Although immersed in a new job and home, I was aware that the village had a playing field. I had heard the occasional shout or curse! A knock at the door heralded an invitation to run some fitness training for the football team and an invitation to the AGM. The meeting was told that the club was in debt, had run into difficulties with the league for poor administration and the committee stood down. Eyes turned to me and suddenly I was their secretary.

The debt was quickly cleared following a sponsored obstacle run round the field and the league were re-assured that we could organise ourselves. A Rudston football team ran and thrived. At this time the area of playing field was smaller and only had a football pitch which ran at right angles to the direction it is now. The players changed in a caravan. I began to gather some of the background including, that the field had been donated for playing field use by Sir Ian on payment of one white rose per year. The Chairman of the Parish Council, Billy Gatenby, had organised the levelling and seeding of the field, and then the ‘club’ had marked out its pitch and erected posts.

When the summer came, I was asked if I could play cricket. The term ‘play’ of course can be interpreted in many different ways. My interpretation of batting was that no-one would get me out no matter how slowly the runs came. I made Boycott look like Andrew Flintoft. However, they didn’t know that when they asked me so I was allowed to join. But where was Rudston cricket played? Certainly not on the playing field. Again, due to the generosity of Sir Ian, it was played on a ground below Thorpe Hall, in a delightful setting, surrounded by daffodils. The management of the ground was carried out with some inconvenience to all including Sir Ian, who, in spite of the best efforts of the club, was frequently disturbed in the hall, by strange men in grass stained white clothing looking for Rudston opposition.

I very quickly came to the conclusion that it would be in everyone’s best interests if Rudston sport could be centralised. I discussed the possibilities with a number of people who had been heavily involved in village life for many years and then took it upon myself to put a proposal to Sir Ian. We held a fruitful meeting after which he agreed to increase the size of the playing field sufficiently to allow the football pitch to be turned sideways, as it is now, which would then allow a new cricket square to be laid.

Continued on next page