Club History

Cont.... By 1874, under the captaincy of Mr. G.D.Faber, Potters Bar were playing matches against Essendon, Totteridge Park and Shenley, with Bengeo, Southgate, Lyonsdown and Wood Green being added to the fixture list the following season.For some reason, however, a challenge from Finchley was refused. Playing colours of green, cerise and chocolate were introduced in 1876, although probably sensibly these were amended to green and cerise the following season.

In 1882 the club moved to a new ground in Coopers Lane, new fixtures with Bamet Grammar School, Cockfosters and Hertingfordbury were added, the Hon. Julian Byng (whose successors still live at Wotham Park in Potters Bar) was playing for the club, umpires were paid 10/6d per match and scorers l/6d, whilst a fine of 2/6d was introduced "for disobeying the instructions of the Captain."

Further changes in ground took place, firstly in the 1890's when the , club returned to Cotton Road and subsequently in 1912 to a field at the top of The Walk. However this field was acquired in 1928 for the widening of the High Street, with the result that after a couple of seasons at Northaw Place, for which consent was kindly given by the owner, Sir Philip Devitt, the Club moved in 1931 to the ground in The Walk that we still occupy, and now own, more than 70 years later.

During the 1930's, the Club went through the strongest period in its history, with a formidable team available under the captaincy of Jack Bell, a fine all-rounder. Although the war brought most club cricket to a close for six seasons, Potters Bar managed to maintain a "skeleton" side throughout the period, with the result that club cricket was quickly resumed in the 1946 season, with many of the pre-war stalwarts remaining at the club.

Further problems occurred during the 1950's, however, with the proposals by the then Potters Bar UDC to make up and widen The Walk, until then an unmade road. Inevitably PBCC was made to pay for the Local Authority's works, and this would have bankrupted the Club had it not been for the efforts of a small group of club members under the control of Roy Sims.

However the efforts needed to pay off the Council inevitably meant a deterioration in the standards of ground and pavilion, with the result that in January 1965 a working party was set up under the chairmanship of John Eke to produce a 10 year Development Plan for the club. The other members of this group were initially Dick Marrison, Colin Moor and Derek Dredge, and by 1977 the entire project had been completed, this including the construction (and subsequent extension) of a new pavilion

The drainage of the cricket square and the majority of the rest of the ground, the creation of a grass hockey pitch for Potters Bar Hockey Club (by then a section within Potters Bar Cricket Club), the construction of a two-storey scorebox, increased car parking and complete landscaping. The costs of these works were covered by grants and loans from a number of sporting and other organisations, and substantially also by interest free members loans, all of which were paid off by the club within the prescribed period.

Since that time, Potters Bar Cricket Club has developed as the sporting centre of Potters Bar, assisted by our subsequent purchase of the freehold interest in the ground from North West Thames Regional Health Authority. Cricket has continued at an ever higher league standard, ladies cricket has now arrived at the club, with disabled cricket also intended, colts (boys and girls) are trained throughout the summer, also playing in leagues throughout Middlesex and Hertfordshire, men's and ladies hockey continues throughout the winter months, whilst other sports involved at the club over the years have included Table Tennis, Judo, Crib and Darts. In addition, the . Club is always available to local organisations, with a number of local charities making use of the pavilion for their weekly meetings, and with the club also always available for hire to both individuals and local organisations for social functions.                             

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