Swannington Cricket Club once played on the stretch of
 meadow which lies between Heath Farm and the former 
 Chapel site. It is hard to imagine the present overgrown
 marshy field as a cricket pitch!

 
 The modern era all started with a WW2 fund raising 
 event held on the parkland in front of Little
 Witchingham Hall. A strip of grass had been cut
 to help with the organised events. Immediately after 
 the war, some of the local players approached the
 owners, the Arthurton family, seeking permission to
 create a pitch and play on this same strip. Permission
 was granted, and for about 15 years cricket thrived on
 this very picturesque parkland. There were a few mature
 trees within the boundary, but 'local rules' made light
 of this shortcoming.It unfortunately all came to an end 
 when an internal 'bust up' brought the club to an abrupt
 end.

 
 The second team photograph appears to have been 
 taken at Sloughbottom Park, Norwich.
 Back Row, L to R: K Betts, Harry Arthurton, 
 Sam Green, G Clarke, John Hall, & Noel Cushion. 
 Front Row, L to R: Kenny Bowman, Peter Fuller, 
 Harold Lake, Bertie Soames, & Ernie Holland.
 Thanks to the Dunning family & Ron Downing for the 
 identification of the players.

The group photographs were kindly supplied by Mrs Ivy Lake. It is thought that they were all taken in the 1950's

R GIBBONS © 2002