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H.W.D.J.C.L.
Formed 1949

B&DAJCL
Formed 1973
merged in
2003

HISTORY OF THE
HEAVY WOOLLEN DISTRICT

The "Heavy Woollen" district became established through its association with the textile industry as it evolved in the West Riding of Yorkshire during the nineteenth century.

Its origins took shape when branches of the industry were concentrated in different, sometimes overlapping zones.

Many of these woollen zones had their own specialties : narrow cloths were made around Huddersfield, white cloths and blankets in a central zone in Dewsbury, and coloured cloths in the north east of Leeds.

The central zone located chiefly in the Dewsbury-Ossett-Morley triangle, the centre of the "Heavy Woollen" area, produced material which was re-used by local mills in low-grade woollen cloths, the recoverable fibre being blended with new wool at the preparatory stage of development.

From the onset of the Industrial Revolution Dewsbury went on to win fame and acclaim when it developed the world's first textile recycling industry thanks to a local invention of the rag grinding machine in 1813.This ingenious contraption enabled woollen cloth to be reprocessed into fabrics known as "shoddy" and "mungo"
By 1889 seventy one firms were listed as mungo manufacturers, rag grinders or shoddy manufacturers concentrated in the "Heavy Woollen District".

The supply of rags to the shoddy and mungo manufacturers was an important aspect of the trade. The system of rag collection, extending throughout Britain and Europe, lay mainly outside the control of the West Riding users of the materials. Inside the "Heavy Woollen" district, however, rag merchants, usually of small capital, found a role in the supply system. Their function was to hold stocks of rags and in some cases to sort them according to colour and grade. In the early twentieth century, the centre of Dewsbury had woollen mills, rag and shoddy mills, warehouses of various types, including rag warehouses, auction rooms ; all of them the product of a flourishing textile industry.

Dewsbury, together with the neighbouring towns of Batley, Morley and Ossett concentrated on the production of blankets and "heavy woollens".
The products included the manufacture of uniforms for the armed forces during peacetime and war.

Organised cricket has a long tradition in the "Heavy Woollen" which dates back to at least 1883 .
In that year the oldest surviving cricket competitions was established, namely the "Heavy Woollen District Cricket Challenge Cup".

THE ORIGINAL CUP

Some of the early sides were products of Sunday schools and textile mills.
Originally it was confined to clubs located within a six mile radius of Batley Town Hall.
Modern transport communication has allowed the radius to be extended up to eighteen miles with a maximum of sixty four clubs competing annually.
The story of the Heavy Woollen Cup covers a period which has seen this country involved in three major wars and at least one decade of acute industrial oppression.
Despite its own internal skirmishes between the clubs taking part, the Heavy Woollen Cup has survived them all throughout more than 100 years of competition.
Apart from the Test matches played for "The Ashes" between England and Australia, "no other cricket competition in this country(UK) can boast a longer continuous record". Even "The Ashes" had to be suspended during the two world wars of 1914-18 and 1939-45, whilst the Heavy Woollen Cup competition soldiered on.

Junior league cricket was introduced shortly after the second world war when, in 1949, the Heavy Woollen District Junior Cricket League (HWDJCL) was formed.
In1973 the Batley & Dewsbury Area Boys League was established which was tailored for the Under 15 age group. The exclusive nature of the leagues constitution was changed in the late ninety's to facilitate mixed participation.
The league became known as the Batley & Dewsbury Area Junior Cricket League.(B&DAJCL)

While both leagues kept their separate identity they were closely linked and a number of officials acted in a dual capacity. The leagues shared the same handbook in which their respective rules and fixtures were published.
It was only natural that they shared the same website.

Not surprisingly some leagues badges, emblems etc incorporate the image of a sheep into their design in recognition of the districts heritage.

The two Junior Leagues finally merged in December 2003.
The new organisation prospers under the name of the Heavy Woollen District Junior Cricket League.

RECORD OF SERVING OFFICIALS SINCE 1949
PATRON
					Clifford SMITH
HON.LIFE MEMBERS
						Molly.Staines				1989	Dennis Richards		2002
						Philip Akroyd				1994	Allen Baxter		2006
						Peter Snape				1996
LIFE VICE PRESIDENTS
			Tom Austin							1996	John Crossley		1999
			Stuart Battye							2002	Geoff Lowe		2004
			Geoff Bradby							1988	Brian Marsh		1996
			Jack Brumfitt							1987	George Newton		1996
			Fred Butler							2006	Peter Smith		2003
			Brian Calverley							2003	Martin Stubbs		2003
			Gordon S. Cooper							1996
PRESIDENTS
				J.H. Brumfitt				1949 - 1952
				C.A. Sutton				1953 - 1954
				W.S.Goldsmith				1955 - 1973
				G.V.Bradby				1974 - 1987
				C.Smith				1988 - 2000
				S.Battye				2003 - 2005
				P.Smith				2006 -
VICE PRESIDENTS
			C.A.Sutton					1955 - 1960				D.Smith	1983 - 1991
			J.H.Brumfitt					1959 - 1984				T.Austin	1985 - 1991
			C.Austin					1961 - 1962				A.Howden	1986 - 1991
			S.Secker					1963 - 1965				B.White	1987 - 1991
			G.V.Bradby					1965 - 1973				P.Akroyd	1988 - 1991
			J.Hampshire					1967 - 1984				G.Stanley	1989 - 1992
			L.Saville					1969 - 1987				K.S.Rollin	1992 - 1995
			G.Wolfenden					1970 - 1985				J.M.Squires	1992 - 1997
			G.Barstow					1975 - 1980				Discontinued Appointment
CHAIRMAN OF THE LEAGUE
							G.S.Cooper	1998 -
	HON. LEAGUE SECRETARY										ASSISTANT LEAGUE SECRETARY
			L.Saville					1949 - 1968			A.E.Wood		1959 - 1961
			C.Smith					1969 - 1987			N.Turner		1962 - 1968
			T.Austin					1988 - 1992			A.Robinson		1969 - 1975
			K.Gamble					1993 - 1995			T.Austin		1973 - 1987
			C.Sands					1995 - 1996			B.White		1984 - 1986
			S.Battye					1996 - 2002			R.Glover		1984 - 1990
			G.S.Cooper					2002 - 2003			J.Crossley		1988 - 1999
			L.Wagstaff					2003 - 2005			P.Smith		1998 - 2004
			P. Farrell					2006			P.Dixon		2004 -
			S.Scholefield					2007-
HON. MINUTES SECRETARY
		S.Scholefield							2006-
HON. PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
			G.S.Cooper					1984 -
HON. CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER
			G.D.Lowe					2003
			B.Farrell					2004 - 2005
			H. Parry					2006 -
HON.TREASURER
				H.Scott				1959 - 1966
				H.Baker				1967
				C.Smith				1968 - 2001