By that time it was OLM. By the 70s/80s the small white clubhouse was used for most things. They only used the old clubhouse for certain occasions. The last couple of occasions I saw the clock working was firstly for the last Sunday league game that Yorkshire played there, and for a Humberside select XI v Ex-England players featuring ironically the likes of Fred Trueman... Both games took place in the early to mid 80s I think. My dad played in the second game and it was a bit odd for him as many of those Ex-England players were world class players when my dad was in his teens and into his twenties. Even into his sixties my dad said that Trueman was still 'quick and could move the ball around'. It was sure bloody unreal watching my dad face him!
Your meeting with Bill Bowes brings to mind one of his best friends who was also on that bodyline tour, Hedley Verity. It is of great debate as to who is the greatest Yorkshire left arm spinner of all time but it is between Wilfred Rhodes and Verity with my vote going to the latter. Sadly Hedley died serving in WW2 with Bill surviving it. Both had success against Don Bradman. Bill was one of the few bowlers to bowl him first ball and Hedley had some of the most economical figures bowling to him. Johnny Wardle of course followed Verity as the Yorkshire left arm spinner.
In the mid 60's our school, Wheeler St, used the Circle for our sports day having no sports field of our own, I never took part in this even for some reason although in other years I did when at the Costello stadium. So on this occasion I was detailed to take the pieces of paper with the results of all the events taking place, running, long jump, etc and then take these bit of paper into the pavilion, up the stairs and on to the balcony where the results were displayed on a chalk board. It was only an in house sort of sports day but by the end of the day I was more tired than those actually taking part with running up and down that staircase with the results. To top it all it was a beautiful sunny hot day and others not taking part could sit on the grass bordering the pitch just watching, or not. Although not sure of my facts here Hull was only one of many grounds to lose the Yorkshire cricket games it must have been some sort of rationalising by Yorkshire's ruling body as I believe Sheffield Utd's ground Bramall Lane suffered a similar fate for which there was uproar.
Ignited many memories there Yardley. I regularly went to watch Hull CC at the Circle in my early years at Riley. Remember being a big fan of the opening batsman at that time George Cawthray? Jimmy Binks was a couple of years ahead of us at Riley and played his first game for Yorkshire aged 19 when we were in the Lower 6th. Jimmy and I never got on especially after I scored 52 not out in the Under 13's as he never reached a half- century in any school match. From that point,however, my potential cricketing career took a nose dive whilst his soared.
He was indeed, he was also quite a character and a very generous man. He was abandoned when he was 14, he got a barrow and started picking up the fish that was dropped on the fish market floor to make a few quid and went on to become Britain's largest fish processor.
Yes I know the story spent many a happy hour or ten in Peter's company. How is Tim these days I haven't seen him for a long time?
He's fine, though I don't see much of him nowadays. I still see his daughters regularly, his eldest is getting married in Florida in the New Year, so we're off for a jolly.
Used to visit the Circle in the summer but mainly to watch Hull CC. My teacher, Fred Cowell, was the opening bat. He of City YTS fame and as far as I know still involved with the club. Gerry Summers played for Hull CC whilst he was a City player and I have memories of Ken Houghton turning out for them a couple of times. Lovely cricket ground although not a favourite with some of the Yorkshire team who always moaned about the wicket. Shame the cricket clubs existence and that of City's original ground isn't recognised in some way.
Yorkshire reported the pitch to the Lords inspector of pitches several times. The wicket really was awful. During my summer of '66 on the temporary ground staff, I remember the groundsman telling me that a certain captain had inspected the wicket and indicated an area where the ball would pitch for a fast bowler and said that it "may have a bit more life if was worked a little overnight with a fork." The groundsman laughed and said there was no chance. I checked the following morning and nothing had been done.
Some great memories stirred by the OP and subsequent photos. As part of our traditional walk down Anlaby Road from the bus station to Boothferry Park, we always used to stop for a while on the flyover and watch a bit of cricket (Hull CC) or rugby union (Hull & ER) depending on the time of year. I first went to watch Yorkshire play at the Circle on Sunday, 3rd June 1979, against Surrey in the John Player League. It was Chris Old's Benefit Year and the Tykes won by 6 wickets (wasn't there an advert for a Yorkshire beer that was "far too good for Surrey"? Yorkshire were that day). The only disappointment to me (as someone weaned on "Love Geoff Boycott and eat your greens") was that the great man failed, making only 13 before being caught by Allan Butcher off the bowling of David Thomas. Probably down to that poor wicket people have mentioned The following year I was at the Circle on the Sunday to see Yorkshire beat Gloucestershire, before ambling past it the following night en route to seeing City beat "old rivals" Grimsby 1-0 in the Anglo-Scottish Cup (Nick Deacy). Yorkshire were annual visitors for a good few years in the Sunday League, usually attracting a crowd of around 8,000 to the ground if I remember correctly. We usually sat on one of the temporary stands that were across from the pavilion and the old grandstand. I think the last game there was in 1990 before The Circle went the way of many other so-called "outgrounds". Thankfully, I managed to get to see Yorkshire play at several of these - Bradford Park Avenue, Sheffield Abbeydale & Acklam Park in Middlesbrough - before it was decided to concentrate games at either Headingley and Scarborough. Happy days.
I remember that advert. I thought it was for some kind of meat paste - Shippams? I've tried looking it up bet - nothing!
Possibly. I thought beer originally but I was possibly getting mixed up with Websters Pennine Bitter, as advertised by Fiery Fred: "Drives out the northern thirst"
