August (Tu)	Dartford Dartford Cricket Club Dartford Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England and its origins go back to the early 18th century, perhaps earlier.See also: Dartford Brent... v The Rest All-England Eleven In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team...	Dartford Brent Dartford Brent Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. In history, it was the scene of a confrontation between King Henry VI and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York in 1452; and in 1555 thousands of spectators were to witness the burning to death at the stake of...	result unknown
The source says: Dartford with 4 men allowed against 11 men to be picked out of All England, for £20 a side.
12 August (W)	Addington Addington Cricket Club Addington is about three miles south-east of Croydon. It is only a small place but Addington Cricket Club fielded one of the strongest cricket teams in England from about the 1743 season to the 1752 season.... v Dartford Dartford Cricket Club Dartford Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England and its origins go back to the early 18th century, perhaps earlier.See also: Dartford Brent...	Addington Hill	result unknown
This was another match announced by our most humble servant George Williams, who would again provide the usual accommodation and victuals.
28 September (Th)	Deptford v Westminster	Upper Fountain, Deptford	result unknown
The Daily Advertiser on Sat 29 August (Julian) announced that this game would take place on Thurs 14 September (i.e., day one itself of the Gregorian Calendar immediately following the last Julian date of Wed 2 September). Tom Faulkner Tom Faulkner Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground.... and one of the Harrises Harris brothers (cricketers) John Harris and his brother Joseph Harris were English cricketers in the 1740s and 1750s... were to be given men on the Deptford side. On Thurs 21 September (Gregorian), the Daily Advertiser announced postponement of the match to Thurs 28 September and reported that John Bryant and "two from Chislehurst" would play for Deptford instead of Faulkner and Harris who were not allowed to play.
29 September (F)	Sussex v Surrey Surrey county cricket teams Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...	Long Down	Surrey won by c.80 runs
An interesting one in calendar terms as the report was in the Sussex Weekly Advertiser dated Thurs 16 October (Julian date), which should officially have been dated Thurs 5 October (Gregorian). The report says: Last Friday se’enight the great Match at Cricket between Surrey and Sussex was finished, on Long Down, when Surrey beat by about four score Notches. The match took place on Fri 29 September (Gregorian), not Fri 10 October (Julian) as the source infers.

Other events

On Thursday 27 February (Julian), the Daily Advertiser reported that George Smith

George Smith (cricketer)

George Smith was an English cricketer and also the "keeper" of the Artillery Ground, which was cricket's main venue in London during the mid-Georgian period....

of the Artillery Ground

Artillery Ground

The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...

had taken the late Duke of Somerset’s house at Marlborough and intended to open it as an inn. Smith offered the Artillery Ground and its dwelling house, etc. on lease for 7 years. Smith had evidently overcome his bankruptcy problems in 1748 .

On Saturday 30 May (Julian), the Daily Advertiser carried a notice re the Artillery Ground

Artillery Ground

The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...

that gentlemen may be supplied with bats and balls and that the ground is kept in good order for play by your humble servant William Sharpe .

The Daily Advertiser on Mon 31 August (two days before the end of the Julian Calendar

Julian calendar

The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...

) announced a game on the same day between Marybone (sic) Club and 11 of London for a guinea a man: to meet at Francis Ludgate’s, the Sun and Sportsman next the church. Wickets to be pitched at 1, and the match played out. Note that this "Marylebone Club" had no connection with the Marylebone Cricket Club

Marylebone Cricket Club

Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...

(MCC) .

On the same day, there was a match at Durdham Down near Bristol

Bristol

Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...

between 11 of Bristol and 11 of London for 20 guineas. This was announced in Felix Farley’s Bristol Journal on Sat 29 August (Julian) .

Impact of the Gregorian Calendar

Matches

Other events

External sources

Further reading