Clifton RFC History

Manor of Henbury, granted Clifton Cricket Club permission to enclose and use a cricket pitch on the Downs near the Sea Walls. Much work was carried out by Clifton Rugby and Cricket Club player, and Gloucestershire Cricketer, Edmund Judkin Taylor, the origins of the oldest cricket club in Bristol.

On 28th February 1928 the Western Daily Press ran an article on Bristol Cricket History. It stated the earliet reference to a match played by the Clifton Cricket Club was made in the book "Fresh Light on Pre-Victorian Cricket" by Mr. G. B. Buckley of Weston-Super-Mare. It is related that the Clifton Club beat the Bath Club in one innings by 195 runs on Thursday August 12th 1819, in Capt. Thornhill's field, Lower Bristol Road, Bath. Details were in the Bath Chronicle on August 12th, 19th and 26th 1819 and Felix Farley's Bristol Journal on August 14th 1819. Felix Farley's Bristol Journal on August 21st 1819 said that a return match was played on August 19th 1819 on Durham Down. First innings scores, in this match were, Clifton 186, Bath 177; and Clifton finally won by 70 runs. One of the Bath Gentlemen scored 84 runs before he was caught out.

The first ever match Gloucestershire played was against Surrey on Clifton Cricket Club's pitch on Durdham Down on June 2nd to 4th 1870.

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 28th & 29th July 1859 - Durdham Down, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side were William Hammond, Alfred Grace, Samuel Harborne Belcher, Edward Mills Grace, Alfred Pocock, S.Hammond, Edward Arthur Howsin, J.Wilson, J.Fussell, Henry Mills Grace, William Gilbert Grace. Clifton won by 114 runs.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108355.html

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 29th & 30th August 1859 - Rodney Parade, Newport.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Edward Mills Grace, A.H.S.Vigor, B.Winthrop, Samuel Coy Pullen, H. Meade King, Philips, Syers, J. Gibson, Brown, A. Gibson, unknown (absent). Clifton scored 147, Soth Wales did not bat. Match drawn

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108356.html

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 13th & 14th August 1860 - Clifton College, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Alfred Pocock, A. H. Vigor, Dauberry, T.Hill, Edward Arthur Howsin, Henry Mills Grace, P.Hammonds, Galton, W Bouchier, Harrison, T.E.Cooke. South Wales won by 7 wickets.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108360.html

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 24th June 1861 - Clifton College, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Alfred Pocock, Samuel Harborne Belcher, Henry Mills Grace, H.Grunning, T.Hill, Westwood, Alfred Grace, Hansom, Rolph, T.E.Cooke. Match drawn.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108360.html

Clifton Cricket Club v Clifton College 24th September and 1st October 1870

Clifon College scored 141 and 56 and Club 255. The Clifton CC side was L.J.K.Shaw, Luckman, F.Townsend, W.E.K.Fox, James Arthur Bush, A.F.Coates, T.W.Turner, P.Hammonds, E.Miller, A.Henderson, W.Henderson

known Clifton RFC players (note the Henderson brothers were part of the 1869-70 Clifton RFC that disbanded)

Clifton Cricket Club v Clifton College 17th June 1875

Clifon College scored 156 and Club 187. The Clifton CC side was T.G.Matthews, J.Mills, S.G.Newton, F.Townsend, F.G.Monkland, E.J.Taylor, R.F.Miles, J.A.Bush, E.C.B.Ford, W.D.L.Macpherson, T.L.Matthews, H.S.Cobden.

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 15th & 16th May 1879 - Durdham Down, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was James Cranston, Herbert Willis Reginald Gribble, Frank Townsend, Walter Fairbanks, D. Pierce, P. A. Smith, John Leonard Matthews, J. B. Siddall, E. V. Salman, William Douglas Lawson Macpherson, A. H. Versturme. Clifton won by an innings and 39 runs. Cranston scored 96

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108410.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 5th & 6th August 1879 - Rodney Parade, Newport.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Frank Townsend, Herbert Willis Reginald Gribble, Edmund Judkin Taylor, Walter Fairbanks, William Octavius Moberly, A. McPherson, McDonald, E. Hill, Joseph Coates, E. V. Salman, J. B. Siddall. South Wales scored 186, Clifton did not bat. Match drawn.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108411.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 10th & 11th August 1880 - Cardiff Arms Park.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Thomas Gadd Matthews, Ramsay, Frank Townsend, Walter Fairbanks, Herbert Willis Reginald Gribble, Robert Fenton Miles, H. R. Thomson, H. C. McTier, C. R. Pullen, E. J. Davies, J. B. Midler. Match drawn

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108415.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 1st & 2nd September 1880 - Durdham Down, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was William Octavius Moberly, Mall, Frank Townsend, Newton, Edgar Robert Moline, Joseph Coates, J. P. Rush, C. R. Pullen, E. J. Davies, Cundall, James Arthur Bush. Moberly top scored with 30 runs. Clifton won by 81 runs.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108419.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 7th & 8th August 1882 - Cardiff Arms Park.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Alan Douglas Greene, H. W. Husband, Frank Townsend, Edmund Judkin Taylor, McDonnell, Stanton, Rumsey, W. R. Meline, W. L. Dugdale, C. R. Pullen, D. E. Jones. South Wales won by 7 wickets.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108425.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v South Wales Cricket Club 15th & 16th May 1883 - Durdham Down, Bristol.

A 4 balls per over match. The Clifton side was Thomas Gadd Matthews, Herbert Willis Reginald Gribble, Frank Townsend, James Cranston, Alan Douglas Greene, Edmund Judkin Taylor, Edward William Ball, Robert Fenton Miles, McDonald, H. W. Husband, H. W. Aubrey. Clifton won by 8 wickets.

see http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108429.html

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v Clifton College 9th June1883

Clifon College scored 132 and 14 and Club 195. The Clifton CC side was Robert Edwin Bush, A.D.Greene, F.Townsend, Edmund Judkin Taylor, W.F.Cave, Rev.G.W.A.Firth, Herbert Willis Reginald Gribble, R.F.Miles, James Arthur Bush, J. W. Stanton, F. A. Curtis, C. W. Ball.

known Clifton RFC players

Clifton Cricket Club v Clifton College 31st May 1884

Clifon College scored 60 and 91 and Club 335. The Clifton CC side was Edmund Judkin Taylor, John Day Miller, F.Townsend, Alan Douglas Greene, R.F.Miles, Rev.G.W.A.Firth, R.French, P.V.Turner, C.F.Baxter, M.A.Hartnell, W.D.Macpherson.

known Clifton RFC players

Clifon College scored 290 and Club 198. Match drawn. The Clifton CC side was F.G.Robinson, H.A.Pritchard, A.D.Imlay, F.P.Knox, G.C.Wall, C.J.Taylor, A.H.R.Fedden, V.Thompson, F.T.Boucher, R.Clarke, A.R.Tewart.

Bath scored 119, Clifton scored 118. Bath won by 1 run. The Clifton side was F.G.Robinson, D.L.Howe, R.C.Clarke, J.C.Wall, W.W.Hoskin, C.G.T.Hanson, L.G.Newman, A.T.Whittall, H.T.Roberts, V.F.Eberle.

In the 50 years book it said the club set up a cricket side for players in the summer.