Scott Oliver, author of the “Sticky Dogs and Stardust” books on professionals in league cricket, recently posted a link on Facebook to “Cricketers All” the fascinating North West Film Archive footage of Rawtenstall v Bacup, on a very hot 18th June, 1949, when a crowd of some 10,000 turned up. The film can be watched here: https://vimeo.com/411072749.
But this was derby day throughout the league, and Lowerhouse were hosting their own record gate of £253 v Burnley. In 1949, entry at the gate was one shilling, so this works out at roughly 5,000 people! Plus,presumably, members didn’t pay, and Lowerhouse had some 900 of themin the unlikely event of them all turning up. The next highest gate that season, v Colne, was more than £100 less than the Burnley game, and the remainder of the season averaged about £30 so a fine day for the local derby was vital.
Incidentally, there were two footballers playing that day, who were unique in their different ways. For Burnley, Peter Kippax, was a member of the 1947 Burnley FC promotion winning and cup final losing team. But for illness he would have been the first amateur for 20 years to win a full England cap in 1947. Kippax came from a wealthy textile family and never turned pro. Here he is in 1947 presenting prizes to very excited Rosegrove schoolboys, winners of the Keighley Cup.
For Lowerhouse, Alf Charles was one of the first black players to play professional football in England, in the 1930s. He was a close friend of Constantine, St. Hill and Manny Martindale. Seen here in 1963 as landlord of the Albert pub in Nelson.
Lowerhouse battered a previously successful Burnley team, despite Burnley’s pro, Cec Pepper, one of the pros profiled in the film “Cricketers All”, recording his best ever Lancashire League bowling figures of 7 for 61 off 16.4 overs. Lowerhouse scored 141 all out then cleaned Burnley up for 79 a.o. with pro Manny
Martindale taking 4 for 28 off 12 overs, and amateurs Ernie Smith and Joe Drabble taking 3 and 2 respectively. (Full score card can be found on the Lancashire League website
https://www.lancashireleague.com/Scorecards/150/150263.html). What a pity Sam Hanna, or anybody with a cine camera, didn’t record the Lowerhouse Derby game too, or did they??? “Sportsman” aka Don Smith, the Burnley Express sports writer, produced a typically humorous match report, this from the Express of 22nd June 1949.
