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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

Tony Larvin

2009

 

Geoff Bradby

1988

Geoff Lowe  

2004  

 

Jack Brumfitt

1987

Brian Marsh  

1996  

 

Fred Butler

2006

George Newton  

1996  

 

Brian Calverley

2003

Peter Smith  

2003  

 

Gordon S. Cooper

1996

 Martin Stubbs

2003

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
R.Seddon 2008-

HON. MINUTES SECRETARY

 

 S.Scholefield

2006-

 

HON. PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

 

 G.S.Cooper

1984 -

HON. CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER

G.D.Lowe

 2003

G.D. Lowe 2009

 

 B.Farrell

2004 - 2005

J.A. Sewell

  2010

 

 H. Parry

2006 - 2008

 

HON.TREASURER

 

H.Scott

1959 - 1966

 

 

H.Baker

1967

 

 

C.Smith

1968 - 2001

 

 

F.Butler

2002 - 2005

 

 

M.McKenna

2006 

 

J.Newsome  2007- 

HON. FIXTURE SECRETARY

 

G.S.Cooper

2002 -

 

HON. REGISTRATION SECRETARY

 

G.D.Lowe

2002 -2006

H.Smith

  2008-2009

P. Farrell 2007 A.Seddon 2010

HON.RESULTS SECRETARY

 

G.D.Lowe

2002 -

 

TROPHY STEWARD

 

A.J. Larvin

2002 -2007

L.Smith

  2009

G.S. Cooper & B.Calverley 2008 R.Moore 2010

UMPIRES APPOINTMENTS SECRETARY

 

P.Burns

2003-2004

 

 

D.Sykes

2005-2006

 

G.Hebden  2007-

WEBSITE MANAGER

 

G.D.Lowe

2002-

 

BLACK & ETHNIC MINORITIES OFFICER

 

M.Salim

2003-2009

F.Karolia

  2010

LEAGUE HEAD COACH

 

D.Smith

1976 - 1982

B.Marsh

1990 - 1999

 

G.S.Cooper

1983 - 1990

G.D.Lowe

2000 -

UMPIRES PREPRESENTATIVE

 

N.Blamires

1985 - 1996

P.Burns

2002 -

 

G.D.Lowe

1998 - 2001

 

 

YORKSHIRE SCHOOLS REPRESENTATIVE

 

A.Rowsell

1985 - 1996

S.Horkin

2000 -

MEMBERS  OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE SERVING   ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 

H.Howarth

1952/55

A.Currie     

1983/88

 

R.Robinson

1955/56

TT.Greaves  

1984/87

 

M.Pollard   

1955/61

AA.Gilston         

1988

 

C.Brook     

1956/58

P.Brook      

1989/90

 

J.H.Hayes 

1960/64

A.Ogden    

1989/96

 

S.Gawthorpe

1962/64

D.Godbold  

1989/98

 

S.Naylor    

1965/68

K.Stanley         

1998 -

 

H.Leathley 

1965/69

R.Greenwood

1998 -

 

J.Byrne      

1976/79

B.Calverley

1989 -

 

T.J.Matthews  

1976

M.A.Stubbs

1993 -

 

C.Jackson 

1977/83

S.Holliday

2003-

 

G.Barstow      

1980

M.McKenna

2007

 

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