About Us

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Club founded in 1846

In that year, the Honorable George Fortescue, owner of Boconnoc estate, wrote in his diary: ‘Cricket club established and first meeting in the park.’ The Royal Cornwall Gazette of 1853 said that the club was founded by the Reverend Richard Buller, Vicar of Lanreath. The Secretary and Treasurer, from 1846 until his death in 1870, was Rev. John Buller Kitson, vicar of Pelynt and Morval. When Teignbridge hammered Boconnoc in 1870 the papers reported that the Boconnoc players were considerably dispirited by the recent death of Rev. John Kitson, who may be said to have been of the fathers of the club.

Early days

The early days of the club reflected the class distinctions of the Victorian age. Ian Clarke has done much research into the social backgrounds of the Boconnoc players in the period 1846-1879 when there were few if any working-class people involved. The club’s rules from 1856 show that every candidate for admission into the club had to be proposed and seconded by an existing member. A vote would then take place, and two black balls would prevent someone becoming a member. If you were accepted as a member, a one-guinea joining fee was payable, together with the annual subscription of one guinea. For a farm labourer, with an average wage of ten shillings a week, this would have been a major obstacle to joining the club.

First building

In 1849, it was recorded in George Fortescue’s diary that the cricket club built the stable in the park. The understanding was that if the club were turned out of the ground before midsummer 1854, Lady Grenville would pay them £50; if before midsummer 1857, she would pay £25; and if after that date, nothing would be paid. The stable, as it is described, is the house which still stands beside the

present pavilion. The club also owned a ‘large and handsome marquee,’ capable of holding over 300 people. This was used for some of the social aspects of the club, particularly the Ladies Days, which involved formal dinners and dancing. In 1861, it was reported: ‘The assemblage in connection with the Boconnoc Cricket Club on Thursday, was as numerous and brilliant as those which were for many

years wont to grace this day of gathering for the elite of the County of Cornwall.’

First matches 

As well as playing teams from both Cornwall and Devon, the club played matches against teams such as Christchurch Cardinals and The Civil Service. Some of the regular players in the early days were first class cricketers such as C.F. Buller (Middlesex), W.G. Curgenven (Derbyshire) and J.H. Kirwan (Cambridge University) together with numerous players who represented the Cornwall and Devon teams of that period. Buller probably scored the first century for the club in 1863, when he hit 118n.o. v The Garrison.

Brief closure

Then, in 1879, a report in the press said ‘formerly the meetings of this club brought together the elite of the county. The Hon. G.M. Fortescue was most hospitable to all-comers, and the Ladies Day, especially, was looked forward to with considerable interest. All that is now changed, and the ‘stock and block’ of the Boconnoc Cricket Club – tents, improvised ballroom, etc. – was scattered to the winds the other day by auction.

The History of Teignbridge Cricket Club says that Boconnoc Cricket Club went out of existence; but if it did it was only for a very short period because early in the 1880s there are reports of games being played. However, the nature of the club had now changed because the club was no longer just for the elite of the county. In 1885, one of the popular matches of that time, the Married members against the Single members took place.

The oldest cricket pavilion in Cornwall?

In April 1897, another diary entry reported: ‘Began erecting a cricket pavilion at the Deer Park ground.’ The pavilion is still in use and is probably the oldest pavilion in Cornwall.

First League games

Friendly cricket was played until 1922 when the club joined the newly-formed Lostwithiel and District League. The club won the league in 1926 and 1929. Some of the notable players in the 1920s were J.D.G. Fortescue (Cornwall), H.S. Stoneman (Cornwall and Devon) and E.H. House (Dorset). In 1925, C. Copplestone took 10-19 against Pensilva. This is believed to be the only occasion that a Boconnoc player has achieved this feat.

In 1930, the club joined the Cornwall Cricket League, but they withdrew at the start of the 1933 season and played friendly games through the rest of 1930s. For much of the 1930s Lostwithiel also had a team, so Boconnoc relied on estate workers and tenants for their players. Among the common surnames connected with the club at this time were Sandercock, Chapman, and Keast. It was in the 1930s that Harold Stead started playing for the club, and he continued until 1990. A top bowler and fine attacking left-hand batsman, he took part in a county trial in 1955.

Second World War

Despite the outbreak of war, the club was able to continue playing into 1941 because so many of the members were in reserved occupations. After the war, the club had a major acquisition with Charlie Kendall, a policeman stationed at Lostwithiel. Pre-war he had taken over 150 wickets for Cornwall and some of his figures for Boconnoc were remarkable. In 1947, the club again joined the Cornwall Cricket League and inspired by Kendall they nearly took the Eastern title losing a last day, winner- take-all game against Gorran.

The 1950s

In 1948, the club reverted to playing friendlies until 1954, when they re-entered the Cornwall Cricket League. The late 1950s saw the club as one of the leading teams in the league, bolstered by the emergence of two local estate boys, George Tucker and Bernard Libby. George topped the league bowling averages on three occasions and played for Cornwall. His haul of 84 league wickets at 4.9 each in 1959 remains a club record. Bernard would go on to take a record 1,683 league wickets for the club.

The 1960s

1961 was very nearly the best season in the club’s history. In the league Boconnoc had 40 points but Veryan and Wadebridge both had 41 points and played off for the title. In the Hawkey Cup there was also a losing final appearance against Gorran. In both 1968 and 1969, the first eleven was well clear at the top of the table going into August, only to fall away.

However, the second eleven, which was founded in 1956, won the Junior League One championship in 1963, with Bill Cackett taking 26 wickets at just 2.58. Sadly, a strong Redruth Seconds team hammered them in the county final.

From 1968 to 1971 the club completed in the Plymouth and District League, winning two championships and the knock out cup.

The 1970s

1970 saw several players leave the club. Relegation from Senior One East followed in 1972, but in 1973 the club was promoted, relegated again in 1974, and promoted as champions in 1975. The county final was lost to Constantine after a hard-fought match. In 1978, Brian Read, a player who had taken 240 wickets for Cornwall joined for one season. 1979 saw another exodus and the club was duly relegated again.

Six-a-side

Six a side cricket provided some success. The well-known Looe six-a-side tournament was won in 1965, 1973, and 1975. Indoor six-a-side cricket at Polkyth Leisure Centre resulted in winning the cup in 1977 and the league in 1978.

First tours

The year 1977, saw the first club tour. John Foot organised matches in his native county of Dorset against Chardstock, Frampton, Beaminster, Weymouth, and Dorchester. Subsequent tours have been to Exmoor, Somerset, the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire area, Isle of Wight, and Yorkshire.

The 1980s

The 1980s saw the first eleven competing in Senior Two East, but the highlight of that decade was the Under 21s winning the Olivey Cup. Unfortunately most of the team moved away for work or university and never returned to the area. Sadly, this is still an ongoing problem. 

In the early 1980s, Michael Blake played his first games for the club and eventually made over 20,000 league runs which included two double centuries. The 230n.o. he scored against Tintagel in 2007 remains the highest score by a Boconnoc player.

The 1990s

The 1990s were a successful decade. The second eleven won two titles but lost in the county finals to Mullion 2nds and Mylor. The first eleven won ten successive games at the end of 1993 but just missed out on promotion, but in 1994 they won twenty successive matches to win Division 3 East and gain promotion to County Two. In the county final the super confident Western champions Goldsithney were hammered by 116 runs with Dave Dunnett taking 7-19. From 1995 to 1999 the first eleven played in County Two. The club was punching above its weight at this time.

150th anniversary

The club’s 150 th anniversary was celebrated with a game against Somerset, part of Graham Rose’s benefit season. In total £2,024 was raised for the club, and Somerset were so impressed with the arrangements they returned the following year. For a small club, with no community around it, fund raising has always been an issue. For many years, whist drives were a regular source of income, taking place mainly in Dobwalls, Lerryn, and Lostwithiel. At each home game, a raffle would be run, and in 1986, Jennie Philp raised £221.10. The opportunities for a major boost to finances are usually few and far between for a club like Boconnoc, but in 1977 the cast of the original series of Poldark took part in a match at the Deer Park and the club raised £1,408.55 on the day.

The 2000s

As had happened many times before, an exodus of players led to relegation in 1999. A reorganisation of the leagues led to Boconnoc being placed in a newly-formed Division One East in 2001. The club expected a difficult season but to make things worse a national outbreak of foot and mouth led to the Deer Park being out of bounds and no home matches were played. The first eleven won just one game during the season. Thanks to the herculean efforts of the fixture secretary John Key and to the co-operation of other clubs, all the fixtures were fulfilled. As a thank-you, The League covered the club’s loss of income from having no home games and other additional expenses.

In 2004, the club reached the final of the Jollys Drinks Complementary Cup. In the final, Boconnoc batted first against Longrock and scored 238/3. Longrock reached 15/0 when the rain came. There was then a bowl out; but unfortunately not one Boconnoc player could hit the stumps in five attempts, and so Longrock took the cup, having hit the stumps twice.

In 2009, the first eleven won promotion to Division Two East, but were relegated two years later.

Overseas players

Overseas players have become an accepted part of the cricket scene in Cornwall over the years. When the club prepared for their first season in County Two in 1995, an Australian was brought over; but he wasn’t impressed by the accommodation offered and moved up country before the start of the season. In 2016, the club brought over a young Zimbabwean called William Mashinge,

who has now scored 1,481 runs and taken 94 wickets in first class cricket.

Recent times

In 2016, the second eleven under the captaincy of Dave Lee won Division Six East. In the county final at Constantine they defeated Mount Hawke seconds with the veteran spinner Rob Trump taking 5-15. In 2019, Jon Niblett became the first Boconnoc player to score 1,000 runs in a league season and then after a one-year break because of Covid, he set another record scoring 1,198 runs in 2021.

For the 2024 season, the 1 st XI will be playing in Division 3 East and the 2 nd XI in Division 6 East. There are two youth teams and coaching available for boys and girls from the age of 5 onwards, all headed up by former county player, Phil Johns. There is also a ladies section. Emily Geach became an integral

part of the first eleven from 2016, and in 2022 she played for Western Storm in the Rachael Hayhoe-Flint Trophy.

Building for the future

In the 1950s and 1960s, the facilities at Boconnoc were basic to say the least. In 1974, electricity was installed in the pavilion. Since then, there have been ongoing improvements such as new changing rooms with showers, the provision of a bar, a motorised roller, a bowling machine, an electric scoreboard, and the provision of new nets. There is a plan for the toilets to be upgraded this year.