The reason for the creation of a digital record of the Club’s history, is to provide members and non-members with easy access to the history of the Club since its formation in 1906. A further advantage of the task, is that it provides a ‘back-up’ source of information, should Minutes Books for example be lost, or destroyed by fire.

A great deal of material has already been scrutinised, articles written based on the Club’s Minutes Books and other records, such as photographs converted to digital format.

The material we are now putting on the Club website, represents the first phase of making the information we have gathered, available to Club members and anyone else viewing our website.

In the coming months, we hope to put a great deal of further material on the website, covering the period 1951 to the present day.  We want to give you the opportunity now to offer comments and advice, before we finalise the material for 1951 onwards.

Also, if anyone has relevant information or photographs for the two periods 1906 to 1919 and 1936 to 1951, we would be delighted to receive that.

Please do not hesitate to draw to our attention any errors or items of information      which you feel should have been included for the period 1919 to 1936.

·       photographs of the ground and its facilities, and of people heavily involved in the Club in its early years, which we would copy and return to you

·       the names of any people in the photographs you lend us and also the names of people in the photographs below 

·       any additional items of information which you feel may be of interest, not only relevant to the 1919 to 1936 period, but also for later years

·       any information for the years 1906 to 1919 and for 1936 to 1951, as we have no Minutes Books for these two periods

Please feel free to contact any of the following people if you wish to offer any comments or if you have information and/or photographs which you feel may be of interest:

John Mather    e-mail:   jdmather@hotmail.co.uk      Tel: 01254 812551

The major reconstruction of the ground which took place in 1972, necessitated the removal of the old timber scorebox, which in any case was probably nearing the end of its useful life.

For financial reasons alone, the purchase of a relatively small second-hand timber shed, as a temporary measure, seemed to be the best option, thereby allowing time to address the best permanent solution.  The fact that the ground was unavailable for matches due to the ground reconstruction, and also the need to allow the new playing surface to become properly established, gave some breathing space for the acquisition of a suitable shed. Mr Beaghan undertook to source a suitable shed and managed to find one for about £50 by July 1974. On completion of the new ‘permanent’ scorebox in 1981, Mr Beaghan bought the then ‘surplus to requirements’ shed from the Club. It remained in his garden until his death in 2022, no doubt giving him a constant daily reminder of what everyone recognised as an enormous contribution he had made to the Club, and in particular to the playing area, over several decades.

It was not until 1979, that a decision was made to build a substantial and durable permanent Scorebox, and a small sub-committee established to produce proposals.

Early in 1980 an anonymous donation of £400 towards the cost of a Scorebox was received.  It was also recognised that Planning Permission would be required for the new Scorebox. A request for a grant to help fund the cost was submitted to the Ribble Valley Borough Council (RBVC) and the intention was that the new Scorebox would be built prior to the commencement of the 1981 Season.  The RBVC advised the Club to seek financial support from its local Parish Councils, which was duly followed up. But subsequent Minutes indicate that a grant of £400 was obtained from the RVBC. Also, a £50 donation from the Clayton-le-Dale Parish Council can be reasonably assumed to have been in support of the Scorebox project. The overall total of donations amounted to £1 425, far in excess of the actual materials cost of approximately £600.

Mr Dickinson undertook to set in motion the preparation of an application for Planning Permission and confirmation of approval was reported in November 1980, but with the unexpected requirement for renewal after a five year period, for which the Club sought an explanation.  The construction work of the breeze-block structure of the scorebox, on a concrete base, was largely carried out by Club members, under the direction of Harry Wharton.  The new scorebox was in operation for the start of the 1981 Season.

Considerable discussion took place regarding the method of displaying the score details, serious consideration being given to possible purchase of an electrical/electronic system, in part arising from some concerns about the safety aspect of hanging tin sheets on nails.  However, the traditional system was retained. Many discussions about an electronic display system occurred in subsequent years ! 

The roof was found to need attention in 1990. This was carried out, as was further work on the roof in 1995.  Despite efforts to enhance the security of the Scorebox, an occurrence of vandalism was reported in November 1996. 

At the October 1962 AGM, shortly after the purchase of the ground from the Huntroyde Estate, the Chairman drew the attention of members to the importance of ‘development of the ground’.  His statement that the purchase of the ground ‘would not be the end, but only the beginning, and all members had an equal responsibility in making the ground purchase worthwhile’ proved over time, to have been entirely appropriate.  He was referring to, not just the playing area, but the overall facilities, and without doubt, included in his vision was the need for a new pavilion. 

He explained that most of the Premium Bonds prize money would be expended on the ground purchase and therefore the further developments would ‘have to be obtained by hard work’.  Club members bought into this strategy in the ensuing years, recognising the need for a prioritisation of the various improvements envisaged.

By November 1962, it had been established that financial assistance for the building of a new pavilion may be forthcoming from the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA). Shortly afterwards it emerged that a better grant may be obtainable from the Ministry of Education than from the NPFA.  It was noted that a grant from the Ministry of Education was likely to be 60% of the total cost. It was recognised that work on the pavilion would have to be done in stages, as cash became available, and the order of precedence would have to be decided.

In March 1963 Mr C H Frankland reported that a satisfactory new pavilion comprising dressing rooms, toilets and refreshment room would cost approximately £2 000 and some suggestions were made for minor alterations to the initial plan for the proposed building.  By February 1964, however, the estimated cost for the pavilion had risen to £5 892, this being the first element of an overall Club development programme envisaged to be of the order of £15 000.  It was decided that a request for a grant be submitted to the Ministry of Education and at the same time an enquiry about financial support also put to the NPFA. It was hoped that it may be possible for building work to commence at the end of the 1965 Season.  A site visit by a Ministry of Education Inspector in July 1965 gave the Club some optimism that grant aid would be forthcoming.

In August it was decided to apply for a NPFA loan of £2 000, repayable over a 3 year period.  Unfortunately, by February 1966, not only were loans subject to a maximum of £750, but the award of Ministry of Education Grants had been suspended for an indefinite period.  However, the suspension period was short-lived, but resumption of grants was expected to be on a limited scale. The Club accepted an offer from the NPFA of 3 year loan of £750.

By April 1966 it became clear that the Club’s application for a Ministry of Education Grant was not included in the ‘first’ list of applications to be considered, but encouragement was taken from the fact that it was included in the ‘second’ list.  The Club was advised by its agent Mr Forbes that, in order to qualify for a grant, the planned ‘social area’ would have to be omitted or re-designated. A revised plan, omitting the social area had the benefit of reducing the estimated cost from £6 000 to £4 000, without precluding the possibility of identifying the building of a social area extension as a future project.  It then became apparent that a ‘tea-room’ as opposed to a ’social area’, could be included in a grant application. In March 1967 a £5 000 plan including a tea-room was under consideration by the Ministry of Education.

The fact that the condition of the existing timber pavilion was reported to be such that it could not be expected to last beyond the 1967 Season, served to highlight the desperate need for progress on the financial front.  Mindful of the need to avoid any possible further delay to construction of a new pavilion, and the critical need for contractor vehicular access across the Common Land for delivery of materials, work commenced on creating a suitably firm surface across the Common Land for delivery vehicles.

In May 1967 the Club received confirmation from the Department of Education and Science of the award of a grant of £2 322 towards the new pavilion, payable by instalments.  The Club’s current financial position meant that the project could proceed immediately.

The Pavilion Specification prepared by the Club’s architect was issued to five potential contractors, seeking tender submissions. By July 1967, Cort and Holden, who had submitted the lowest tender, was selected as the company to build what turned out to be Phase 1 of the new pavilion.

Disappointing though it was that the social area had necessarily been omitted from the revised plans, it was recognised that it could be identified as a potential future project. Reconsideration of priorities established that reconstruction of the ground should remain the next priority, and take precedence over an extension to the pavilion.

The building work progressed well and was completed prior to the commencement of the 1968 Season, along with demolition of the old timber pavilion.  This major milestone was marked by a cricket match between past and present players on Easter Monday 15 April 1968.  The Club Minutes reveal that a film showing the opening of the new pavilion and ‘action pictures’ of play during the 1968 Season would be shown at the AGM.

The final overall cost of the first phase of the pavilion project was £5 311 of which £2 322 was covered by the grant.

Phase 2 of the pavilion did not materialise until 10 years later, in part, as a consequence of the decision to give priority to the ground reconstruction over a pavilion extension, and only after several design iterations, principally associated with difficulties associated with identifying the best approach to meeting the Club’s need for improved storage facilities.

In 1973 a decision was made that a new storeroom should be incorporated into the new pavilion, rather than be contained within a new Scorebox.  Plans for this were submitted to the Blackburn Rural District Council (RDC), which not too surprisingly, resulted in the RDC insisting that matching brickwork would be required.  An application for a grant towards the cost of the above storeroom had been rejected, which resulted in a sub-committee being appointed with the remit: ‘to review the storeroom needs and siting thereof, bearing in mind possible extensions of dining and toilet areas, and in so doing to seek as wide a view as possible’. 

In April 1974, the sub-committee recommended that an integral storeroom should be the aim and it was agreed that outline planning and building regulations approval should be sought. A target building date of March/April 1975 for the proposed pavilion extension was set, with priority to be given to a storeroom, other extensions to be delayed if necessary to ensure storeroom completion in readiness for the 1975 Season. 

A possible plan, prepared by Riley Burwat, was rejected because it failed to meet the first priority, relating to adequate additional equipment storage area. The Committee decided therefore to revert to the original plan and Mr Cort and one other builder were requested to submit estimates with a clear breakdown of costs of various elements, of which the storeroom was one such element. 

In November 1974 it was agreed that planning permission be sought for the full scheme of pavilion extension, but in three stages:  1 storeroom, 2 end of bar, 3 the remainder; with every effort to be made to avoid possible delay in respect of the storeroom.

However, on further reflection, it was accepted that building a storeroom behind the pavilion would make any additional building more difficult in view of restricted access. In order to overcome this potential problem, it was agreed that the necessary storeroom should be achieved by a double garage in the corner of the field near to the pavilion. It was further agreed that the building of a bar and appropriate extension should be discussed at the AGM, to establish the extent of likely support and demand. 

Mr Dickinson reported the fact that the Planning Authority had expressed an unwillingness to approve the proposed plan for a double garage, probably influenced by the likelihood of objections being submitted by residents of the Hazels, but he was requested to press hard to get support for the Club’s proposal at an imminent site meeting with an officer of the Planning Authority. 

Taking all factors into consideration in February 1975, it was finally concluded that a single application should be submitted for a double garage directly behind the pavilion close to the ground access gate. This proved to be acceptable to the Planning Authority and the eventual planting of climbing plants helped to screen the double garage.

At the beginning of 1976, Messrs Wharton and Dickinson were requested to draw up a revised plan for a relatively modest pavilion extension based on a seating capacity of approximately twenty. This resulting plan had an estimated cost of £7 000 and would provide an additional area of approximately twice the size of the existing ‘dining’ area.  Several potential uses of the proposed extension, in addition to match day use, were identified, including for example activities for Junior members such as table tennis.

It was agreed in principle to proceed with revised plan, subject to receipt of a satisfactory quotation and being able to raise the necessary finance. Towards the end of 1976, having established that a loan of up to approximately £5 000, repayable over a 10 year period if required, was likely to be available, the Committee felt able to back the initiative, provided a second quote indicated that the quote of approximately £6 000 supplied by Mr Cort was a fair one. 

By February 1977, Local Authority Planning Approval had been gained, but some concerns remained about financing the project, resulting in a possible stage-by-stage approach, but at the same time noting Mr Blackman’s urging to achieve maximum floor area. 

A sub-committee in the summer of 1977 recommended that a stage-by-stage approach be adopted to avoid the risk of putting the Club into heavy debt. It was acknowledged that there may need to be some minor alterations but understood that the overall scale of the project should remain unchanged.  The issue of a veranda was discussed, the outcome of which was that an outdoor veranda was the preferred choice, even though this obviously didn’t maximise the internal floor area. The adoption of the plan including a veranda, meant that the existing front line of the building was retained. Mr Cruse was appointed Clerk of Works for the pavilion extension.

By April 1978, the base had been laid (twelve inches below the existing pavilion floor level) at a cost of £620 and it was agreed that the sooner the walls and roof were built, the better. Securing of a loan, if necessary up to £800 was agreed, so that it would enable this further work to be carried out at an estimated cost of approximately £1 500. Work on the roof, glazing and asphalting of the floor were given the go-ahead in July.  It was also agreed to have a timber inset floor area.

Including furniture, carpet tiles, joinery, electrical work and decorating, the overall cost was expected to be approximately £7 000. The extended pavilion was judged to have a safe capacity of 70 people. 

Following a number of previous discussions with the Matthew Brown Brewery, and a request for them to reconsider the terms of their most recent loan offer, it was agreed that a loan of £1 500 should be sought, pending a financially successful Gala Day event, with the final decision regarding the loan being made after the Gala Day. In the light of the successful Gala Day Event generating a profit of £800, a loan of £1 000, repayable over 2 years was agreed. 

From the commencement in 1962 of plans for a new pavilion, to completion of Phase 2, had taken more than fifteen years, but this project proved to be just as important to the Club as the initial purchase of the ground and the major reconstruction of the playing area.

Members of the Club, many of whom were still active playing members, had worked extremely hard to overcome a whole range of obstacles and challenges that arose, in pursuit of these permanent major improvements, being at all times prudent in respect of avoiding jeopardising the Club’s financial status.  For those of us involved, it was a great privilege to have been involved in this stage of the Club’s development, and an immense pleasure to work in a highly committed team of volunteers helping the Club achieve its long-term aims. 

By 1982 it became apparent that the roof was in need of repair, but it wasn’t until 1991 that a major repair project became absolutely essential, costing in excess of £6 000 including VAT, minor repairs it seems having sufficed in the meantime.

A serious blockage was identified in 1984 in a section of sewer pipe running from the pavilion and passing through the garden of No 21 The Hazels.  Also, the presence of unacceptable smells in the vicinity of the old septic tank led to the recognition that possibly one of the pavilion discharge pipes had not been correctly linked in with the pipework leading to the sewer.  This eventually proved to be the case and the problem of the sink waste discharge pipe not having been properly connected to the sewer pipework, was rectified. 

Improvement of the ladies’ toilet facilities was identified as a high priority in 1984, the existing situation being described as ‘grossly inadequate’. The agreed solution was to relocate the storage garage from its position adjacent to the pavilion, so as to enable an extension to the pavilion to be built.  Planning Approval for the re-siting of the storage garage was given early in 1985, but the quotes received, based on the plans produced for the ladies’ toilet improvement project, incorporating also a storeroom, were considered to be unaffordable in 1987.

The acquisition of a snooker table for the pavilion in 1991 was a further enhancement of facilities. 

In the nineties several aspects of the pavilion and its facilities became in need of repair, replacement and refurbishment, the first of which was the framework of the large window in the pavilion. In 1996 necessary bar renovations were completed. 

In 1994 an architect was engaged to produce drawings in respect of a further extension to the pavilion, quite probably concerned with improvement of ladies’ toilet facilities and storeroom, but not specified in the minutes. 

Rewiring became necessary in 2001, in part at least because of vermin access.

In 1980, not for the first time, a tribute was paid to Michael Foley for his outstanding contribution as Junior Teams Manager, following the tremendous achievements again of Junior teams, including their successes achieved at Old Trafford.   

The following paragraphs are taken from the tribute which appeared                                        in the Lancashire Telegraph, following Michael’s death in 2022.

Tributes have been paid to a much-loved player and official who dedicated more than 60 years to Lancashire cricket.

Dr Mike Foley was recovering from a hip replacement operation while at home but died on February 21, aged 86.

Mike was a long-standing servant of Salesbury Cricket Club, initially as a player and then since the late 1960s as junior team manager. He was well known throughout Lancashire cricket and received an MBE in 2003 for services to Salesbury Cricket Club and to young cricketers.

Mike was described as one of the most respected men in cricket and known for his ‘knowledge, dedication, gentle manner and politeness within the sport’.

His career spanned more than six decades during which time he helped to rejuvenate his local club and inspire a new generation into cricket.

Mike is first mentioned in the cricket club minutes in 1957 when he supported a vote of confidence in the club's selection committee following unease among the club members which forced a club EGM (extraordinary general meeting).  

In 1959 he was one of 16 club members who were committed to selling football sweepstake tickets for 6d, in order for the club to raise funds to purchase the ground. 

Through that and other fundraising efforts, the ground was eventually brought into club ownership. In 1960 he joined the main club committee. He stayed on the committee until 2007. 

In his playing days, he was part of the 1st team that won the club’s first league title in the Chorley and District league in 1968. In 1969 he undertook the position of second team captain, a position he held until the end of the 1978 season. During that period he was supported by the club president, John Mather, as his vice captain.

In 1972 he led the second team to their first league title. 

In 1969 the club took the decision to level the ground and Mike formed a sub-committee to oversee the works. He later formed a sub-committee to oversee replacement and installation of drains to improve the ground. During his time on the committee he kept a keen eye on the club's machinery and ensured the club maintained and replaced it as required. 

Mike continually looked for grants or methods of fundraising to support the club and specifically support junior cricket at Salesbury. He continued to sell football cards and in 1978 raised £145 by holding a junior cricket ball throwing competition. 

From the 1970s onwards there was an annual expression of thanks at the club's AGM for all the work that Mike was doing to support the younger members of Salesbury Cricket Club. In 1979 the club appointed Mike the club's junior cricket manager, a reflection of the work he had been doing for a number of years. It was a post he enjoyed and held to this year. 

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the juniors made regular appearances at Old Trafford in age group finals. 

Mike was always on the lookout for sponsorship for the teams to help with the travel costs. To try and support juniors transition to senior cricket, Mike was among those in the club that pushed in 1979 to form a third team that could play in the Ribblesdale League third division. The Chorley and District league, at the time, only had two Saturday divisions.

As well as supporting the juniors in the 1980s, Mike took on the role of finding match sponsorship for the senior teams and also preparing the “Red Book” of fixtures. 

In 2001 he was elected chairman of the club’s selection committee.  

He was granted honorary Life Membership of the club in 2015.

Salesbury Cricket Club President, John Mather, said: “I first met Michael Foley when I started at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School; he was a few years ahead of me. 

“We all know what a likeable and friendly person Michael was. His parents were just the same and, kindly on occasions, took me home by car, after a cricket or football match. In addition to his passion for cricket, probably not many people would have known that Michael was also useful as an ‘outside left’ (forward) on the football field.

“Michael was one of a small group of people who managed in 1962 to persuade the Committee of Salesbury Cricket Club to allow me to become a playing member, despite the fact that I lived in Osbaldeston, just outside the permitted playing membership boundary. 

“I have therefore always been appreciative of Michael’s support. I was one of the first, if not even the first, to have enjoyed that privilege, enabling me then to enjoy 20 wonderful years as a playing member. 

“Without Michael’s support, my very fond memories of the cricket club may well never have been achieved. Michael’s commitment to Salesbury Cricket Club, and in particular to the recruitment and development of junior members was truly outstanding. 

“I recall often being amazed how much time he spent on the field during summer evenings, in the sixties and seventies, not to mention all the ‘off-field’ effort he put into the organisational aspects. It’s hard to imagine that there could ever have been anyone more committed, over so many decades, to cricket youth development.”

Stan Heaton and Simon Lord, LJCL Executive of Salesbury Cricket Club, paid this tribute: “Mike would spend as many nights as possible down on the ground, coaching, umpiring and supporting juniors of all ages.

“He was keen for cricket to be coached and played whenever possible, regardless of the weather. If it was safe to play he was happy to umpire and score underneath his golf umbrella. 

“Parents could either get a little damp or watch from their cars. The spirit of cricket was instilled in all the juniors that came into contact with him. Shirts needed to be white and tucked in the playing trousers. 

“Caps, if worn had peaks to the front. He gave everything to junior cricket. In the later years when he was unable to attend to coach, he would still continue to spend the spring arranging all the junior fixtures. 

“On home match days, he would always ring to check ground conditions if it had been raining and to ensure that a wicket had been prepared. Whenever possible he would drive to the ground and park his car as close to the boundary edge as possible.

“He would check the ground was fit before driving round to the score box. If he needed to park by the club house he would bring his binoculars (also used for another of his pastimes, bird watching) so he could watch the game and make judgements on players. 

“After each season he would prepare all the statistics for the junior teams, ready for awards nights and inclusion in the following season’s ‘Red Book’.”

A message from Lancashire Junior Cricket says: “It was always a pleasure to deal with Mike and to meet up with him at our junior matches. As one of our elder statesmen, Mike was an invaluable source of common sense and understanding of the game and so very influential in the development of junior cricketers. 

“Indeed over the years hundreds upon hundreds of junior cricketers have benefited from Mike's wisdom, teaching and insistence on the game being played in the correct spirit. We have been contacted by many within junior cricket already. 

“It is clear that Mike will be very much missed within the junior cricket community for both his contribution to the sport, and the children and for his humility and humanity.”

Away from cricket, following attending university Mike worked at Crown Paints in Darwen until 1988 and then moved into his passion of natural history. 

He gained his PhD in 1998 and became an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lancaster University in September the same year. He was an enthusiastic botanist and an expert plant taxonomist and as mentioned before a keen bird watcher, often loading pictures online of UK and European birds.

For all but his first four years Mike lived in the same house in Salesbury. 

In the 2003 New Year Honours, Mike was awarded the MBE for his services to sport following the 30 years of being coach and manager to Salesbury Cricket Club juniors. 

A junior team member he had coached had paid tribute at the time saying: "One thing that really stood out about him was that he wasn't just interested in the good players. He wanted everyone to do well. He gets everyone involved and he created an enthusiasm for the game in every young player.

Introduction to the Salesbury website

Latest articles

NEW SCOREBOX

NEW PAVILION

MICHAEL FOLEY MBE